Photographer from Kolkata gets package for Beijing Olympics

Kolkata, May 14 (UNI) City-based amateur photographer Anindya Majumdar has won the first prize in 'Higher' category in Visa's Olympic-inspired 'Visa Moving Images Photography Competition' earning him a package for two to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Besides Mr Majumdar, Huang Ren and Yang Huanmin from China and Doo Youngsurk from Korea were the other lensmen, who were honoured with same packages and prize money of 5,000 US dollars in other categories beating thousands of participants from 24 countries across the Asia Pacific region.

Announcing this here today, Visa International's South Asia country manager Santanu Mukherjee said the competition, which ran between October 1 and December 31, 2007 was themed on the Olympic Games motto-'Faster, Higher, Sronger' and China, the host nation of the upcoming sporting event.

Mr Mukherjee, who unveiled the photograph of Mr Majumdar, said '' Majumdar's picture is an almost surreal shot of a young boy suspended in the air after a daring leap off the top of a tree into a river as his friends watch from below. It is a visually arresting shot of a young boy literally floating on the top of the world. It captures the moment of exhilaration that must be felt by any high jump or pole vault athlete who has beaten all others in a competition. '' '' While we received many outstanding images from across Asia Pacific, the composition of this image and how well it captured the 'Higher' theme of the competition was why the judges felt that it deserved the top prize in the category, '' he said.

Reacting to the award, Mr Majumdar observed, '' I never imagined that this photograph would find a place in the Olympic Games. The children in the photograph are displaying their competitive spirit- a key value that I associate with the Olympic Games. '' '' I am honoured that my photograph was chosen by Visa as one of the four winning entries and I am doubly honoured to have this opportunity to represent my country at the Beijing Olympic Games, '' he maintained.

Mr Mukherjee stated that the four category winners would also be asked to submit up to eight photographs each of their experience at the Games. An overall winner, selected from the photographs submitted, would win an additional amount of 3,000 US dollars, he added.

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