Second edition of Gorkhapatra photograph exhibition begins

BY A STAFF REPORTER,Kathmandu, Apr. 26:The second edition of the photograph exhibition of the Gorkhapatra Corporation kicked off at the Gorkhapatra Corporation in Kathmandu on Thursday.

The exhibition titled 'Looking Back into History' organised on the occasion of the 124th anniversary of the Gorkhapatra Publication and 62nd anniversary of the corporation and National Photojournalism Day was inaugurated by Ram Krishna  Subedi, Secretary at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, by clicking the camera shutter.

On the occasion, Secretary Subedi said that the Gorkhapatra was an open university for photojournalism boasting a large collection of historically important photographs. Stating that it was the first institute to introduce photojournalism in the country, he said that it could be used for research and study.

He said that the print version of the Gorkhapatra was transiting to a digital version and it has the potential for revenue generation. He pointed out the need to preserve and promote such assets.

Bishnu Prasad Subedi, Executive Chairman of the Gorkhapatra Corporation, said that the exhibition included rare photographs. He informed that the corporation was working on archiving and digitilisation. However, archiving 123 years of publication posed a significant challenge, he added. 

Lal Bahadur Airi, General Manager, said that the Gorkhapatra and its publications were intertwined with Nepal's history. He said that based on the first photograph published in the Gorkhapatra, the National Photojournalism Day was initiated in the country. He said that the exhibition aims to chronicle the history of photojournalism in Nepal and its significance in contemporary society.

Similarly, Ram Prasad Humagai, head of the Photography Department, said that black and white photographs published in the Gorkhapatra from 1973 to 2003 were displayed in the exhibition. Additionally, traditional photography equipment was also showcased in the exhibition. 

The Rising Nepal's acting editor-in-chief Bhimsen Thapaliya, Gorkhapatra Daily's acting editor-in-chief Shiva Kumar Bhattarai and heads of other departments were present on the occasion.

The exhibition will continue till May 5 from 11 am to 6 pm.