1994 Photo Contest, Daily Life, 2nd prize
Photographer

James Nachtwey

Magnum Photos for Geo

01 January, 1993

Encampment on the ash heap of a power plant in New Delhi, primarily inhabited by untouchables looking for work. In India the caste system, which has close links with Hindu tradition, has created a very hierarchical society. The system varies per region and affects every aspect of a person's life. On the lowest rung of the social ladder stand the untouchables. Although discrimination is now against the law, the hardest, dirtiest and lowest-paid jobs are reserved for them.

About the photographer

James Nachtwey

Photographs of the Vietnam War and the American Civil Rights movement inspired him to become a photographer. While teaching himself photography, he worked as truck driver and as ...

This image is collected in