Welcome to online portfolio of Rathika Ramasamy wildlife photography.
Born in the village of Venkatachalapuram near Theni, a town in Southern India, Rathika has always had a deep connection with the drama of nature. Now based in Chennai, this MBA and Computer Engineer found her calling in wildlife photography in 2003 at the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Rathika is one of India's foremost wildlife photographers, with 21 years of experience. Passionate about birds and specializing in bird photography, she captures the beauty of wildlife through her lens with technical excellence and compelling storytelling. She is a Nikon Professional Member (NPS), and her work has been featured in numerous national and international publications and exhibitions. She has also served on the jury for several photography competitions globally.
In addition to her photography, Rathika regularly conducts wildlife photography master classes to nurture new talent and delivers talks to raise awareness about conservation. She is the founding member of the RR Foundation for Wildlife Conservation (RRFWC).
Rathika has traveled extensively across India’s national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, as well as some wildlife reserves in Africa. For her, wildlife photography is not just a passion but a powerful medium to connect with and conserve nature. She captures every photograph with the motto: "Every time I press the shutter, it's one step closer to Mother Nature."
Accolades and recognition:
-In September 2005, she participated in the "Clean Ganga Campaign" and exhibited her work at the India International Center, New Delhi along with her photographer friends.
-2005, She was one of the founder member of Photography Art Association of India, PAAI, photography forum for photographers
-She was selected as one of the top bird photographers in India by ‘Birds of India’ in 2008.
-2015 and 2019 Rathika is one of the jury for 4th and 7th National Photography Awards, organized by Photo Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, New Delhi
-2016 She was invited to be one of the Jury for the Siena International Photo Awards
-2016 Jury for URBAN 2016 and URBAN 2018 Photo Awards, Italy
-Jury for the DCP Annual Awards 2017, 2018, 2022,2023
-Jury for the” I Click PHOTOGRAPHY, 2017
Jury for the “National Photography Contest”, Costa Rican Ornithology Association“, 2017
-Jury for the “Youth4clicks “ contest Saevus magazine, year 2017-2018, 2018-2019
-Jury for the Wiki Loves Earth Contest
-2018 She was cited to be the best known woman photographer across the world on the internet.
-2019 Rathika has been mentioned in the 10th Standard Science text book this year 2019 edition of Tamil Nadu Government state syllabus. (Lesson 22nd, Environmental management, page number 317)
-2021, 2022 Jury for the Bird Photographer of the year
-2021-BigPicture: Natural World Photography Competition,USA
-2021-Jury for the DJ memorial photography contest 2021
-Jury for the UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition 2022
-Jury for the Bird Photographer of the Year(BPOTY), 2023,2024
-Jury for the UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition 2023
-Jury for the Urban Photo Awards, 2023
Awards
- June 2015 She has been conferred the ICF( The International Camera Fair)award for the outstanding performance and achievements in wildlife photography.
-October 2018 She has been awarded “Inidhu environment award.
-Feb 2020, Rathika was conferred the “Women of Excellence “,Lens queen award from Karpaga Vinayaga College of Engineering Technology, Chengalpatt,Tamil Nadu.
-Feb 2020, Rathika received the Women of wonder-Realistic Awards 2020
-March 2020,“Women achiever 2K20” Award from Asan memorial institution group.
-March 2022, "Streeshakthi Award" by Sree Sankara tv
Articles about Rathika and her work has been featured in:
-Sanctuary Asia, Smart photography, Discover India, Better Photography,National Geographic Traveller India,Club class, Femina, Travel and flavours ,BBC,UK,BBC wildlife magazine, Indian Express, Mail today, IndiaToday,The Hindu, Vanitha, Malayala Manorama, Grihshobha, Sakshi, Kerala Kaumadi,Gulf news, Deccan herald, Dainik Jagran, Deccan chronicle, Khaleej times etc
BBC Wildlife magazine-Incredible Indian wildlife moments
Instagrams best wildlife handles to follow right now@Condé Nast Traveller
15 of the world’s greatest wildlife destinations, by top wildlife photographers
Published work:
Rathika work has been published in several national and international publications. Few notable are
1. Treasures on Tiger Tracks- A bi-lingual nature guide to Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve- By Jahnavi G Pai,T.Ganesh,R, M Soubadra Devy
2. Published "Birds of JNU" Jawaharlal Nehru University Calendar 2007
3. Helm Dictionary of Scientific bird names-by James A. Jobling
4. A Handbook to the Birds of Shangrila by Jodi Brandt & Ellen Bartee
5. Bird of India by Bikram Grewal
6. The best of Indian wildlife by Vijay Mane
7. Birds of Bharatpur article –Fotowide magazine -Oct 2009
8. Calendar JNU Year 2010,2012,2013
9. Corbett birds article "Fotowide" magazine Sept 2011
10. National Geographic Traveller India, August 2012
11. WWF wall calendar, Year 2012
12. The tiger trail - Travel and flavours magazine (April 2014)
13. Sciencemagazine.org(USA)
14. In February 2010, Rathika published her first photo book on "Bird photography"
15. In November 20, 2014 Rathika published her "The Best of Wildlife Moments", a photo book of wildlife moments from her collection.
16. Sanctuary Asia-June-2016
17. Photo story Discover India"magazine , May 2016
18.Calender for Ranbaxy 2014
19.Calendar for IFFCO 2016
20. WWF for calendar 2017
21.Moments from the wild-The best of Indian wildlife photography-Published by Better Photography
22.Rowing Down the Ganges, Co-published by National Mission for Clean and Wildlife Institute of India
22.She wrote her Saturday weekend column at The Hindu(Tamil daily)
Participated Exhibition:
Her work has been appreciated and featured in several exhibitions. Few notable are
1. In September 2005, she participated in the "Clean Ganga Campaign" , India International Center, New Delhi.
2. A tribute to the top Indian bird photographers-Bird of India, Kolkata, September, 2008
3. Photographic Society of Madras,Salon, Chennai, 2009
4. Festival of owls Festival, Italy, April 2014
5. Uyir Nizhal Exhibition-Coimbatore , Year2010, 2013
6. Brahmaputra Nature Society exhibition ,Guwahati, Assam
7. Odisha Wildlife Lounge- 'Mangalajodi' exhibition Bhubaneswar, Odisha Year Feb 2013
8. International Photography exhibition, Julana,Jind ,Haryana January 2014
9. National Wildlife Photography Exhibition "Click Your Pic", Coimbatore Nov 2014
10.Shillong International photo festival ,November 2015
Workshops:
Rathika Ramasamy regularly conducts Wildlife Photography workshops and gives talk all over India. She conducted workshops and gave talks at many universities and college.
Few of her previous notable workshop are
1."The art of bird Photography talk "Photographic Society of Madras, Chennai, April 2010
2. Wildlife Photography workshop, Apogee, BITS, Pilani, Rajasthan March, 2011
3. Wildlife Photography workshop, Kurukshetra, Anna University, Feb, 2011
4. Wildlife Photography workshop, Assam Nature Society, Guwahati, July, 2011
5. Wildlife Photography workshop, Bangalore Aug, 2011
6. Wildlife Photography workshop, Kochi, Kerala Aug, 2011
7. Wildlife Photography workshop, Acharya Narendra Dev College, New Delhi, October, 2011
8. Wildlife Conservation through Photography" talk -"Birds of Orissa" Bhubaneswar, Feb 2012
9. Wildlife photography workshop , Thrissur, Kerala, August 2013
10.Wildlife photography workshop , Amirta university, Coimbatore,March 2014
11 .Wildlife photography workshop, Coimbatore, March, 2014
12.Wildlife photography workshop, Mumbai, March, 2014
13. Wildlife photography workshop, Hyderabad university, Hyderabad September,2014
14.Wildlife photography talk, webinar for Adobe virtual series, NewDelhi, October 2014
15. Wildlife photography workshop, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh , Assam , November, 2014
16.'Art of Bird Photography' Delhi BirdRace, New Delhi, December, 2014
17. Master Class Workshop, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, December 2015
18.Wildlife photography workshop , Shillong international photo festival.
19. “Youth4clicks” contest workshop at Kaziranga National Park,Assam by Saevus magazine, Feb 2018
20. School of Media technology and communication, Vel Tech Deemed University, Chennai
21. Wildlife Photography workshop Photographic Society of Madras(PSM), Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, December 2017
22.Wildlife Photography workshop –IIT Madras, Chennai, April 2018
23.Power your clicks workshop by Nikon India Pvt ltd, July ,2018
24.Wildlife Photography workshop -The National Academy of Direct Taxes(NADT), Nagpur, Dec 2018
25.Wildlife photography workshop by Vandalur Zoo - Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur, Chennai(AAZP), Dec 2018
26.Odisha Wildlife Photography Trail in association with Odisha Tourism and Times of India , Feb 2019
27.Basic Wildlife Photography Workshop, Department of Atomic Energy, Sports and Cultural Council, DAE Cultural Centre, Anushakti Nagar, Mumbai
28.Photography workshop(webinar),Photography club of IIT-Kanpur, July 2020
29.Basic of Wildlife Photography, Pondicherry University, Oct, 2020
30.Wildlife Photography Workshop, IIT Varanasi, Dec 202131.
31. Wildlife Photography Workshop ,Anurag University, Telangana, Dec 2021
Talks and Webinars:
Rathika Ramasamy regularly gives Wildlife Photography and conservation talks/webinar all over India.
Few of her previous notable talks and webinars are
1 Art of Bird Photography , April 2010, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
2. Public Oration on Wildlife Photography and Nature Conservation, Guwahati , Assam 2011
3. Wildlife Conservation through Photography , February 2012 Bhubaneswar , Odisha
4. Wildlife Photography talk ,Vel Tech Deemed University, Chennai
5. Passion Photography talk,Symposium, Xavier University ,Bhubaneswar
6. Wildlife Photography talk ,Lady Doak College,Madurai
7. Wildlife Photography ,Jaffna Photography Club
8. I write my own story, Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences, Delhi, Feb 2021
9. Dil Se - M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women, November 2020
10. Importance of Wildlife and Conservation Photography, Lady Doak College, Mudurai, October 2020
11 .Exposing the wild, VLB Janakiammal college of arts and science ,May 2020
12. Into the Wild-Wildlife Photography, Coimbatore human library ,July 2020
13. Masering Exosure, Department of Multimedia ,Farook College, Kozhikode, Kerala
14. Passionate Profession" webinar @Rotary Business School,Trichy, July 2020
15. Photography talk , Orion Innovation, Infopark Kochi, Kerala, Aug 2022
16. Wildlife Mood and Moments, Youth Photographic Society,Bangalore, September 2020
17.Frame yourself, Rotaract club of Coimbatore, October 2020
18. World of Birds and Wildlife , Telangana Photographic Society (TPS), March 2021
19. Edge talks, July 2021
20.Wildlife Photography talk, AFVOA (Armed Forces Veteran Officers Association), Chennai, July 2020
21. Into the Wild: Wildlife Moments , Rotary talk ,August,2021
22. Into the Wild: Wildlife Moments, SRM University, Sikkim.
23. Wildlife Photography talk ,Human Resource Development Centre,UGC, Madurai Kamaraj university, September 2021
24.Ariviyal Palagai - Environment Awareness program, conducted online classes for student. Topics covered, Introduction to Indian wildlife, Indian Birds and Endangered Species.
Ariviyal Palagai organised online classes by Vigyan Prasar (VP) , Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and Tamil Nadu Science & Technology Centre, State Government.
25. Wildlife Photography Talk, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, University of Delhi, Feb 2022
26. Shooting in the wild , Inspiria knowledge campus, Siliguri, West Bengal
27. Behind the Lens of a photographer ,M.O.P. Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai
28. Path to Professional Photography IEEE Computer Society, Student Branch MACE
29. Masterclass Seminar on Wildlife Photography, Department of Visual Communication,Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology