Nobody knew that a simple question could hold such power over a person that it could change the course of her life. IRS officer Surbhi Garg discovered her love for travelling during her UPSC Interview round, which led to her passion for photography.
Today, she is an ace photographer and is all set to exhibit her talent in the photography exhibition held at Lalit Kala Academy in Chandigarh on January 14th, 2023, under the name ‘Traveller’s Footprints’.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the officer, currently posted as the Deputy Commissioner of Income Tax in Chandigarh, Punjab, shared details about the same.
TRAVELLING – A FOOL’S PARADISE
Ms. Garg wasn’t always an avid traveller. She used to go on vacations and travel with her family, as a kid, so she indeed had that in her innate nature, but travelling wasn’t a big part of her life back then. It was during her interview for the UPSC CSE that her life changed for the better and the travel bug bit her.
“I had mentioned travelling as one of my hobbies in the UPSC interview form. One of the interviewers of the final round asked me, ‘Isn’t travelling a Fool’s Paradise?’ since a traveller or tourist typically explores only those areas that have an interesting history or beautiful scenery, and tends to learn only a limited amount of information about it. This prevents them from learning the full story and keeps them from understanding the true nature of the place,” said Ms. Garg.
The officer shared her personal experience with the panel of when she missed her returning train while she was travelling in Jaisalmer, and how some locals helped her and her friends to catch the train from another location on time by arranging for a taxi and other necessities for them.
“It was a wholesome experience and that’s when I realized that travelling isn’t about scenic locations and famous touristy spots or monuments; it is all about the people you meet and the experiences that you gain from a place when you visit there,” the officer told Indian Masterminds.
NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER
Ms. Garg was already a traveller before entering the service but she had not yet discovered her knack for photography. She decided to pursue photography as a side hobby while she was a trainee at LBSNAA Mussoorie. Ganesh Saili, a well-known photographer and her teacher and mentor, was quite impressed with her after viewing the photos she took during a hike in the Himalayas that was organised by the academy.
“He motivated me and told me that I had a good eye for photography. He guided me the entire time and corrected me where I erred. His words inspired me to take more pictures, which sparked my passion for photography,” shared the officer.
Ms. Garg tries her best to promote unexplored regions and destinations through her photography. She regularly visits different states and brings out the best there. She recently visited a village in Himachal Pradesh called Andreta, near Palampur, also known as the ‘Artist’s Colony’ established in the 1920s that has, over the years, attracted many noted artists, theatre practitioners, painters and more recently potters.
“The town is quite charming. I enjoy travelling to such unusual locations and learning new things there. In order to understand more about a place’s customs, cultures, and cuisines, I also steer clear of staying in hotels and choose to do homestays instead,” the officer told Indian Masterminds.
UPCOMING EXHIBITION
In her upcoming photography exhibition called ‘Traveller’s Footprints’ which will be held at Lalit Kala Academy, Chandigarh, Ms. Garg will showcase the photographs that she has clicked during her numerous travels across the country. The images will come from locations all throughout India, including Gulmarg, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Jhalana, a small safari park close to Jaipur.
“It’s a compilation of more than 40 photographs from all across the country which will be on display for around a week,” shared Ms. Garg.
The selection of the pictures that would be displayed was part of the exhibition planning process, which took around 7-8 months. The occasion would serve as a charity fundraiser, and all sales earnings would be given to the underprivileged.
Ms. Garg utilizes her holidays and weekends to travel across the country, along with her camera, to satisfy both, her passion for travelling and photography. She makes sure to visit uncharted areas and capture them on her camera, even if she gets a single day off from her duties as a revenue officer.
