Prof. Sabeena Gadihoke

Prof. Sabeena Gadihoke is a filmmaker, photo historian, author, and academic, widely respected for her contribution to visual culture, documentary practice, and photojournalism in India. She currently serves as the Director of the A.J. Kidwai Mass Communication Research Centre (AJK MCRC), Jamia Millia Islamia, one of the country’s leading institutions for media education.

With a deep engagement in photography, documentary cinema, and visual history, Prof. Gadihoke’s work explores the intersections of image-making, memory, politics, and society. She has been instrumental in shaping critical discourse around photojournalism, particularly in examining how images document lived realities, marginal voices, and historical moments.

As an academic and educator, she has mentored generations of photographers, filmmakers, and visual journalists, emphasizing ethics, context, and sensitivity in visual storytelling. Her teaching and leadership at AJK MCRC foreground the responsibility of the image-maker in representing truth, narrative integrity, and social complexity.

Prof. Gadihoke is also the author of Camera Chronicles of Homai Vyarawalla, a seminal work that brought renewed attention to India’s first woman photojournalist and the legacy of early Indian photojournalism. Her research and writing have significantly contributed to preserving and interpreting photographic archives and visual histories in South Asia.

A frequent speaker at national and international forums, Prof. Gadihoke continues to engage critically with questions of representation, authorship, and the evolving role of photography and documentary practice in contemporary media. Her work embodies the values of empathy, integrity, and visual truth, making her a vital voice in the fields of photojournalism, media education, and visual culture.