Honoured recently with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan award by the President, India’s first woman photographer Homai Vyarawalla has decided to give the medal to New Delhi-based Parsi Heritage Trust.
Vyarawalla lives alone at Nizampura area of Vadodara after quitting photography nearly 37 years ago.
With no descendants after her, the 98-year-old photographer fear that the award might fall into the wrong hands.
“It is an honour. But I fear that it might fall into the wrong hands after I am gone. Earlier, a bag full of negatives were stolen from my house, which I fear would be misused after I am gone. So, to preserve the honour of this distinction, I have decided to deposit it to the Parsi Heritage Trust,” said Vyarawalla, adding that she has already written a letter to the trust, seeking its permission.
She has also requested the trust to keep her camera, film rolls and other equipment, which she says would motivate other Parsi women and men.
