The Senior Citizen Having A Field Day Through His Lens

At 66, Seshadri Sukumar is travelling the world to catch the best moments in sports.

When Neeraj Chopra won the gold for India at the Tokyo Olympics, several photographs of him went viral. One of these was of Chopra looking through the lens of a heavy-duty camera, standing next to a genial looking elderly person, looking on encouragingly. The gentleman was none other than Seshadri Sukumar, the owner of the camera and a jet setting sports photographer at 66.

Sukumar remembers his encounter with Chopra as one of the “moments” from his second innings as a sports photographer. And there have been many, he says, both elated and amused by the sudden focus on his work and age in Indian media, after his nephew posted about him and his passion for work even at an older age on social media.

One of Sukumar’s “best moments” has been waiting to catch Usain Bolt in his frame during his record making 100 m dash at the 2016 Rio Olympics. “I forget everything at such moments,” says Sukumar who lugs around photography equipment weighing up to 20 kilos on his shoulder but says it is his love for the work he does that keeps him going no matter how heavy the load is. “We need a variety of lenses right from Fisheye Lens to 600. We must have three camera bodies--one with short zoom, one with medium zoom and one with long lens.”

His other favourite moment and achievement has been having a photograph taken by him selected by Sachin Tendulkar for the cover of the Little Master’s autobiography, Playing It My Way.

The Chance Of A Lifetime

Photography came to Sukumar by chance in his youth, though he would’ve never predicted becoming a globetrotting sports photographer in his midlife.

While waiting to hear the results of a bank exam, Sukumar, who hails from Chennai, dabbled in multiple activities including learning Hindi and visiting various photo studios out of interest. He didn’t own a camera and as luck would have it, met a professional photographer called Singaram who offered to sell his camera to him for Rs 1200. “I couldn’t afford that amount so I quoted Rs 600 thinking he wouldn’t agree but to my surprise he did. I had to honour that commitment and brought the camera for Rs 600. It changed my life.”

Even while working in the bank Sukumar dabbled in photography and became an official photographer for the bank at various events. Keen to learn more and improve his photography skill, he offered to do portraits for free in those days. “It expanded my contacts too,” he laughs.

Sports photography came much later, a few years before his retirement, after he had learnt on the job, and made the rounds of stadiums and news agencies for the much-needed accreditation required to access sports venues as a professional photographer. Though he has come a long way from there today, Sukumar feels freelance sports photographers do face accreditation related issues in India.

Sports photography has taken Sukumar around the world. Tokyo Olympics 2021 was his fourth Olympic event. He has also covered the FIFA World Cup, Asian Games and almost all major cricket tournaments, including the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup in Dubai.

Older & Bolder

He laughs when asked about being a rare senior citizen amidst a host of younger photographers. “It is one’s attitude that matters. I never think of age. When I take photographs, my only thought is to take some good and unusual pictures. That’s what drives me,” he says before remembering another special moment: being present when Chinese diver He Zi was proposed to by her coach and boyfriend Qin Ka while being awarded the silver medal during the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Sports photography is Sukumar’s calling. It gives him energy and a sense of pride to capture the myriad emotions a sports person goes through while playing in an international arena, after years of practice and hard work. He talks about one of his favourite photographs. Capturing the disappointment and pain of loss on Japanese champion wrestler Saori Yoshida’s face, after her defeat in the 2016 Olympics and the feel of a job well done after capturing it. “She was continuously weeping and the first-time entrant from the USA who beat her, was in an extremely jubilant mood, going around the ring with the flag. I managed to capture both of them together in my frame, to show the contrast in their emotions.” It’s a picture that got him a gold medal from the Photographic Society of America. Sukumar says it’s not just having that ‘photographer’s eye.’

“It’s all about our mind telling us to capture that moment.”

At Tokyo 2020, his favourite has been photographing synchronized swimming, a sport he enjoys capturing in his lens. Passionate about his craft, Sukumar has been self-publishing various books with his photographs and donating them to libraries, in the hope of sparking an interest in both photography and sports in younger people. And to preserve moments that show triumph, elation, loss and determination as only sports can.

“It’s a historical documentation for the future generation,” he concludes.

All photographs courtesy: Seshadri Sukumar