DJMPC is pleased to have eminent personalities as our jurors this year.
Rahul Sachdev is an award-winning wildlife photographer, educator, and photographic guide based in India. With over two decades of experience in the field, his work is widely recognized for its evocative use of light, mood, and storytelling.
His images have earned international acclaim, including honours at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year (NHM), Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA), Nature Photographer of the year, Glanzlichter Nature Photography Competition, Asferico International Nature Photography Competition, and Nature’s Best Photography Awards.
Beyond his personal work, Rahul is deeply committed to mentoring photographers worldwide through immersive workshops and expeditions, with a strong emphasis on creativity and understanding light. His photography seeks to go beyond documentation, aiming to evoke emotion and foster a deeper connection with the natural world.
Kalyan Varma is an Emmy-nominated wildlife filmmaker, photographer, and conservationist with over two decades of experience. He has worked on more than thirty films for leading global broadcasters such as BBC, National Geographic, Disney, and Netflix.
His National Award-winning film Wild Karnataka and recent production Wild Tamil Nadu showcase his deep connection with nature. Through his work, he uses powerful visual storytelling to raise awareness about environmental issues and conservation.
Kalyan is known for capturing rare wildlife moments while highlighting the fragile balance of ecosystems. His approach blends creativity with purpose, inspiring audiences to appreciate and protect the natural world for future generations everywhere always. He continues to collaborate with global teams and support conservation initiatives through impactful storytelling and visual narratives worldwide.
Anthony Ochieng Onyango is a Kenyan conservation photographer, filmmaker, and National Geographic Explorer whose images sit at the intersection of ecological rigor and visual storytelling. Trained as a wildlife ecologist, he brings a scientist's eye to every frame, reading light, behaviours, and landscape not just for aesthetic impact, but for biological truth.
His work spans Africa's terrestrial and marine ecosystems, from human–elephant frontiers in Kenya to shark conservation along the continent's coastlines. Ochieng is drawn to images that do more than document; they create empathy, shift perspective, and compel audiences toward conservation action.
As a judge, he looks for photographs that demonstrate genuine field presence, an authentic relationship between photographer and subject, and the rare ability to make ecological complexity feel viscerally human.
He is a photographer and has won many awards in National and International photography exhibitions. In 1980, he was elected as an Associate of Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain (ARPS), and Artiste of Federation International Art of Photography (AFIAP). In 1984, he was elected as Associate of the Photographic Society of America (APSA). He had served as the chairman of the Nature division of the Federation of Indian Photography for many years. He is also a committee member of All India Photographic Trade and Industries Association for the past 12 years.
Vikram Sathyanathan, a passionate photographer for 30 years, specializes in nature, wildlife, and heritage photography. His work, including the coffee table book "Thanjavur - A Cultural History," showcases his journey from film to digital, with a focus on conservation and wild habitats.
Born into an agricultural family in Coimbatore, India, in 1950, for this amateur turned professional, photography is his first love. He took to photography at the age of 14. He is a Five Star Nature photographer and has won many awards in National and International photography exhibitions. In 1980, he was elected as an Associate of Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain (ARPS), and Artiste of Federation International Art of Photography (AFIAP). In 1984, he was elected as Associate of the Photographic Society of America (APSA) With over 30 years of experience, he established his first commercial studio, RK Photo Centre, in 1991. Apart from successful businessmen and experienced photograper, his services to photography have been noteworthy. He had served as the chairman of the Nature division of the Federation of Indian Photography for many years. He had conducted very many photography workshops. He also judged many national and international exhibitions in the past 40 years. He also teaches photography and photo workshops regularly. He is also a committee member of All India Photographic Trade and Industries Association for the past 12 years.
Vikram Sathyanathan, a passionate photographer for 30 years, specializes in nature, wildlife, and heritage photography. His work, including the coffee table book "Thanjavur - A Cultural History," showcases his journey from film to digital, with a focus on conservation and wild habitats.