2024, Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand, India 

"This photograph was taken in Dhikala, a place that feels nothing short of heavenly to me, nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, in the heart of Jim Corbett National Park, India. That evening, I had spent quite some time with a herd of elephants grazing peacefully near the Ramganga River. As the sun began to set, casting a soft glow over the grasslands and hills, one elephant waded into the water and settled in for a while.

I didn’t expect what happened next. Suddenly, it rose up and lifted its trunk high and in that moment, everything came together. The sound of flowing water, the wind rustling through the trees, the distant call of a red-wattled lapwing… it was surreal. I began photographing instinctively, knowing something special was unfolding.

I chose to render this in black and white because to me, this image is timeless. It’s raw, minimal, and honest. Despite the elephant’s massive presence, it felt small almost humbled by the vastness of nature around it. That’s what makes this image stand out for me. Dhikala has always held a piece of my heart, and in this frame, I feel it, the soul of the land, distilled into one quiet, powerful moment."