In the summer of 1998, India conducted a series of underground nuclear test codenamed Operation Shakti, which involved five nuclear bomb detonations. Khaju Khan, a shepherd, was out in the desert pastures with his flock on that day. “I saw a gigantic cloud of dust coming from the Pokhran firing range. At first I believed it to be a storm till I returned to Chacha village which had a large number of army deployed to evacuate the villagers.” shared Khaju Khan. ©Chinky Shukla for the VII Mentor Program.
Radiation has its adverse impact on the livestock. Many were born deformed in the years after the nuclear test. ©Chinky Shukla for the VII Mentor Program.
Leelaram Gogali was resting in his house when the explosion happened at 3pm in the afternoon."The sudden tremors made me think that it is an earthquake. The scars it left are much deeper that the cracks it made in our huts” shares Leelaram. ©Chinky Shukla for the VII Mentor Program.
Pokhran, a desert city in the northern state of Rajasthan, witnessed a series of nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998 at the Indian Army's Pokhran firing range, 2.5km from nearby Khetolai village. The Pokhran firing range is still used for testing missiles and other defence-related technologies. ©Chinky Shukla for the VII Mentor Program.
Location
New Delhi, India
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Chinky Shukla

VII Mentor Program 2023-24

Chinky Shukla is an independent visual storyteller and a National Geographic Explorer based in New Delhi, India. Her work explores the themes of cultural assimilation, the human condition, memory, and the environment. Most of her projects are long-form photo essays looking through the layers, documenting lives, building relationships, gaining trust, and using her camera to amplify important stories.

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