From A Slum Dweller To A World Class Photographer : Vicky Roy at TEDxGateway

Vicky Roy was born in an impoverished family in the village of Purlia, West Bengal. A poor tailor's son with six siblings, he had no resources whatsoever, especially to reach the heights that he has today as a brilliant photographer.

In 1998, at the tender age of eleven, Vicky fled from home and reached Delhi. He lived on a railway platform for more than a year and he initially worked as a rag picker, after which he worked in a dhaba. Salam Balak Trust (SBT), an organization working for street children, rescued Vicky in 1999 and enrolled him in school. SBT provided him with opportunities he never had before.

Dixie Benjamin, a British photographer, asked Vicky to join him as an assistant on a photo shoot around Old Delhi. This incident is what put everything in its course... Vicky discovered his newfound love for photography and enrolled himself at the Triveni Kala Sangam for an intensive course in it. Later, he joined famous portrait-specialist photographer, Anay Mann, as an assistant and learnt the tricks of the trade from him. Having called the streets his home, Vicky is now a master at capturing the street life -- he treats a subject, which is so easy to sensationalize, with great maturity and the sensitivity which can be felt in his work is unparalleled.

In 2007, he held his first solo exhibition titled, "Street Dream" at the India Habitat Centre, which was supported by the British High Commission. His works have been exhibited extensively in India and overseas in England and South Africa. In 2008, Ramchander Nath Foundation (RNF), a non-profit organization which strives to be a part of the development and restoration of the arts, nominated Vicky for a mentorship program by the U.S. based Maybach Foundation (MF), through which he will work on the photo-documentation of the reconstruction of the World Trade Center in New York. Out of numerous applications from all over the world, Vicky is among the chosen four participants and the only one from South Asia. This was a six-month residency program. On his return, he held his second solo show in Delhi.

Vicky is a real-life example of courage, resilience and effective mentorship. He is an inspiration for everyone out there who ever dreamed of something they thought was out of their reach. He has proved that with hard work and determination, a man can raise himself up from obscurity to great levels of success.

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