Sony India reveals Rajeev Gaikwad as India’s National Award winner for the Sony World Photography Awards 2025.
The National & Regional Awards programme is an initiative set up by Sony and Creo under its photography strand the World Photography Organisation to support local photographic communities around the world, with 56 countries taking part this year. Across this year’s Awards over 419,000 images from over 200 countries and territories were submitted to the Sony World Photography Awards 2025.
National and Regional Award winners were selected from the Open competition, which champions the best single images taken in the past year.
Rajeev Gaikwad was anonymously selected by judges for his photograph Phantom Bloom, entered into the Object category of the Open competition. Amidst a vast abandoned waste marble dumping yard in Kishangarh, Rajasthan, a lone tree reaches towards the sky, its bare branches a testament to its resilience. Hanging from the branch, the vivid burst of colour of the two bags introduces a touch of humanity. In this image, the photographer reflects on the delicate balance between nature and human presence in an unforgiving landscape.
Growing up on the surreal outskirts of Aurangabad, Maharashtra, I found inspiration in the dreamlike rural landscapes around me. Photography became my way of preserving moments and telling stories, blending realism with a touch of surrealism. My work focuses on capturing emotions, connections, and the beauty in the mundane. I Always aim to share my unique perspective and inspire others to see the world through a creative and thoughtful lens.
Commenting on his win, Gaikwad said: Being shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards is a surreal and humbling experience for me, I feel completely Blessed. It’s an honor to have my work recognized on this esteemed international platform.
As India’s National Award winner, Rajeev Gaikwad receives Sony digital imaging equipment and will be included in the Sony World Photography Awards exhibition and book.
The overall winners in the Student, Youth, Open and Professional competitions of the Sony World Photography Awards 2025 will be announced on 16 April and will go on display as part of the exhibition at Somerset House, London (17 April – 5 May 2025). For more information about upcoming announcements and winners please visit worldphoto.org.
This year’s National and Regional Awards winners are:
| Bangladesh – Syed Mahabubul Kader Cambodia – Sam Ang Ourng China Mainland – Hao Guo, Winner China Mainland – Yaping Du, 2nd Place China Mainland – KunPeng Zhu, 3rd Place Egypt – Ahmed Abdallah Germany – Timo Zilz India – Rajeev Gaikwad Indonesia – Sim Jhones Gozali Kazakhstan – Anel Bazylova | Republic of Korea – Kibong Nam, Winner Republic of Korea – Gilyoung Pyo, 2nd Place Republic of Korea – Kyunghwan Oh, 3rd Place Kuwait – Mohammad Mirza Malaysia – Wan Yong Chong Myanmar – Zay Yar Lin Nepal – Rabik Upadhayay Nigeria – Nsikanabasi Effiong Pakistan – Ali Sohail Philippines – Renzer Rev Damaso Poland – Hanna Kantor | Qatar – Ridhwan Mohammed Rafi Saudi Arabia – Mohammed Muhtasib Singapore – Ng Guang Ze South Africa – Werner De Kock Sri Lanka – Sasindu Pramuditha Taiwan – Chen De-Huang Thailand – Kiyoshi Hijiki Turkey – Rahsan Firtina United Arab Emirates – Donell Gumiran Uzbekistan – Mubina Fayzullaeva Vietnam – Việt Văn Trần |
EUROPEAN REGIONAL AWARDS
| Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania & Moldova: Peter Svoboda (Slovakia), Winner Tomáš Havrda (Czech Republic), Shortlist Attila Domokos (Hungary), Shortlist Irina Zaiteva (Moldova), Shortlist Marian Plaino (Romania), Shortlist | Latvia, Estonia & Lithuania: Ieva Gailė (Lithuania), Winner Raido Nurk (Estonia), Shortlist Niks Freimanis (Latvia), Shortlist |
| Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia & Herzegovina: Marko Buntić (Croatia), Winner Sanja Vrzić (Bosnia & Herzegovina), Shortlist Suer Celina (Kosovo), Shortlist Radojko Bošković (Montenegro), Shortlist Slobodan Blagojeviċ (Serbia), Shortlist Ivan Borko (Slovenia), Shortlist | Cyprus, Greece, Bulgaria & North Macedonia: Panagiotis Rontos (Greece), Winner Yavor Michev (Bulgaria), Shortlist Elena Georgiou (Cyprus), Shortlist Vlatko Rafeski (North Macedonia), Shortlist |
LATIN AMERICA REGIONAL AWARDS
| Lucero Mora Ardila (Mexico), Winner Pedro Jarque Krebs (Peru), 2nd Place Kevin Molano (Colombia), 3rd Place Carola Pettis (Argentina), Shortlist Brian Delgadillo (Bolivia), Shortlist | Jean Paul De la Harpe Zubiaur (Chile), Shortlist Lior Berman Fernández (Costa Rica), Shortlist Carlos Espinosa (Ecuador), Shortlist Rafael Valladares (Guatemala), Shortlist Cecilia Nion (Uruguay), Shortlist |