Nachiket Sharma 2021 Commended
Sleep is a constant in her life. It gives her peace which she is looking for. At any point of the day, all she wants to do is numb herself with sleep. © Nachiket Sharma
She wouldn’t allow anyone to touch her hair, except my father, her son. So he combs her hair every day, and the process lasts not much more than just a few minutes. © Nachiket Sharma
Before her afflictions, she used to spend time in the courtyard talking to the neighbours and looking after her plants. Now, her visitors try to make her recall her earlier days. © Nachiket Sharma
She is fascinated by her nails getting polished. © Nachiket Sharma
The courtyard still remains her favourite place. It must be the memories of neighbours, her plants and the street. © Nachiket Sharma
This friendly street dog is a regular visitor. The neighbourhood has a good population of street dogs and all of them are quite fond of her. © Nachiket Sharma
My mother talks to her about the time they have spent with each other, in a bid to revive her memories. © Nachiket Sharma
She loved cooking and often she insists on going to the kitchen. © Nachiket Sharma
While going through her old photo album, at times there is a glimmer of recognition when she sees her younger self. © Nachiket Sharma
Two rooms and two worlds. My father works from home at his desktop while my Grandmother tries to find herself in her room. © Nachiket Sharma
The bougainvillea has bloomed once again on the terrace, without her even realising it. © Nachiket Sharma
Her chair in her favourite spot on the terrace garden awaits her return. She might just make it, someday. © Nachiket Sharma
Love, Hope and Prayers
When independence is replaced by dependence, sanity by moments of dementia, and the joy of living by pain and despair, a proud woman’s suffering is tough to witness. Her inner agitations and helplessness must give way to peace of mind. It’s the love, hope and prayers of the family which keeps the hope aloft. Unfortunately, the photographers Grandmother suffered a stroke last year, which left her partially immobile and dependent for help. For a very independent woman, it was rather difficult for her to reconcile to the fact that she now needed others’ help for the simplest of chores and relied on their assistance for her daily basic necessities. Now, a year later, she has been diagnosed as slipping into dementia. She is losing her touch with reality and survives on the periphery of her memories. Unable to distinguish between night and day, her perception of reality is rapidly fading.
About the Photographer
Nachiket Sharma (b. 2002) is an 18 year old photographer from India. He was just 16 when he was awarded his first commendation by The Ian Parry Scholarship in 2019, which has prompted him to pursue a one year Diploma in Photography from Sri Aurobindo Center for Arts and Communication, New Delhi. He was the Runner Up (13-18 Youth Category) of CBRE – the Urban Photographer of the Year in 2018. His series ‘Peacock Dancers’ has been selected for the UNESCO – Youth Lens on the Silk Roads Travelling Exhibition in 2019.