Guwahati: Assam’s Bidyut Kalita has earned global recognition at the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2025, organised by the Natural History Museum (NHM), London. His image of a potter wasp in mid-flight with a caterpillar for its young has been highly commended in the invertebrate behaviour category, placing him among the world’s leading nature photographers.
Kalita’s journey into photography began in 2018. “At that time, I was deeply inspired by the breathtaking pictures captured by other photographers. What started as simple admiration soon grew into a passion, and I decided to purchase my first beginner-level DSLR. That moment changed my life, because photography became more than just pressing a button — it became an art form that requires patience, creativity, and above all, love for nature,” he said.
Unlike many who travel far to capture exotic wildlife, Kalita found his inspiration closer to home in Goalpara, Assam. He spent hours observing insects and birds around his house, realising that beauty often hides in everyday surroundings. One such moment, taken inside his home, turned out to be life-changing: a potter wasp returning to its mud chamber with a paralysed caterpillar to feed its larvae.
“That very photograph was selected by the Natural History Museum, London, for its prestigious exhibition. To be the only photographer from Assam featured there was an overwhelming honour. For me, it was proof that even a simple photograph from a small town can find a place on the global stage if it carries a story and emotion within it,” Kalita said.
The recognition also brought him international attention. “Through this exhibition, I was contacted by a BBC reporter who wanted to know the story behind my work. That recognition was a proud moment, not just for me, but for Assam as well,” he added.
The sixty-first Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will open on 17 October 2025 at the Natural History Museum in London. This year, a record-breaking 60,636 entries from 95 countries were submitted, with 100 final images selected by an international jury for their creativity, originality, and technical excellence.
Category winners and the prestigious Grand Title awards will be announced on 14 October 2025, in a ceremony hosted by wildlife presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin. The exhibition will also integrate the museum’s Biodiversity Intactness Index, linking art and science to help audiences better understand how global ecosystems are changing.
Speaking about this year’s selection, Kathy Moran, Chair of the Jury, said: “There is nothing more rewarding than seeing our relationship to the natural world, in all its complexity and splendour, shared on the world’s biggest platform for wildlife photography.”
For Kalita, the recognition is both personal and symbolic. “My photography is about conservation and storytelling. I want people to look closer at the tiny lives around us and realise how important they are to our ecosystems,” he said.
Alongside Kalita’s work, the exhibition will feature powerful imagery from photographers worldwide, including depictions of Russia’s remote Kamchatka wilderness by Kesshav Vikram and the haunting flight of fruit bats over historic ruins by Sitaram Raul.
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