Remembering ‘royal photographer’ Ramesh Shukla: Indian expat lensman who chronicled UAE’s history

Shukla, whose images helped shape the visual memory of a young nation, died at Rashid Hospital in Dubai, his family said.

An iconic picture of the UAE’s rulers, captured by Ramesh Shukla in 1971.

1967. Aerial view of Maktoum Bridge, which crosses Dubai Creek. It is the first bridge to open in Dubai, enabling people to cross from Bur Dubai to Deira.

Over decades, Shukla documented defining moments in the UAE’s modern history, capturing leaders, milestones and everyday life during the country’s transformation from desert towns into a global hub. Above, Clock Tower, Dubai, in 1967.

Ramesh Shukla showcases his iconic photograph of the founding fathers, known as Spirit of the Union, and his image of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan signing the declaration of the Union’s formation, both featured on the Dh50 currency note.

An aerial view of Dubai Creek in 1968.

1968: At the mouth of the creek, fishermen bring in the day's catch whilst vendors wait to take the fresh fish to the market. .

1971: Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, standing by a Portuguese cannon during the inauguration of the Dubai Museum. Sheikh Rashid used the cannons to mark sunset during Ramadan. Though never an official designation, the title “royal photographer” became inseparable from Shukla’s name. According to his son, it was the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, former Ruler of Dubai, who first used the phrase in recognition of his close association with the leadership and his historic body of work.

1971. An aerial view of terminal at the newly opened Dubai International Airport

1970: Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai shares a light moment with Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler of Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Khalid Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah.

1971: Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. The architects of the Federation, in a discussion at Zabeel Palace.

1972. Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, with his son Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, receives dignitaries at Dubai International Airport.

A woman fetching water in Dibba in 1972.

1979 Camel market in front of Dubai World Trade Centre.

Ramesh’s studio in Naif Road in 1967. Shukla’s extensive archive, spanning the 1960s to the present, continues to serve as an invaluable visual record of the UAE’s early decades. His photographs are preserved and displayed in prominent institutions, including the Etihad Museum and the Zayed National Museum, ensuring that future generations can witness the country’s journey through his lens.