Dr Shahidul Alam is an acclaimed photographer, writer, curator, professor, and activist, widely recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to photography, media education, and cultural activism in South Asia. He is the Founder of Drik Picture Library and Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, one of the most respected schools of photography in the world, as well as the Founder and Director of Chobi Mela, the International Festival of Photography in Asia.

Trained originally as a scientist, Alam obtained his PhD in chemistry from the University of London, before dedicating his life to photography and activism. Returning to Dhaka in 1984, he played a crucial role in documenting the democratic struggles of Bangladesh, including the mass movement against General Ershad. His work as a socially engaged photographer has inspired generations of visual storytellers.

A former President of the Bangladesh Photographic Society, he institutionalized photography education in the region through Pathshala South Asian Media Institute, where he also serves as Professor of Photography. He is additionally the Chairman of Majority World, a global initiative supporting photographers from the Global South.

Alam’s work has been exhibited worldwide, including at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; Royal Albert Hall, London; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tehran. He has been a Guest Curator for the National Art Gallery in Malaysia and the Brussels Biennale.

His many international honors include the Mother Jones Award for Documentary Photography and the Andrea Frank Award. He has served on juries of prestigious competitions such as World Press Photo, which he later chaired.

Alam is an Honorary Fellow of the Bangladesh Photographic Society and the Royal Photographic Society (UK), and a Visiting Professor at the University of Sunderland, UK. His lifelong commitment to justice, equity, and freedom of expression continues to shape both the academic and cultural landscape of global photography.