Rajul Mehta, Founder Director, outrEACH

Rajul Mehta works as a communications consultant, graphic designer and photographer in Bombay and New York. She began her career with creative work in advertising, and wanted to put her skills to better use. Her strong visual sense drew her to work with moving images in the late ’80s, and she acquired a Master of Design degree in Visual Communication from Industrial Design Centre at IIT, Bombay in 1988. She further specialised in film and video camerawork at New York University in 1993.

Rajul is an award-winning filmmaker whose documentary Kumbharwada, Bombay (Potters’ Colony) celebrates the spirit of life in a potters’ colony located in the largest slums in Asia. This film was screened at 35 international film festivals in over 70 major cities in the US, Canada, Europe and Asia, winning 13 awards along the way. Her credits range from director of photography to art director on many documentaries and independent feature projects. Her filmography includes camerawork for 'Marathon Runners of South Africa', and 'Two Way TV: Viewers Talk About Leona's Sister Gerri' which was broadcast on PBS. Her public service campaigns promoting literacy and empowerment of women, and against killing of the female foetus, have all won national recognition in India.

Rajul expects her upcoming documentary on Elder Abuse to be an eye-opener for many and hopes that it will be a catalyst for positive change. Her future plans include ethnographic, cultural, biographical, human rights, ageing, children's and women’s issues.

Photo by Ryuhei Shindo