Ideas Unbound: Kajal Nisha Patel, Photography and Cross-Cultural Civic Engagement

A dialogue with award-winning photographer Kajal Nisha Patel. Kajal is the founder and CEO of Lightseekers, a social enterprise based in the United Kingdom that leverages the power of photography to promote cross-cultural civic engagement. 

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Tune into the interview with Kajal, click through the corresponding slideshow below and watch the featured videos to learn more about Lightseekers' impact on our world...

Taking this particular photo was a turning point for Kajal, transforming her photography practice into a form of art. 

A photo taken by a student from one of Lightseekers' partner schools

The Trading Places project researches the decline of Leicester’s textiles and hosiery industry and catalogues the lives of people that worked in factories to gain a deeper understanding of why Leicester flourished during the industrial period. The project explores displacement, migration and new beginnings of the British South-Asian community, from India after WWII and those expelled from East Africa in 1972.

The Trading Places project researches the decline of Leicester’s textiles and hosiery industry and catalogues the lives of people that worked in factories to gain a deeper understanding of why Leicester flourished during the industrial period. The project explores displacement, migration and new beginnings of the British South-Asian community, from India after WWII and those expelled from East Africa in 1972.

The Trading Places project researches the decline of Leicester’s textiles and hosiery industry and catalogues the lives of people that worked in factories to gain a deeper understanding of why Leicester flourished during the industrial period. The project explores displacement, migration and new beginnings of the British South-Asian community, from India after WWII and those expelled from East Africa in 1972.

A photo taken by a student from one of Lightseekers' partner schools

This video explains Connecting Cultures, an initiative to develop photography and storytelling skills of children in the UK and India while increasing their understanding of the world around them.

This video captures the discipline, resourcefulness and agricultural livelihood of Adivasi students at the Vanasthali School in Gujarat, India. 

This video titled "Protection" profiles some of the cultural constructs of Indian society. Kajal reflects on her own family life and how her heritage continues to influence her today.

Produced by Kajal Nisha Patel; Co-Produced by Dimple Patel