Dubai: Iconic lensman Ramesh Shukla, who was known as the “royal photographer who chronicled the history of the UAE,” and was famous for the Spirit of the Union photo and Founding Father late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s image on the Dh50 note, died on Sunday, his family said.
The renowned Indian expat photographer was 87 and is survived by his wife Tarun Shukla and son Neel Shukla.
Speaking to Gulf News, Neel Shukla, an art director, said that his father died on Sunday morning at Rashid Hospital in Duba
He said his father had been battling heart problems over the past year. “He had a heart attack a week ago, which was pretty intense. He recovered from that and we brought him home two days ago. He was getting better, but yesterday he had a seizure and we immediately rushed him to the emergency room,” Neel recounted.
Final moments
Despite his condition, Ramesh remained characteristically upbeat until the very end. “He was still talking, still himself. If you knew dad, he was always positive, full of life and energy. He wanted to work until the last day of his life,” Neel said.
At the hospital, Ramesh chatted with nurses who recognised him from previous visits. “They put glucose on and he told me it was going to take a couple of hours. He said ‘you go home, get rest and come by’. I said no dad, I am not leaving you. I’m going to be by your side…Then he just kind of put his head down, and that’s when he went into cardiac arrest,” Neel recalled.
Spirit of the Union
Ramesh Shukla was popularly known as the “royal photographer”, though it was not an official title. Neel said it was former Dubai Ruler, the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who credited his father with that title.
Equally famous is another photo taken on the same day. He captured the iconic “Spirit of the Union” photograph of the founding leaders standing in front of the UAE flag after they signed the document declaring the formation of the Union.
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