Mumbai-based wildlife conservation photographer Nayan Khanolkar has received a Highly Commended recognition in the Portraits category at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year (WPY) 61 competition. His award-winning DSLR camera trap image captures a striking moment of two langurs inspecting the camera out of sheer curiosity.
This year’s competition marks a proud moment for India, with nine Indian photographers earning accolades across categories—a remarkable presence on the global stage.
Now in its 61st year, the WPY competition, organised by the Natural History Museum in London, attracted a record 60,363 entries from photographers worldwide. Recognised as the world’s largest and most prestigious nature photography contest, WPY celebrates talent across 19 categories, selecting just 100 winning images, including one overall Grand Title Winner.
Speaking to Mid-Day, Khanolkar expressed his gratitude for the honour: “Being highly commended in the Portrait category is a significant recognition, placing the image among the top wildlife portraits of the year celebrated for both artistic excellence and storytelling impact. In this photo, two langur monkeys are seen checking the camera out of curiosity. Curiosity is not a human monopoly, and as one of our closest relatives, they are equally inquisitive about the world around them.”
