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Danish Siddiqui

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Danish Siddiqui
Siddiqui in 2018
Born9 May 1983 (1983-05-09)
New Delhi, India[1]
Died16 July 2021(2021-07-16) (aged 38)
Spin Boldak, Kandahar, Afghanistan
Cause of deathGunshot wounds
Resting placeJamia Millia Islamia cemetery[2]
Alma materJamia Millia Islamia
OccupationPhotojournalist
EmployerReuters
AwardsPulitzer Prize (2018, 2022)
Websitedanishsiddiqui.net

Danish Siddiqui (19 May 1983 – 16 July 2021[1]) was an Indian photojournalist based in Delhi, who used to lead the national Reuters multimedia team and was Chief Photographer India.[3][4][5][6] He received his first 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography, as part of the Reuters team, for documenting the Rohingya refugee crisis. In 2021, he was killed while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban forces near a border crossing with Pakistan.[6][7][8] His second Pulitzer was awarded posthumously in 2022 for documenting the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]

Early life and education

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Siddiqui grew up in the neighbourhood of the university, and attended the Fr. Agnel School, New Delhi.[citation needed]

He graduated with a degree in economics from JMI before pursuing post-graduation in Mass Communication from the A.J.K. Mass Communication Research Centre at Jamia in 2007.[10][11]

Career

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Siddiqui started his career as a correspondent for the Hindustan Times before shifting to the TV Today Network.[1] He switched to photojournalism and joined Reuters as an intern in 2010. Siddiqui had since covered the Afghanistan War (2012), Battle of Mosul (2016–2017), the April 2015 Nepal earthquake, the 2015 Rohingya refugee crisis, the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests, the 2020 Delhi riots, and the COVID-19 pandemic among other stories in South Asia, Middle East and Europe.[12][13][6]

Since July 2021, he was serving as an embedded journalist with the Afghan Special Forces to document the Taliban offensive, in what would be his last assignment.[1]

Significant photographs

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A photograph taken during the 2020 Delhi riots, documenting the lynching of a Muslim man by a Hindu mob, was featured by Reuters as one of the defining photographs of the year.[14][15] BBC News, National Public Radio, and The Caravan noted it to be the defining image of the riot.[16][17][18] Another photograph, taken of a teenage right-wing activist brandishing a pistol at protesters while police looked on, became evidence of "the emboldening of Hindu nationalists" in the wake of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.[19]

His photos depicting mass cremations of COVID-19 fatalities in India generated outrage.[9][20][21] Right-wing news portals attacked Siddiqui for capitalizing on "Hindu suffering" and private grief.[9][22][23]

Major awards

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In 2018, he became the first Indian alongside Adnan Abidi to win the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography (as part of the Photography staff of Reuters) for documenting the 2015 Rohingya refugee crisis.[24] In 2013, Siddiqui had secured the third position in the Arts and Culture Category at the Sony World Photography Awards 2013.[25] He was also a winner in the recently held Hong Kong 25th Human Rights Press Awards 2021 for Photography (Series) and Photography (Single Image) categories.[26] His work on COVID-19 crisis, titled "Documenting India’s Greatest Healthcare Crisis", was also exhibited in the prestigious Visa pour l'Image photojournalism festival held in August 2021.[27]

On 29 December 2021, Siddiqui was posthumously awarded 'the Journalist of the Year' for 2020 by the Mumbai Press Club. Chief Justice of India N. V. Ramana presented the annual 'RedInk Awards for Excellence in Journalism'. During the event CJI Ramana stated,[28]

"He was a man with a magical eye and was rightly regarded as one of the foremost photojournalists of this era. If a picture can tell a thousand words, his photos were novels."

— Chief Justice of India N. V. Ramana[28]

In 2022, Danish's photography of the COVID-19 pandemic in India was part of another Pulitzer Prize in Feature Photography winning photography package, increasing his tally to two Pulitzer Prizes.[29]

Award Description Year
Sony World Photography Awards[30] 3rd Place 2013
Atlanta Photojournalism Awards[31] 3rd Place 2014
Atlanta Photojournalism Awards[32] First Place 2017
The Pulitzer Prize[33] Winner in Feature Photography, Photography Staff of Reuters 2018
Hong Kong 25th Human Rights Press Awards[34] Photography (Series) and Photography (Single Image) Categories 2021
RedInk Awards for Excellence in Journalism[35] Journalist of the Year 2021
NPPA Best of Photojournalism Awards[36] Second Place, General News Category 2022
Reuters The Baron Award[37] Honors an individual who exemplifies the Reuters tradition of integrity and journalistic excellence 2021
Reuters Photojournalist of the Year Award[38] Photojournalist of the Year 2022
Reuters Photo of the Year[39] Winner 2022
Hugo Shong Journalist of The Year Award[40] For Reporting on Asia Affairs 2022
The Pulitzer Prize[41] Winner in Feature Photography, Photography Staff of Reuters 2022

Personal life

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Siddiqui was a Muslim.[9] He was married to Rike, a German national.[1][42] They had two children.[1]

Death

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Siddiqui was killed alongside a senior Afghan officer while covering a clash between Afghan Special Forces and Taliban insurgents in Spin Boldak, Kandahar, on 16 July 2021.[19][43] His body was handed to the Afghan Red Crescent Society.[44]

According to local Afghan officials as well as Taliban members, Siddiqui was killed by the Taliban in an ambush-crossfire.[45][46] The Taliban mutilated and disrespected the body.[47]

A detailed BBC investigative report by Vinit Khare published on 10 Aug 2021 confirmed witness accounts that Danish's body was indeed subjected to mutilation by the Taliban post his murder after displaying the body in the city center and only after intense negotiations by the Red Cross team did they return the body.[48]

Another investigative report published by Reuters on 23 Aug 2021 said that Danish was killed after he was left behind by the Afghan forces in retreat. It quotes a Taliban fighter as saying "You’re bringing Indians to fight against us.” The officer replied, “Don’t shoot him. He’s a journalist.” “We already killed that guy,” the fighter answered which further lends credence to reports that Danish was executed post his capture. The Reuter report did not answer questions related to mutilation of the body, safety of Danish while covering such conflict, absence of security advisors, not recalling him back after 13 July attack. As per official statement issued by Reuters, an internal investigation is being conducted .[49]

Michael Rubin (in an op-ed for the Washington Examiner on 29 July 2021) cited several unnamed sources to claim that the Taliban had eliminated him in a planned operation, which was covered-up by the US Government. He claimed that as part of this operation, they had attacked a mosque where Siddiqui had gone to receive first-aid, captured him, vetted his identity, and then executed him, after fighting off the Afghan forces who came to the rescue.[50][51] The op-ed was immediately reproduced by multiple outlets of mainstream Indian media.[51][a]

The New York Times (NYT) failed to confirm the narrative of execution.[46] However, the-then spokesman of Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) told India Today that Siddiqui was indeed executed by the Taliban.[52] A report by News18 has since confirmed Rubin's version of events from Afghan and Indian intelligence officials; presence of about a dozen close range gunshot wounds on his torso were argued to corroborate his thesis.[53]

Mutilation and return of body

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The Taliban had mutilated his body before returning it though it denied doing this.[46][54]

Ahmad Lodin, the head of the newspaper Afghan Orband Weekly, claimed to Newslaundry on 19 July that the Taliban had released Siddiqui's "disrespected" and "mutilated" corpse only after prolonged negotiations.[55] Rubin, in his op-ed, claimed to have reviewed photographs and a video of Siddiqui's body from a source in the Indian Government, showing head-injuries and multiple bullet-wounds.[50]

On 31 July, NYT reviewed several photographs of Siddiqui's corpse from multiple sources and confirmed these claims.[46] Photographs taken shortly after his death, encircled apparently by Taliban insurgents, did not show any evidence of mutilation but photographs snapped after the corpse was recovered by government, showed such signs.[46] An Afghan health official who had received the body at the Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar around 8pm, found Siddiqui's face to be unrecognizable, while Indian officials noted tire marks on the face and chest in addition to about 12 gunshot wounds in his body, resembling close-range injuries.[46][55] The News18 report confirmed these details — Taliban had driven a Humvee over his face and chest, for reasons which were yet to be clear.[53]

Reactions

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Unofficial
  • In the past, Siddiqui had been a target for his pictures of Hindu cremation sites during the second wave of COVID-19, which violated the Hindu sentiments. He was accused of selling these photographs to Getty Images for profit.[56][9][23][57][58]
  • The Taliban denied knowledge of his presence in the ambushed entourage and expressed their regret at his death.[59] Days before completion of a successful offensive in Afghanistan, they blamed Siddiqui for not coordinating with their forces.[54]
Official

Burial

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Siddiqui's coffin arrived in India, in the evening of 18 July 2021. The same night, his body was buried at the Jamia Millia Islamia graveyard. Hundreds attended the funeral.[66]

Notes

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  1. ^ Rubin is a resident scholar at the conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute and opposed to the incumbent government in America. He had been earlier implicated by an investigation by The Intercept for planting anti-Qatar stories, pursuant to lobby groups.[51]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Siddiqui, Danish. "Reuters photographer Danish Siddiqui captured the people behind the story". The Wider Image. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  2. ^ Tiwari, Ayush (19 July 2021). "'There was no one like him': At Danish Siddiqui's funeral, hundreds throng to say goodbye". Newslaundry.
  3. ^ "Pulitzer-winning Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui killed in Taliban attack". The News Minute. 15 July 2021.
  4. ^ "Danish Siddiqui". Reuters - The Wider Image. Archived from the original on 3 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Reuters photographer Danish Siddiqui captured the people behind the story". Reuters. 16 July 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Struggle, Conflict and Small Joys: A Selection of Danish Siddiqui's Photographs". The Wire. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Danish Siddiqui: Indian photojournalist killed in Afghanistan". BBC News. 16 July 2021.
  8. ^ "'Devastating loss of brave photojournalist': Condolences pour in for Danish Siddiqui". The News Minute. 16 July 2021.
  9. ^ a b c d e Vohra, Anchal (23 July 2021). "Modi Rejected an Indian Hero". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  10. ^ Vaswani, Anjana (18 April 2018). "Mumbai lensman Danish Siddiqui's work part of Pulitzer-winning Rohingya series". Mumbai Mirror. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018.
  11. ^ "Jamia Millia's AJK-MCRC Alumnus Receives Pulitzer Prize For Photography". NDTV.com. 19 April 2018. Archived from the original on 19 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Reuters journalist killed covering clash between Afghan forces, Taliban". Reuters. 16 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photojournalist Danish Siddiqui Is Killed In Afghanistan". NPR.org. 16 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Photo of Muslim Man Being Beaten in Delhi Riots is Reuters' India Pick in 'Pictures of Year' List". The Wire. 25 November 2020.
  15. ^ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (1 March 2020). "Inside Delhi: beaten, lynched and burnt alive". The Guardian.
  16. ^ "'No-one who saw the photo thought I would survive'". BBC News. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  17. ^ "In New Delhi, Days Of Deadly Violence And Riots". NPR.org. 26 February 2020.
  18. ^ Vats, Vaibhav. "'You don't even slaughter animals like that': Behind the iconic image of Delhi's anti-Muslim carnage". The Caravan. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  19. ^ a b Goldbaum, Christina; Abed, Fahim (16 July 2021). "Danish Siddiqui, Reuters Photojournalist, Is Killed in Afghanistan". The New York Times. ProQuest 2552220336.
  20. ^ "Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photojournalist Danish Siddiqui Is Killed In Afghanistan". NPR. 16 July 2021.
  21. ^ Lakshmi, Rama (9 May 2021). "No, the Western media isn't biased in reporting Indian Covid. Here's why". ThePrint. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  22. ^ Sharma, Kamayani (21 May 2021). "Why the world must witness pictures of India's mass Covid-19 cremations". Vox. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  23. ^ a b Roy, Vaishna (23 July 2021). "Frames and the man: why Danish Siddiqui's work makes him a hero". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  24. ^ "The 2018 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Feature Photography". The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  25. ^ SPIEGEL, DER (5 February 2013). "Sony World Photography Awards 2013 Finalisten". Der Spiegel.
  26. ^ "25th Human Rights Press Awards (2021) Winners | Human Rights Press Awards". 27 April 2021. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  27. ^ "Documenting India's Greatest Healthcare Crisis". Visa pour l’image. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
  28. ^ Trotta, Daniel (9 May 2022). "Washington Post wins Pulitzer for public service, Reuters for feature photography". Reuters. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  29. ^ "3rd Place, Danish Siddiqui, India". World Photography Organisation. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  30. ^ "2014 Winners".
  31. ^ "2017 Winners".
  32. ^ "2018 Pulitzer Prize Winners Reuters Photography Staff". www.pulitzer.org. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  33. ^ "25th Human Rights Press Awards (2021) Winners | Human Rights Press Awards". 27 April 2021. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  34. ^ "RedInk Awards: Danish Siddiqui named 'Journalist of the Year', Prem Shankar Jha to be honoured for 'lifetime achievement'". The Indian Express. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  35. ^ "NPPA 2022 Best of Photojournalism Competition". 2022 NPPA Best of Photojournalism. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  36. ^ "Reuters names 2021 Journalists of the Year Awards winners". Reuters News Agency. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  37. ^ "Reuters names 2021 Journalists of the Year Awards winners". Reuters News Agency. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  38. ^ "Reuters names 2021 Journalists of the Year Awards winners". Reuters News Agency. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  39. ^ "Hugo Shong Reporting on Asia Award | College of Communication". www.bu.edu. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  40. ^ "2022 Pulitzer Prize Winners". www.pulitzer.org. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  41. ^ "Danish Siddiqui's father appeals to MEA: Expedite process to get his body back". The Indian Express. 17 July 2021.
  42. ^ Sarkar, Soumashree (15 July 2021). "Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui killed in Afghanistan's Kandahar province". The Wire.
  43. ^ "India condemns Danish Siddiqui's killing; Taliban give body to Red Cross". The Times of India. 17 July 2021.
  44. ^ "Reuters journalist killed covering clash between Afghan forces, Taliban". Reuters. 16 July 2021.
  45. ^ a b c d e f Mashal, Mujib (31 July 2021). "Body of Reuters Photographer Was Mutilated in Taliban Custody, Officials Say". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  46. ^ Mashal, Mujib (31 July 2021). "Body of Reuters Photographer Was Mutilated in Taliban Custody, Officials Say". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  47. ^ "दानिश सिद्दीक़ी की हत्या के पहले और उसके बाद क्या हुआ था?". BBC News हिंदी (in Hindi). 10 August 2021. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  48. ^ "Reuters photographer died after being left behind, Afghan general says". Reuters. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  49. ^ a b Rubin, Michael (29 July 2021). "Don't whitewash details of photojournalist Danish Siddiqui's murder". Washington Examiner.
  50. ^ a b c "Taliban 'executed' Danish Siddiqui after verifying his identity, Washington Examiner opinion piece alleges". Newslaundry. 30 July 2021.
  51. ^ Mohan, Geeta (2 August 2021). "Afghan official confirms Danish Siddiqui was captured and executed by Taliban". Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  52. ^ a b Kaul, Aditya Raj (2 August 2021). "EXCLUSIVE: Danish Siddiqui's Body Was Mutilated; Head, Chest Crushed Under a SUV by the Taliban". News18. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  53. ^ a b Shaheen, Muhammad Sohail (14 August 2021). "Photojournalist Danish Siddiqui Didn't Seek Our Nod" (Interview). Interviewed by Sreenivasan Jain.
  54. ^ a b Kumar, Ruchi (20 July 2021). "'Ambushed by the Taliban': Kandahar locals recount Danish Siddiqui's death". Newslaundry.
  55. ^ "Viral Posts Falsely Claim Danish Siddiqui Sold Cremation Images for Profit | BOOM". 16 July 2021.
  56. ^ "Danish Siddiqui: Creator of iconic images trolled even in death". The New Indian Express. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  57. ^ Chowdhury, Archis (16 July 2021). "Death Of Reuters Photojournalist Danish Siddiqui Sparks Hate Messages". BOOM. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  58. ^ Ray, Meenakshi (17 July 2021). "'We are sorry': Taliban denies role in photojournalist Danish Siddiqui's death, says report". Hindustan Times.
  59. ^ "At UN meet, India condemns killing of photojournalist Danish Siddiqui in Afghanistan". Scroll.in. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  60. ^ "I&B minister, media bodies condole Indian photojournalist's death in Afghanistan". Outlookindia.com.
  61. ^ "'A tremendous loss': Biden govt mourns Indian photojournalist Danish Siddiqui's death in Afghanistan". Free Press Journal. 17 July 2021.
  62. ^ "Afghan President Expresses Shock Over Killing Of Indian Journalist Danish Siddiqui". NDTV.com.
  63. ^ "UN Chief Grieved At The Killing Of Indian Photojournalist In Afghanistan". NDTV.com. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  64. ^ "Director-General urges better protection of journalists following the killing of award-winning journalist Danish Siddiqui in Afghanistan". UNESCO. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  65. ^ Tiwari, Ayush (19 July 2021). "'There was no one like him': At Danish Siddiqui's funeral, hundreds throng to say goodbye". Newslaundry. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
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