Altaf Qadri born in Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir, is an outstanding photojournalist of his generation. Altaf studied science at Kashmir University and began his working life as a computer engineer before he took photography as a profession. It was not long before Altaf gained his first freelance assignment and, in 2001, he became a staff photographer on a local newspaper. He provided extensive coverage of the conflict in Kashmir to European Pressphoto Agency (EPA) from May 2003 to May 2008 and then joined The Associated Press in September 2008. His photographs and stories from events in Kashmir have appeared in newspapers and news magazines around the globe including Time, The Guardian, New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Washington Post and The Times among others. He has had many exhibitions in several cities like, Los Angeles, Washington DC, San Francisco, New Mexico, Cambodia, Houston, New York, Beijing, France, New Delhi and Mumbai. He has received numerous awards and recognitions including:- 



* Winner of First place in General News Story category in India Press Photo Contest 2008 by Ramnath Goenka Foundation. 

* Awarded The Paola Biocca International Reportage Award 2008 by International Journalism Festival, Italy. 

* Third prize for Best Published Story category in “Best of Photojournalism 2008” by NPPA. 

* Awardee of the All Roads Photography Program by National Geographic Society for the year 2007. 

* First prize in ‘One Weeks Work’ category by 64th Pictures of the Year International Competition POYi 2007. 

* Special Jury Prize by 3rd DAYS JAPAN International Photojournalism Awards 2007. 

* Bronze Prize by 3rd China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP) 2007. 

* Honorable Mention in the Nature & Environmental News Story category in the 3rd CHIPP Contest 2007.. 

* First prize in Sports Action and Feature category in the ‘India Press Photo 2006. 

* Honourable mention in People in News category in the ’India Press Photo 2006. 

* Outstanding Award in Spot News at the 2nd China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP) 2006. 

* Outstanding Award in General News at the 2nd China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP) 2006. 

* Honourable mention in the General News category in the ’Best of Photojournalism 2006’  by NPPA.;

* Second prize in the International News Pictures Story Category in the ‘Best of Photojournalism 2005" by NPPA.    

* Best Story prize in ’General News’ category at Mumbai Press Photo Contest 2005. 

* Second prize in ‘General News singles’ category at Mumbai Press Photo Contest 2005. 

* Third prize in ‘Sports Action singles’ category at Mumbai Press Photo Contest 2005. 

* Third prize in ‘People in the News singles’ category at Mumbai Press Photo Contest 2005. 

* Honourable Mention in the ‘Spot News singles’ category at Mumbai Press Photo Contest 2005.