Bhil Tribe- Maharashtra

About Artist

Sudharak Olwe’s photojournalistic practice spans over three decades as he documents lived social realities of the marginalized as portraits of their lives. His practice has been a continuous engagement to create social awareness through documentation archival process. His works have been extensively exhibited at numerous art galleries, festivals and institutions. In 2005, he was one of the four awardees for the National Geographic’s ‘All Roads Photography Programme’. In 2016, Sudharak Olwe was conferred the Padma Shri, India’s 4th Highest Civilian Award by the President of India, in recognition of his valuable contribution. Stepping out of the Xavier’s Institute of Communication, Sudharak studied at the JJ School of Arts, and joined the Free Press Journal in 1989 as a press photographer. He has sensitively captured societal criticalities which includes atrocities on Dalits in Maharashtra/ lives of conservancy workers/ women survivors of domestic violence/ and TRIBES of INDIA. Documentation of TRIBES, gives a glimpse into their valuable inheritance, their existence becomes a NATIONAL HERITAGE. Thus the preservation of our ancient tribes and their lands becomes a matter of national importance, as they struggle to continue to preserve their identity, indigenous culture and theirs environment. The inheritors of the land are Outcasted, by the power structures of Industrial Modernisation by disrupting ‘SYNCRETIC LIVELIHOODS Towards UNSUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES’. Today, 573 communities are recognized by the government as Scheduled Tribes, and are protected by law adopted in the 1950s. India inherits the largest population of these tribal people in the world, constituting 8.6 percent of the total population, 104 million people according to the 2011 census. The representative works are of PARDHI/ Bhil tribes from Maharashtra, and Dongra Kondh Tribe from Orissa. Pardhi’s were known for their hunting skills as well as guerrilla warfare. During the British Empire along with 150 Tribes of India who participated in 1857 revolt, to keep these tribal communities in check as they revolted, the British brought the Criminal Tribes Act and branded these tribes as criminals.