Indian Photographer given 'Outstanding Citizen' award

NEW YORK: Mohammed Jaffer, Editor of SnapsIndia New Photo service was honoured by the New York City Council with 'Outstanding Citizen' award.

The citation said the award was being given to Jaffer for his 'exemplary services' to media in the US and India.

Council member Helen Sears presented the award at a brief function attended by community leaders. India's Counsel General in New York Neelam Deo, who attended the function, congratulated Jaffer on his achievements.

The Council members noted that in the last 15 years, highly educated and qualified Indian immigrants have carved out a niche for themselves and one person who chronicled that through photo medium is Jaffer.

Jaffer was born in Hyderabad in 1968 to a family wedded to the camera. His father, MA Rahim was a highly acclaimed photographer who had chronicled the political events of his time.

Jaffer, who came to the US at the age of 19, set up the photo agency within a year and now it provides news photos to all major ethnic newspapers in the US.

Former President Bill Clinton had chosen Jaffer to accompany him on the Indian tour in 2000 and an exhibition of his exclusive photos of the former President was held a year later in New York which was inaugurated by Clinton himself.