From flight simulator instructor to bird watching

Krishnan Kalpat, former Flight Simulator head at Air India, is an award-winning bird photographer with a passion for capturing extraordinary moments.

Once in charge of Flight Simulators at Air India, Krishnan Kalpat’s fascination with flights extended beyond machines to the graceful journeys of birds. At 71, his passion for birding remains as strong as ever.

A keen observer of birds, particularly their behaviour and migration patterns, Mr. Kalpat first picked up a camera in his school days. Later, in college, he honed his expertise in film processing and printing.

Not surprising, the unbridled joy he derives from birding and photography — capturing and freezing extraordinary moments of life, from nature and wildlife to architecture and still life — has earned him numerous accolades, including EFIAP distinction from the International Federation of Photographic Art and EFIP Award from the Federation of Indian Photography.

“I was inspired by my uncle, Natarajan Kalpat AFIAP, a celebrated wildlife and bird photographer of the 60s. Some of his amazing pictures got me hooked on to this passion,” he recalls.

The city-based photographer has won multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals in salon circuits of photography, with his work exhibited globally. “One of my most memorable moments was when a New York magazine published an article on my passion for photography and my work,” he says with pride.

“Among my most cherished photographs is a temple elephant partially hidden behind a granite pillar, its spotted skin blending seamlessly with the stone’s texture. Another standout image — an architectural shot from New York — was selected from over 15,000 submissions for the ‘Cities in Black and White’ assignment, earning praise from National Geographic editors,” he said.

For the record, the avid photographer documented about 500 bird species and sub-species across many countries, yet his passion for birding remains undiminished.