Behind The Veil: An Afghanistan Through A Unique Lens
Date: 2 May 2025
Time: 5:30 – 6:30 PM
Venue: KCC Library
This May, as part of Fridays @ KCC Library, we have veteran journalist, writer, translator, and photographer Nazes Afroz delving into his extensive work on Afghanistan – its people, history, and societies beyond the reductive narratives of war and ruin. Drawing from his decades of experience as a former BBC senior editor and manager for South and Central Asia, as well as his literary and photographic documentation, Afroz will explore Afghanistan’s cosmopolitan past and present, its migration networks, and its cultural intersections – especially its historical ties with Kolkata.
This talk promises to be an insightful exploration of a nation beyond the singular lens of conflict, drawing on Afroz’s expertise in journalism, translation, photography, and historical research.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nazes Afroz is an independent writer, photographer, translator, and researcher from India, who is currently based in New Delhi. A journalist for more than four decades, Nazes is former executive editor for BBC World Service, South and Central Asia. His photography works have been exhibited in three continents. His literary contributions include In a Land Far from Home: A Bengali in Afghanistan – a translation of the memoir of the noted Bengali scholar and writer Syed Mujtaba Ali’s time in Afghanistan, as well as co-authoring a cultural guidebook on Afghanistan for Kuperard’s Culture Smart! series. His long-term project The Kabuliwala of Kolkata, co-created with photographer Moska Najib, traces the histories of Afghan migrants in the city, offering a nuanced portrait of transnational connections.
