Guwahati: A trove of vintage cameras used by Assam’s legendary photographer Nalini Kanta Baruah, the ‘Shutter Guru’, has found a new home at Tezpur University.Baruah’s son, Madhurjya, formally donated the collection to the department of mass communication and journalism during the inauguration of ‘Sobi Ghor’, a photo exhibition-cum-competition held recently to mark World Photography Day 2026.Receiving the collection, department head Dr Manoj Deori thanked the Baruah family. The formal transfer of the assets is expected to be completed shortly.“The department will preserve the vintage cameras as part of its photographic archive and use them for display and educational engagement, creating a tangible link between the history of photography in Assam and a new generation of visual storytellers,” an official release read.Pro vice-chancellor professor Amarendra Kumar Das inaugurated the exhibition in the presence of dean of students’ welfare Manabendra Mandal and dean of humanities and social sciences Prof Chandan Kumar Sharma.Part of the department’s Silver Jubilee celebrations, ‘Sobi Ghor’ explored the idea of home through three themes: ‘The Essence of Independence’, ‘Discovering Home Away from Home’ and ‘Nature’. Suraj Pratim Senchoua won first place in ‘Home Away from Home’, Keshab Kashyap in ‘Essence of Independence’ and Jyotisman Borah in ‘Nature’.A curated timeline on photography’s evolution, featuring cameras from Baruah’s collection, was a key attraction. Baruah established his studio, Photo Service, in 1957 and documented events including the Indo-China War.The exhibition also featured a photo wall celebrating singer, composer and cultural icon Zubeen Garg, and a display on the camera obscura.
