Guwahati: A collection of vintage cameras belonging to legendary Assam photographer Nalini Kanta Baruah, popularly known as the ‘Shutter Guru’, has been donated to the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ) at Tezpur University.
The collection was formally handed over by his son, Madhurjya Baruah, during the inauguration of ‘Sobi Ghor’, a photo exhibition-cum-competition organised by the department on World Photography Day 2026 on August 19.
The department will preserve the vintage cameras as part of its photographic archive and use them for display and educational purposes. The collection is expected to provide students with a link to the history of photography in Assam.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Pro Vice-Chancellor Amarendra Kumar Das in the presence of Dean of Students’ Welfare Manabendra Mandal and Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences Chandan Kumar Sharma.
This year’s World Photography Day theme was “Home”. ‘Sobi Ghor’ featured photographs under three themes: ‘The Essence of Independence’, ‘Discovering Home Away from Home’ and ‘Nature’. Students and research scholars from across the university participated in the exhibition.
A special feature of the exhibition was a curated timeline tracing the evolution of photography, supported by vintage cameras from Baruah’s personal collection. His studio, Photo Service, was established in 1957, and his work included documenting significant historical events, including the Indo-China War.
The display also showcased the technological evolution of photography, from the mechanical era to contemporary digital image-making.
The exhibition featured a special photo wall dedicated to singer, composer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg.
Accepting the collection on behalf of the department, Head of the Department of MCJ Manoj Deori thanked the Baruah family for entrusting the historic cameras to the university.
Madhurjya Baruah appreciated the department’s efforts to encourage young photographers. He said it was encouraging to see students relying on their own creativity and photographic skills at a time when artificial intelligence is increasingly capable of altering and generating images.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of HSS also appreciated the creative efforts of the participants and spoke about the importance of encouraging students to engage with photography.
An alumni interaction was also organised as part of the programme, featuring Jayant Bormudoi, Chief Manager–Corporate Communications, Oil India Limited.
The photography competition was judged by photojournalist Samir Kar, photographer and visual storyteller Sajijur Rehman, and Chandan Goswami, Registrar-in-Charge, Tezpur University.