Promoting Creative and Social Photography
Our Expert
Bijay Kumar Agrawal
FIIPC, ESFIP, FAPPA, FSAP
Born on 15th Feb.1955 at Bolangir, Orissa in a business family.
From Childhood he had deep interest in games like badminton, table tennis, chess and Yoga. He was a district champion in Badminton and table tennis and also represented his University for them.
His brother gifted a Kodak box camera at the tender age of twelve and love for photography in him started with it.With five beautiful sisters and their friend to pose at will, he did not have to look outside home for models to practice. This put him in a path of specializing Portrait Photography.
Came to Visakhapatnam in 1981 to expend his family business in Automobile tyres and tubes and started a business in the name of Hindustan Sales.
Joined the then Coromandel Camera Club and conducted 1st All India Exhibition at Visakhapatnam in 1983. Two awards and a certificate of merit in the very 1st exhibition put him in a path of no return. So far around 840 of his pictures have been exhibited in different National and International salons all over the world and have won more than 100 awards and certificates.
Conferred with Fellowship of India International Photographic Council (FIIPC) in the year 1999 in Fashion and advertisement section. Fellowship in photography is conferred upon a person in recognition to the person’s mastery over the medium of photography. Besides the candidate should have been active in the field of photography for past 15 years. He should have an excellent and uninterrupted service record in photography. The recipient must have at least 150 acceptances in IIPC/PSA approved National and International salons. A desirable qualification for this honour is specialization in any branch of photography with a high degree of originality.
There were several unique features in the Fellowship Honour to him:
- First person in the country to receive Fellowship in Fashion and advertising photography,
- The youngest recipient of this honour in India.
- Fellowship from Andhra Pradesh Photography Academy in 2018.
- Fellowship from Sigma Academy of Photography, Hyderabad.
- ESFIP ( Excellence in Service Federation of Indian Photography) in Feb.2019. Only person in Andhra Pradesh to get it.
- Life Time Achievement Award from Academy of Visual Media, New Delhi, received in January 2007.
He has revived the defunct Visakha Camera Club in 1990 and have already conducted two National and three International exhibitions in the city.
Already conducted many state level and national photography workshops at Araku, Bhimilipatnam, Khammam, Vijaywada, Rajahmundry, Delhi, Jabalpur, Bangalore, Goa, Jamshedpur, Mumbai, Andaman, Thailand, Varanasi, Haridwar, Indore and other places beside regular workshops at Visakhapatnam for beginners and professionals.
- A regular faculty in National and International Workshops and conventions of Photography.
- A regular faculty for studio lighting for Company likes Kodak Limited.
- Vice President member of A.P. State Akademi of Photography.
- Many one man shows in Visakhapatnam and other places,
- A regular judge in Photographic salons.
- Former Chairman of Fashion and advertisement division of IIPC,
- Founder of Save Family Harmony at Visakhapatnam. SFH is an organization that counsels couples in dispute and gives psychological and legal help.
Takes regular weekend free photography classes for beginners and advanced photographers in Vizag.
Beside photography activities also actively associated with other associations like:
- Past Hony. secretary of Rotary club, Visakhapatnam and a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.
- Served as office bearer in Rajasthani Sanskritik Mandal and Agarwal Mahasabha.
- Present Secretary general of Andhra Pradesh Pradeshik Marwari Sammelan,
- Past office bearer of Visakhapatnam Automobile dealers association.
- A regular judge in beauty pageants and other competitions.
- A regular blood donor.
- Selected and felicitated as the Outstanding Young person of A.P. by JAYCEES CLUB.
- Felicitated as the CITIZEN EMINENCE by Distt Collector for achievements in Photography.
- Founder of Chhayankan
Covered the prestigious event of Navy in Vizag PFR (President’s Fleet Review) during President Abdul Kalam 2005 and (IFR) International Fleet Review in 2017 ( PM Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee were the Guests of Honour).
His catch line is “There is no stopping when your Passion becomes your Profession”.