Founded in 1915, the Mahatta & Co. photographic studio has, over the decades, become a privileged witness to Indian history. Passed down through four generations, it continues to combine the visual memory of a nation with a drive for innovation, while remaining deeply rooted in its origins and in the transmission of family know-how.
It all began 110 years ago. In Srinagar, in northern India, photographer Amar Nath Mehta opened a photo studio under his own name in a country under British rule. The colonizers’ approximate pronunciation of “Mehta” gave rise to “Mahatta,” an identity that endured. “My grandfather, Madan Mahatta, took over in 1954. He was the first in India to produce a color print,” recalls Arjun Mahatta, great-grandson of the founder, who himself joined the business thirteen years ago. “He contributed greatly to India’s development and modernization. We have an enormous collection of documents from that period, because we photographed all the major Indian events, many important personalities, dignitaries…”
The Mahatta archives are a treasure trove for historians and photography enthusiasts. From the Second World War to fashion shows, including portraits of Jacqueline Kennedy, Gandhi, or the Dalai Lama, the studio has preserved “images of very diverse kinds covering the past hundred years: architecture, studio portraits, army generals, Supreme Court judges…” These archives have led to several publications, including Picturing a Century, a book released in 2015 to celebrate the studio’s centenary. Ten years later, Arjun Mahatta is preparing a new book, blending his own photographs with those of his father and grandfather, to be presented in New York next November.
A Studio Looking to the Future
While the studio was a pioneer in color printing in India, before automating the process in the 1970s, Arjun Mahatta points out that it was his father, Pavan Mahatta and Pankaj Mahatta —who joined the business in 1983—who introduced digital photography to the studio three years later. “Over time, we had to transform our business. We were the first to import Canon into the country in 1991, when the Indian market opened up to the world.” And at a time when the photography industry is being shaken, Arjun Mahatta also brings new changes to the company, with a vision that combines technological innovation with respect for historical archives.
In recent years, Mahatta has continued to diversify its activities, offering online printing services, an image bank, as well as the creation and production of films and videos. These initiatives not only expand the studio’s reach but also highlight its archives for a modern audience. “Right now, we are developing a direction we had considered perhaps 30 years ago. And that’s what I love: working on long-term projects.” He also reminds us that it is always necessary to “evolve with the times and go out to meet people.”
Benjamin Rullier
