Dubai has lost one of its most iconic visual storytellers. Indian expatriate Ramesh Shukla died at Rashid Hospital on Sunday due to cardiac arrest at the age of 87, his family confirmed.Shukla had been battling heart disease for the past year and experienced several attacks, but he continued to work passionately until his last days. His son Neil Shukla recalled that even in the hospital, his father remained optimistic, energetic and talking about his work before suffering a sudden cardiac arrest.https://x.com/HamdanMohammed/status/2023294473384648928?s=20
Salute to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan
Condolences poured in across the UAE, led by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who praised Shukla’s dedication and contribution to preserving the country’s defining moment.Shukla is more than just a photographer. He is a witness to history. His photographs have shaped how Emiratis remember their past and how the world sees the UAE’s evolution.Even in his later years, despite a heart condition, he continued to work and organize his archives. According to his family, he wanted to continue recording until his last days, which he did.
Who is Ramesh Shukla?
For more than sixty years, Ramesh Shukla has quietly chronicled the United Arab Emirates’ transformation from desert town to global power. The man known to many as the UAE’s “royal photographer” died of cardiac arrest in Dubai on Sunday at the age of 87.In 1965, Shukla arrived in the UAE by boat from Bombay with little money and a Rolleicord camera. At that time, the UAE had not yet been established. Roads are limited, skyscrapers are non-existent and oil wealth has not completely transformed the region.His early breakthrough came while filming a camel race involving Sheikh Zayed and other rulers of Sharjah. His talent and dedication soon earned him trust and the opportunity to participate in historic national occasions.Over time, Shukla became a common figure at official gatherings, always discreet but always present. He chronicles not just royalty but the dynamics of a nation, construction sites rising from the sand, expanding ports, children growing up in a new country, and the stories of the leaders shaping a shared future.Although the term “Royal Photographer” was never officially named, it was first used by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who recognized Shukla’s extraordinary role in documenting the country’s leadership and defining milestones.Shukla is survived by his wife Tarun Shukla and son Neil Shukla. His death marks the end of an era in the UAE’s visual history.
Historical images defy UAE’s memory
Ramesh Shukla took some of the most influential photographs in UAE history.These include the iconic photo of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan signing the Alliance Declaration on December 2, 1971, the day the UAE was officially established.Another legendary image often referred to as the “Spirit of the Union” shows the founding fathers standing together under the UAE flag. The image now appears on the country’s 50-Dirham note, making Shukla’s work a part of everyday life in the Emirates.His archive spans decades of leadership events, national celebrations, camel races, official ceremonies and everyday scenes of a country rapidly changing before his lens.Today, his photographs are preserved in institutions such as the Etihad Museum and the Zayed National Museum, ensuring that future generations will be able to see the UAE’s journey through his eyes.
legacy in UAE History
Few expats have left such a lasting mark on the UAE. Ramesh Shukla stood behind the camera and documented wars, celebrations, leadership transitions and national milestones, capturing the moments that now define a nation.His photographs exist in museums, official collections, metro exhibitions, books and even currency. But more importantly, they live on in the collective memory of the UAE.The man behind the camera may have passed away, but the country he helped document will always remember him.
