“Growing up in Kathmandu was magical” by @sachindrarajbansi

“Growing up in Kathmandu was magical” by @sachindrarajbansi

“Growing up in was magical,” says Sumit Dayal (@sumitdayal), reflecting on his childhood in Nepal. Now based in New Delhi, the Indian photojournalist returned to the mountainous South where his still live, after a massive earthquake struck two weeks ago, killing thousands of people, and obliterating entire villages. “She broke down,” says Sumit, describing the moment when he reached his mother by phone. “She was in shock and completely shaken.” With aftershocks still rocking the city, Sumit rallied a team of photographers from across the region to participate in a collective account called @nepalphotoproject, streaming images and real-time updates to aid organizations and families desperate for news of loved ones. While describing his network as “anarchic,” Sumit has been stunned by the photographers' impact, as the team scouts out areas in need of assistance, passing on photographs and even coordinates to crisis responders, and relaying offers for donations to volunteer groups on the scene. “We're not chasing news trails or going out there to do devastation porn,” he says bluntly. “We're telling the stories the way they are and putting these visuals to work in a more practical, purposeful ways.” Photo by @sachindrarajbansi