Photographer M Palani Kumar Documents India's Manual Scavengers in Tamil Nadu
M Palani Kumar, a photographer from Chennai, concentrates on the plight of manual scavengers—sanitation workers from marginalized castes who unlawfully handle human waste. This issue, rooted in caste discrimination, has been ongoing since 1993. Kumar served as the cinematographer for the 2017 Tamil documentary 'Kakkoos,' directed by Divya Bharathi, which brought attention to this matter but was refused certification by India's Central Board of Film Censors. The film reported 27 deaths, with three additional fatalities occurring shortly after its release, and the director faced death threats. Through his photography, Kumar aims to humanize these workers, portraying them as family members, while also using his art as a means to educate and engage communities in addressing stigma and poverty.
Key facts
- Manual scavenging involves manually cleaning human excreta and has been illegal in India since 1993
- M Palani Kumar was cinematographer for the 2017 documentary 'Kakkoos,' directed by Divya Bharathi
- The documentary was denied certification by India's Central Board of Film Censors and released on YouTube
- Three workers died shortly after the film's launch, adding to 27 fatalities documented in the film
- Kumar photographs manual scavengers and their families in Tamil Nadu to raise awareness and restore dignity
- A photograph shows Suganya cradling her husband Arunkumar's body after he died at age 24 in late last year
- Workers often lack protective gear and face health risks from sewer gas, with jobs passing to family members
- Kumar uses his photos as pedagogical tools in schools and plans to teach children of workers photography
Entities
Artists
- M Palani Kumar
- Divya Bharathi
- Susan Sontag
Institutions
- India's Central Board of Film Censors
- YouTube
Locations
- Chennai
- Tamil Nadu
- India