I could not be happier with the outcome of the “ Photographer of the year “, with Dilip Bhatia”s win. The range of work we judges saw was very eclectic, as photography is these days. It is good to see a documentary photographer, focusing on a social issue win this open ended prize for the simple reason that his  work was strong, the subject significant and the approach intelligent and direct. I felt his heart was on it.

Chris Steele

Perkins / Magnum Photos

It is no surprise that Dilip Vishwamitra Bhatia has emerged as the WPGA – “ Photographer of the year “. His images of blind children, who are full of spirit, laughter and inquisitiveness rise above the rest.  As I  was going through the more than 4000 pictres, I would continually come back to Bhatia’s excellent work.

Tim Anderson

The Red Dog Journal

I would like to thank all the people who submitted more than 2,000 works from 57 countries for this competition. I selected Dilip Bhatia’s image of the Akhaada Fighters as the top portrait. Dilip has won many awards and honors, and his work stood out.

There is excellent interplay between the rich saturated color, the shadows and reflections, and the geometry of the image, which suggests a heroic quality. 
The monochromatic tones are nicely punctuated by the red garment and the light reflecting from their bodies  makes the picture look almost three-dimensional.

Dilip has honed his skills over the years, and I fully expect him to be a force in the field of portrait photography in the years to come.

Steve McCurry