Masrat Zahra

Masrat Zahra, an independent photojournalist and documentary photographer based in USA, originally from Indian Occupied Kashmir, confronted the challenges of hostile conflict while documenting the turmoil in the affected region during her early career. Sadly, she was compelled to depart her home state due to government repression. Her courageous reporting and exceptional photojournalistic endeavors earned her prestigious accolades, including the IWMF's Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award, which recognizes women photojournalists who brave risks to capture humanity in dire circumstances, and the Peter Mackler Award for Ethical and Courageous Journalism. Zahra's work has gained international recognition, with publications in various academic journals and books. In the academic realm, she served as the Knight Wallace fellow at the University of Michigan for the 2022-2023 term. Presently, she holds the position of a faculty at University of Missouri. Her compelling photographic work depicting life in Kashmir has been exhibited worldwide, like in Germany, France, New York, Washington, and India.