With great ease: The photography of T.S. Satyan

On occasion of T.S. Satyan’s birth centenary, MAP explores how his work goes beyond traditional photojournalism.

Gomateswara (1976) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

T.S. Satyan (1923-2009)

One of India’s earliest photojournalists, Satyan believed the lens to be an unbiased recorder. Born in Mysore, Satyan took his first photograph in high school and went on to document key moments of Indian history for over 60 years.

Untitled (1970) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

T.S. Satyan’s work was all about people, and his lens became a window into the lives of ordinary people.

Rural Wedding (1979) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

He photographed powerful politicians without pomp, soldiers at leisure, women in the workforce, and young children in sincere contemplation; admiring their friendships. 

Iron and Steel Works, T S Satyan, 1970, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Delhi - Agra Train, T S Satyan, 1970, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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B. K. S. Iyengar teaching Yoga to Yehudi Menuhin at Nehru's Residence, T S Satyan, 1964, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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New Hope for the Disabled, T S Satyan, 1979, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Untitled, T S Satyan, 1950/2000, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Agartala, Tripura, T S Satyan, 1971, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Childhood, T S Satyan, 1973, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Dancer and Teacher Reflected in Mirror, T S Satyan, 1978, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Women Cleaning Mounds of Rice for Mass Feeding, Siddaganga Math (1969) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

Sugata Srinivasaraju suggests that Satyan had an “amiable casualness of early youth, the creative restlessness of a teenager and the boundless energy of a child.” This describes how he moved with ease, sometimes even unbothered by the conditions of the moment. 

Monkeys Enjoying a Ride Atop a Car, T S Satyan, 1950/2000, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Oh! These monkeys!!, T S Satyan for Newstime, 1988, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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School for the Blind (1978) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

Satyan's photographic style was marked by an effortless fluidity. His images were not meticulously planned or overly staged; they unfolded naturally, reflecting the freedom and curiosity that defined him as a photographer. 

Andhra Pradesh, T S Satyan, 1962, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Untitled, T S Satyan, 1950/2000, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Child Labour, T S Satyan, 1979, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Bangladesh Refugee, mother and child, T S Satyan, 1971, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Kathakali Students, Kalamandalam, T S Satyan, 1976, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Miner, Kolar Gold Mine, T S Satyan, 1972, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Untitled (A Photographer Taking a Portrait of a Man), T S Satyan, 1950/2000, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Untitled (A Dog Sleeping on a Porch), T S Satyan, 1950/2000, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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All India Institute of Medical Sciences (1978) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

As part of an assignment, Satyan took this photograph in 1978 at AIIMS Delhi. That year, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of the Govt. of India launched an immunisation programme for newborns and pregnant women called the Expanded Programme on Immunization.

Polling Booth (1972) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

In his typewritten notes and scribbles on the reverse of the photographs, we find glimpses of a personal archive. These annotations offer us a peek into how the photographer documented and preserved his visual narratives, or even how he took notes for the editors of newspapers.

Jawarharlal Nehru, Parliament House, New Delhi, T S Satyan, 1962, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Untitled, T S Satyan, 1962, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Golden Temple, Amritsar (1976) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

Satyan cared very deeply about the images that he took; the tenderness in his documentation and the joy of photographing people invites us to explore the world of the second half of the twentieth century.

Kodava Dancers during a Festival, T S Satyan, 1950/2000, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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25 Year Old T. S. Satyan, B. S. Achar, 1948, From the collection of: Museum of Art & Photography
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Flash Floods, Delhi (1970) by T S SatyanMuseum of Art & Photography

"For fifty years, I roamed across all India and neighbouring lands with my eyes and heart open. And wherever I went people showered me with their kindness , appreciation and hospitality. They have been my very best supporters and also critics. They have been my inspiration."

Credits: Story

MAP is grateful to the T.S. Satyan Family Trust for gifting its archive. Images of the photographs have been cropped for navigational purposes. 
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Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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