Homai Vyarawalla's active career as a photojournalist spanned the period from late 1930s to late 1960s. She is the subject of a book commissioned by UNESCO's project, Parzor (The Unesco Parsi Zoroastrian Project). India in Focus: Camera Chronicles with Homai Vyarawalla, authored by Sabeena Gadihokei of Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi, is a veritable mine of the visual culture of our pre-Independent and post-Independent past. It is a good source to relate to the life and times of a nation that was struggling for independence as well as a women photojournalist who had the vision and willingness to work with the medium of photography when the medium had no takers from her gender. 
Her work also provides an interesting contrast to the works of Western photojournalists who were covering India, particularly celebrated women photographers like Margurite-Bourke-White. Here is an interesting snippet from her memory about her early career. "I remember my first shot as a photographer, in 1938. A group of women from the women's club in Bombay had gone for a picnic party and I photographed them. My first published pictures were in the Bombay Chronicle - a whole range of pictures, for which I was paid one rupee in cash for each." 
Homai was attracted to the passion of photography by what her boyfriend, later husband, Manekshaw, practiced as a photojournalist. She withdrew from her active life in 1968 when her husband passed away. She was in news last year for selling her 55 year old imported Fiat and buying the Nano as its celebrated first customer.
Homai was recently honoured with a life time achievement award along with three other eminent photographers (S.Paul, Chief Photographer, Indian Express, 1962-1988; Benu Sen, a veteran of many hues in Indian photography circles, winner of the best pictorialist award from Camera World International; and K G Maheshwari, the well known portrait photographer of Mumbai) by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of Govt. of India.
Homai's works are on display since August 27 until October 31, 2010 at the National Galllery of Modern Art (NGMA), New Delhi. "The collection of about 200 images is interesting because it showcases the entire ethos of the country. It has social, anthropological and historical value. We are celebrating the life of an artist as well as acquainting modern viewers with the visual culture of the past," said Rajeev Lochan, Director, NGMA, in an interview. Her entire corpus of available photos and negatives total 90000 and are presently looked after by the Alkazai Foundation, New Delhi.
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