A MOM'S LIFE

Photographer Debalina Bhatta’s photo feature following her mother’s daily routine is an ode to mothers everywhere

Kolkata photographer Debalina Bhatta’s greatest role model has always been her mother, retired cop Minati Bhatta. “It is impossible to put my feelings for my mother into words. She is one of the strongest women I know,” says Debalina. As an homage to her icon, Debalina decided to let her pictures speak a thousand words, and composed a photo feature with her mom as the protagonist.

“My mom joined the first-ever lady police batch in 1966 as an assistant sub-inspector of police in the Intelligence Branch (IB) of the West Bengal Police. She was posted in Kolkata and worked there all through her 35-year career. She retired as an inspector of police of the IB department,” says Debalina, who has captured dozens of pictures of Minati going about her daily activities in the home. The photographs are taken at different times of the day – showing how the 72-year-old tends to the needs of her family with complete gusto and dedication, even if she has to sometimes sacrifice her own health, happiness and comfort for it.

“The photos depict her everyday routine, and how she selflessly looks after my father, my brother, my sister-in-law and me with the same passion and compassion year after year,” she says, adding that her father too was in the West Bengal Police service and retired as a deputy superintendent of police of Howrah District.