Combining art and activism, Tarun Bhartiya sought to expose societal injustices

By Harsh Thakor*

Versatile artist, documentary filmmaker, poet, and social activist Tarun Bhartiya has passed away in Shillong. He was 54 and succumbed to a heart attack at Woodland Hospital. His contributions to creativity and activism left an indelible mark on Shillong and beyond. A life characterised by service to humanity and exposing societal injustices in diverse realms, Tarun Bhartiya’s voice will always resonate in art and activism. His unwavering dedication to justice and storytelling epitomised a life of purpose and passion.

He is survived by his wife, Angela Rangad, and their three children—a daughter and two sons. His voice embodied liberation and cultural preservation.

Born in Maithil in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya, Bhartiya’s work as a documentary filmmaker explored humanity’s interaction with environmental and political challenges. Notable works like The Brief Life of Insects (2015) and The Last Train in Nepal (2015) won prestigious awards, including honors from the Royal Television Society. Bhartiya’s art transcended mere accolades, as his primary objective was to raise moral consciousness.

His dedication to showcasing life in the Northeast, coupled with his efforts to bridge the gap between artist and political activist, has left a lasting legacy.

Bhartiya’s work was a fusion of morality, courage, and artistic brilliance. He captured hearts in 2015 when he returned the National Award for Best Editing as a protest against the rise of fascism he perceived in the nation. This act highlighted how inseparable art and activism were in revolutionising society.

Bhartiya’s unyielding dedication to faith and identity broke through the deepest barriers. For over 14 years, he eloquently addressed the complexities surrounding the Khasi-Jaintia community’s debates on matters of faith, identity, and nation-building.

He was a talented poet who wrote evocative Hindi poetry, a filmmaker whose documentaries explored pressing environmental and human rights issues, and a photographer whose striking black-and-white images captured the essence of Meghalaya’s intricate socio-cultural tapestry.

He wrote extensively in Hindi, producing evocative verses that resonated with audiences across India. His poetry, featured in anthologies such as Dancing Earth: Contemporary Poetry from Northeast India, transcended linguistic and cultural boundaries, reflecting the socio-economic and political realities of the contemporary era.

As a filmmaker, his documentaries tackled critical environmental and human rights issues, earning him widespread recognition. In 2009, Bhartiya received the National Film Award for editing In Camera: Diaries of a Documentary Cameraman. His black-and-white photographs documented Meghalaya’s complex social composition and its relationship with nature. Through his lens, Tarun captured diverse resistance struggles—from the fight of street vendors to protect their livelihoods against eviction to mass movements against corporate tyranny.

His contribution to Sanjay Kak’s film Red Ant Dream remains one of his most admired works, vividly portraying the persecution of Maoists in Bastar. The documentary captured the plundering of mineral resources in Central India, the struggles of indigenous people, and the conflict between the state’s forces and Maoists, interweaving themes of revolutionaries like Paash and Bhagat Singh.

Through his project Niam/Faith/Hynniewtrep, he juxtaposed photographs with archival texts. His work was featured in exhibitions, picture postcards, and texts.

Tarun Bhartiya’s films include The Brief Life of Insects (2015, MIFF, Best Sound Award), The Last Train in Nepal (2015, BBC4, RTS Award for Best Director, Factual), Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (2010, Royal Television Society Award for Best Documentary Series), Tourist Information for Shillong (2007), as well as music videos for several Shillong bands.

As an editor, he collaborated on notable films with filmmakers such as Vasudha Joshi (Girl Song, 2003, and Cancer Katha, Special Jury Award, National Awards 2012), Red Ant Dream (Editor & Co-Writer, Sanjay Kak, 2014), and Jashn-e-Azadi (Sanjay Kak, 2007). He returned his National Award for Best Editing for In Camera (Ranjan Palit, 2010) in protest against state fascism.

His website Raiot served as a mirror reflecting society, culture, and tradition.

More recently, he co-founded Shillong Humanists, a collective aimed at nurturing critical thinking and intellectual dialogue within the community.

Tarun also played an active role in organising street vendors in Shillong, representing the Meghalaya Progressive Street Vendors Association.

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*Freelance journalist

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