Sangareddy, August 22: World Photography Day was celebrated grandly at the Grievance Hall of the Sangareddy Collectorate on Saturday under the aegis of the Photo Journalists Association.

The programme began with floral tributes to Louis Daguerre, regarded as the father of photography, followed by a ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Guests extended their greetings to photojournalists on the occasion.

District Collector Prateek Jain, who attended as the chief guest, said he had a deep interest in photography and recalled taking pictures with film cameras during his childhood and later getting them developed and printed at photo labs.

“Some photographs remain unforgettable memories throughout our lives and continue to inspire us,” he said. The Collector observed that a single photograph could convey the meaning of a thousand words and could even bring about a response from the public and government machinery. He noted that photographs play a crucial role in newspapers, with many readers looking at the picture first before assessing the importance of a news story.

Prateek Jain said modern technology had brought photography within everyone’s reach and encouraged photojournalists to capture not only public issues but also positive and socially useful developments. He urged them to work with a sense of responsibility towards society and provide useful information through their photographs.

District Superintendent of Police Paritosh Pankaj said the photographs displayed at the exhibition brought several past incidents vividly back to memory. He said the exhibition covered a wide range of subjects and demonstrated how a single photograph could communicate something that would otherwise require thousands of words. He suggested that World Photography Day celebrations be organised every year.

DCC President Nirmala Jagga Reddy said photographs instantly bring associated memories to mind. She praised photojournalists for working with dedication in all weather conditions and playing an important role in serving society. She assured that efforts would be made to bring the problems faced by photojournalists to the attention of the government and seek solutions.

Sangareddy Municipal Chairperson Kuna Vanitha Santosh said photographs could convey emotions and extraordinary moments that words often could not express. She appreciated the contribution of journalists, who act as the fourth pillar of democracy and bring public issues to the government’s attention through their reports and photographs.

TUWJ State Representative M.A.K. Faisal said photography and photojournalism were rapidly evolving with advances in modern technology. He encouraged photojournalists to improve their professional skills while adapting to emerging challenges.

TUWJ District President Yadagiri said photographs add greater impact and significance to news reports. He noted that photojournalists often perform their duties even while risking their lives and called for continued efforts towards the welfare of journalists and photojournalists.

State Youth Associations President Kuna Venugopal said photographs serve as living witnesses to history and urged everyone to extend support for the welfare and development of photojournalists.

Later, photojournalists were felicitated by the dignitaries. A photo exhibition organised as part of the celebrations was also visited by guests, journalists and students.

Additional Collector Pandu, Councillor Jagan, TNGEOS District President Javid Ali, TGO District President Vaidyanath, District Photo Journalists Association President Mohammed Arif, Secretary Satyanarayana, Vice-President Murali, photojournalists Pawan, Sai Chand, Krishna, Satish, Santosh, Krishna, Hari, Raj Kumar and Chiranjeevi, along with students, teachers and journalists, participated in the programme.