emirates7 - -Even in his final weeks, Shukla continued to accept invitations and attend events
The UAE has bid farewell to one of its most dedicated visual chroniclers — Ramesh Shukla — often referred to as the nation’s ‘royal photographer’.
But beyond the iconic images and historic frames was a man who, according to those who worked closest with him, simply "never put his camera down".
For nearly two decades, photographer Manish Raval stood beside Shukla — not just as an assistant, but as a witness to his relentless passion.
“I joined his gallery, Four Seasons Ramesh Gallery (FSRG), in 2006 and started assisting him that same year. I am also a professional photographer,” Raval told Khaleej Times on Monday. “I was very lucky to work with him. He was always enthusiastic.”
That enthusiasm, Raval said, never dimmed — not with age, not with exhaustion. Even gruelling schedules failed to slow him down.
'Never felt tired'
“I was really fortunate to work with him for such a long time. He was a very enthusiastic person and never felt tired. Even if he had worked 16 hours and somebody called him at midnight, he would be ready to go — even at this age.”
Even in his final weeks, Shukla continued to accept invitations and attend events. Despite not feeling well, he travelled across the Emirates to honour commitments.
“He wasn’t feeling very well. But on January 26 this year, on a special invitation from the Consul General and the Ambassador of India, he attended two events back to back — in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. He was always ready to go.”
For Shukla, photography was not just a profession — it was inseparable from life itself. “He would always say, I will only leave my camera once I close my eyes.”
On his last day, that promise held true. “This was the photo on his last day… with his camera.”
When asked if he had taken that final photograph, Raval replied quietly: “You took that picture, right? Yes.”
In recent years, even as his health declined, Shukla continued working on ambitious book projects documenting the UAE’s transformation.
Raval supported him closely, travelling across the country to capture images for volumes on Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
“I was also supporting him because of his health. A few years back, he was working on Sharjah books and Abu Dhabi books — around five or seven books in total. So, we visited different sites across the country.”
One memory stands out vividly — the summer of 2017, during the production of the Sharjah book, which was later launched at the Sharjah International Book Fair.
“I think it was in 2017 that the Sharjah book was released at the Sharjah Book Fair. During that time, it was the peak of summer and we were working.”
The heat was unforgiving — 52°C in Mleiha at midday — but Shukla refused to pause.
“It was July or August, I don’t remember exactly, but it was 52 degrees outside at around 12.30pm or 1pm. I kept telling him, ‘Please, sir, come and sit for some time… take rest inside the car.’ But he kept walking in Mleiha.”
Deadlines mattered. So did the story he wanted to tell — of a nation’s rapid transformation.
“He said, ‘I have a deadline for the book. I have to finish and capture all these images in a very short time.’ Every day we would travel to Sharjah, especially to historical places. He wanted to the development — old and new.”
Camera was his compass and companion
He was intent on capturing contrast — the same landscape years apart.
“It was open ground before, and now there is Sharjah University. He wanted to the same place — old and new — because he had captured it years back when there was nothing. Now there is a massive university building. He must have been around 79 at that time. He was that passionate.”
Their journeys took them beyond city limits — to Liwa’s sweeping dunes in the height of summer.
“Then we went to Liwa as well.” Even there, rest was secondary to the frame.
“That time also, it was July — peak of summer. We could never stop him. If he wanted to rest, he would just find some shade in the desert and sleep there.”
For Raval, the memories are not just of a celebrated photographer, but of a mentor who lived by his craft until the very end — a man whose camera was both compass and companion.
“Then came the selection of photographs for the Dubai Metro project, around 2008–09. He would sit surrounded by thousands of images, carefully shortlisting the finest ones before presenting them to the Royal Family for final approval. The entire process stretched over two to three months. Every photograph displayed along the walls of Dubai Metro stations is sir (Shukla)’s work.”
“There are nearly 5,000 reels that are still undeveloped — all of them part of his vast archive.”
In a country that transformed dramatically within a single lifetime, Shukla ensured those moments were never lost.
Recalling another such milestone moment, Raval added, “I remember in 2018, he went without sleep for two to three consecutive nights. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a visit to the UAE and was meeting the then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi — now the UAE President. I stayed by his side the entire time and saw it all up close…his dedication to his craft.”
The UAE has bid farewell to one of its most dedicated visual chroniclers — Ramesh Shukla — often referred to as the nation’s ‘royal photographer’.
But beyond the iconic images and historic frames was a man who, according to those who worked closest with him, simply "never put his camera down".
For nearly two decades, photographer Manish Raval stood beside Shukla — not just as an assistant, but as a witness to his relentless passion.
“I joined his gallery, Four Seasons Ramesh Gallery (FSRG), in 2006 and started assisting him that same year. I am also a professional photographer,” Raval told Khaleej Times on Monday. “I was very lucky to work with him. He was always enthusiastic.”
That enthusiasm, Raval said, never dimmed — not with age, not with exhaustion. Even gruelling schedules failed to slow him down.
'Never felt tired'
“I was really fortunate to work with him for such a long time. He was a very enthusiastic person and never felt tired. Even if he had worked 16 hours and somebody called him at midnight, he would be ready to go — even at this age.”
Even in his final weeks, Shukla continued to accept invitations and attend events. Despite not feeling well, he travelled across the Emirates to honour commitments.
“He wasn’t feeling very well. But on January 26 this year, on a special invitation from the Consul General and the Ambassador of India, he attended two events back to back — in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. He was always ready to go.”
For Shukla, photography was not just a profession — it was inseparable from life itself. “He would always say, I will only leave my camera once I close my eyes.”
On his last day, that promise held true. “This was the photo on his last day… with his camera.”
When asked if he had taken that final photograph, Raval replied quietly: “You took that picture, right? Yes.”
In recent years, even as his health declined, Shukla continued working on ambitious book projects documenting the UAE’s transformation.
Raval supported him closely, travelling across the country to capture images for volumes on Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.
“I was also supporting him because of his health. A few years back, he was working on Sharjah books and Abu Dhabi books — around five or seven books in total. So, we visited different sites across the country.”
One memory stands out vividly — the summer of 2017, during the production of the Sharjah book, which was later launched at the Sharjah International Book Fair.
“I think it was in 2017 that the Sharjah book was released at the Sharjah Book Fair. During that time, it was the peak of summer and we were working.”
The heat was unforgiving — 52°C in Mleiha at midday — but Shukla refused to pause.
“It was July or August, I don’t remember exactly, but it was 52 degrees outside at around 12.30pm or 1pm. I kept telling him, ‘Please, sir, come and sit for some time… take rest inside the car.’ But he kept walking in Mleiha.”
Deadlines mattered. So did the story he wanted to tell — of a nation’s rapid transformation.
“He said, ‘I have a deadline for the book. I have to finish and capture all these images in a very short time.’ Every day we would travel to Sharjah, especially to historical places. He wanted to the development — old and new.”
Camera was his compass and companion
He was intent on capturing contrast — the same landscape years apart.
“It was open ground before, and now there is Sharjah University. He wanted to the same place — old and new — because he had captured it years back when there was nothing. Now there is a massive university building. He must have been around 79 at that time. He was that passionate.”
Their journeys took them beyond city limits — to Liwa’s sweeping dunes in the height of summer.
“Then we went to Liwa as well.” Even there, rest was secondary to the frame.
“That time also, it was July — peak of summer. We could never stop him. If he wanted to rest, he would just find some shade in the desert and sleep there.”
For Raval, the memories are not just of a celebrated photographer, but of a mentor who lived by his craft until the very end — a man whose camera was both compass and companion.
“Then came the selection of photographs for the Dubai Metro project, around 2008–09. He would sit surrounded by thousands of images, carefully shortlisting the finest ones before presenting them to the Royal Family for final approval. The entire process stretched over two to three months. Every photograph displayed along the walls of Dubai Metro stations is sir (Shukla)’s work.”
“There are nearly 5,000 reels that are still undeveloped — all of them part of his vast archive.”
In a country that transformed dramatically within a single lifetime, Shukla ensured those moments were never lost.
Recalling another such milestone moment, Raval added, “I remember in 2018, he went without sleep for two to three consecutive nights. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a visit to the UAE and was meeting the then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi — now the UAE President. I stayed by his side the entire time and saw it all up close…his dedication to his craft.”
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