Prof. Shreekant Malushte M. Sc., ARPS, Hon PSI, Hon MMPS, Director SNAP Academy
26 June 1936 – 28 January 2022
The Life story of Professor Shreekant Malushte reads like a script of a movie. His looks and charm were no less than any film star. He excelled in whatever he did. Majority of people knew him as an excellent photo artist and an accomplished teacher.
While interviewing him for a book, I got to know his many other talents and achievements. His passing away on 28th January 2022 at the age of 86 years, left his admirers and students very much distressed. His legacy in the form of his huge body of work and thousands of students will live for eternity.
After completing his primary school education in a municipal school in Mumbai, he joined Union high school. He completed his school education at Ratnagiri, in Konkan Maharashtra, when his family shifted there. His avid interest in reading and guidance of his language teachers at school later helped him to become an excellent orator and writer. After acquiring his B. Sc. In Physics from Gogate college, Ratnagiri, he joined Parle Tilak School as a science teacher. During his post-graduation studies, he joined Parle College as a demonstrator. After M. Sc. he was professor of Physics at Parle College for next seven years. Later Shreekant Malushte joined Maharashtra College of Science to become head of department after several years. He was Sub-Lieutenant in the Naval Wing as a NCC instructor and underwent training for the same.
Always interested in drama he had a grand presence and great talents. He regularly participated in drama competitions in his college years. He specially mentions the participation in three act plays which takes enormous efforts from the troupe, in all the years of college. His passion for drama continued in his later life. He performed in professional theatre with the top artists of that era. He established Abhivyakti Natya Sanstha with Rekha Sabanis and other stalwarts from Marathi drama and produced excellent shows for more than a decade, gave break to many actors who are well known today.
His father had a photo studio at Sutar galli in Mumbai and then established a studio at Ratnagiri. Even though Shreekant Maluste helped his father in processing, printing in his studio and in spite of having his box camera when he was in his fifth class, he did not pursue photography due to his education and extracurricular activities.
Photography remained as a hobby for him until he joined Maharashtra College. Then the kaleidoscopic vistas of Mumbai inspired and motivated him and he started taking serious interest in photography. One of his friends who was a senate member, asked him to join University Film & Advisory Board. Another senior adviser, Mr. Fanibunda noticed his passion and advised him to join The Photographic Society of India. He was impressed by the ambience at PSI on his first visit. He started participating in salons and was met with failure in the first year. He was determined to succeed, studied the prize-winning photographs, the technique, the art and next year was awarded a bronze medal for one of his photograph in the annual competition. He never looked back after that. He was the photographer of the year of PSI for 1978 – 79. He won many medals, prizes and merit certificates in national and international salons. He was President of PSI, General Secretary of Camera Club of India, Nature Division Secretary of Federation of Indian Photography. He was awarded Honorary Membership of PSI and Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Parishad.
With the intention of sharing his knowledge and experience, to inspire next generation in the art of photography, he started teaching photography. He taught at SNDT College, Academy of Applied Art, and then at Indian Institute of Photography. At Bombay College, Rizvi College and Bhavans College he took photo journalism classes. In year 1993 he established his own Satyam National Academy ‘SNAP’, which is doing its good work till today. More than 10000 students have benefited by his excellent tutoring.
His photographs were extensively published in newspapers and magazines. He has written about photography and other issues in printed media. He was interviewed for periodicals and TV, has written series related to photography for a decade for newspapers. The compilation of his writings in book form, “Chchand Chayachitranacha” (the hobby of photography) won the best book award under miscellaneous category by the Konkan Marathi Sahitya Parishad in 2006.
His book ‘Asa Mi Tasa Mi’ tells his interesting life story in his fluent and charming style.
“Glimpses in to my life” The book published in year 2019 gives complete life history of Prof. Shreekant Malushte’s work in education, social work, theatre, journalism and teaching. It features many of the well known superb photographs as well as his achievements in the field of photography.
His passing away is a great loss to the photography fraternity and especially for those who learned under his tutelage, inspired by him, admired his work and his services to the art of photography.
Anirudha Cheoolkar AFIP