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October 29, 2018: Nasir, an 18-year-old from Jharia, unloads coal illegally from a BCCL truck after bribing the driver for access to the load. Children and teenagers in Jharia enter the coalfields before sunrise, scavenging loose coal from abandoned pits and burning dumps to help support their families. Many earn barely USD 1–2 a day, collecting sacks of coal to sell to local vendors or small hotels in Dhanbad. With schools often inaccessible or unaffordable, work becomes routine by the age of 6–18, trapping them in the same cycle of poverty as their parents. The risks are constant: toxic fumes from century-old underground fires, collapsing slag heaps, and extreme heat that can flare without warning.

Supratim Bhattacharjee

me@supratimbhattacharjee.com +919339460531 India

Biography

Supratim Bhattacharjee is an award-winning photographer renowned for his compelling visual narratives on climate change, environmental crises, and humanitarian challenges. His debut project, Sinking Sundarbans, spotlights the devastating impacts of climate change on his homeland, the world's largest mangrove ecosystem. This ongoing work, internationally acclaimed for its poignant storytelling, received the UNICEF Photo of the Year award in 2021.

Supratim’s lens extends beyond the Sundarbans to global environmental issues. His project, Black Diamond and Tears, delves into the consequences of fossil fuel extraction. Recognized as the UNICEF Photo of the Year in 2020, this series has been showcased at prominent forums like the Climate Adaptation Summit and the Global Center on Adaptation. His long-term project, War for Water, addressing India’s severe water crisis, earned an Honorable Mention in the UNICEF Photo of the Year 2023.

Based in Kolkata, Supratim captures South Asia's stark realities with an enduring commitment to preserving human dignity. His work, featured in prestigious publications like Time, The Guardian, and UN reports, aims to inspire policymakers to prioritize humanity's future. Recipient of prestigious honors like the Royal Photographic Society Prize, his work has been showcased at renowned venues such as Visa Pour l'Image and the La Gacilly Photo Festival.

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October 29, 2018: Nasir, an 18-year-old from Jharia, unloads coal illegally from a BCCL truck after bribing the driver for access to the load. Children and teenagers in Jharia enter the coalfields before sunrise, scavenging loose coal from abandoned pits and burning dumps to help support their families. Many earn barely USD 1–2 a day, collecting sacks of coal to sell to local vendors or small hotels in Dhanbad. With schools often inaccessible or unaffordable, work becomes routine by the age of 6–18, trapping them in the same cycle of poverty as their parents. The risks are constant: toxic fumes from century-old underground fires, collapsing slag heaps, and extreme heat that can flare without warning.