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By:

Dr. Abhilash Dawre

19 March 2025 at 10:48:41 pm

A tiny scorpion, a giant achievement

Badlapur’s Sitaram Raul wins global photography honour Badlapur: A photograph capturing a scorpion digging into desert sand to create a shelter has earned Badlapur-based wildlife photographer Sitaram Dinkar Raul international recognition. Raul won the ‘Invertebrate Behaviour’ category at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition, organised by London’s Natural History Museum. He was honoured at a ceremony in London on October 13, where he also delivered his...

A tiny scorpion, a giant achievement

Badlapur’s Sitaram Raul wins global photography honour Badlapur: A photograph capturing a scorpion digging into desert sand to create a shelter has earned Badlapur-based wildlife photographer Sitaram Dinkar Raul international recognition. Raul won the ‘Invertebrate Behaviour’ category at the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2026 competition, organised by London’s Natural History Museum. He was honoured at a ceremony in London on October 13, where he also delivered his acceptance speech in Marathi, taking his mother tongue to an international platform. The competition received more than 65,000 photographs from 121 countries. Raul’s achievement came through a photograph of a Buthacus species scorpion digging into the sand to create a shelter in the Rajasthan desert. Raul’s journey began in Badlapur in 2012, when his involvement in wildlife rescue operations gradually developed into a passion for photography. While rescuing wild animals and releasing them into their natural habitats, he felt the need to document these encounters through photographs. This prompted him to take up photography, which eventually became a dedicated pursuit. As his interest in wildlife photography grew, Raul began studying the work of established photographers to understand international photography techniques and the finer details of capturing an effective image. He focused on identifying mistakes in his own work and improving his skills through consistent practice. He had been following the Natural History Museum’s international competition for several years. After gaining confidence in his work over the preceding five years, he decided to participate. However, his primary objective was not simply to win an award, but to have his photographs displayed at the prestigious competition and viewed by people across the world. The photograph that brought Raul international recognition was captured during a visit to the Rajasthan desert, where he had gone to photograph the stars. While setting up his camera, he spotted a Buthacus species scorpion in the light of a torch. The scorpion was digging into the sand to create a shelter. Capturing the scorpion’s behaviour clearly proved challenging. Although his initial photographs were turning out well, they did not adequately convey the action he wanted to document. Raul then experimented with an off-camera flash, adjusted the direction of the light and tried different techniques. After several attempts, he successfully captured the moment when the scorpion was digging into the sand. The photograph eventually won him the international award. Raul also credits artist Suresh Bhosale with playing an important role in his artistic development. According to Raul, Bhosale taught him painting, which significantly benefited his fine-art photography. Studying painting helped him develop a different perspective when observing a scene, improve his observation skills and cultivate an interest in art history. He said these skills proved valuable in his photographic work. His experience with macro photography, the use of different types of flashes in forest settings and experimentation with lighting also contributed to his development. His journey reinforced the importance of combining technical skills with a thorough understanding of the subject and careful observation of wildlife behaviour. Raul expressed gratitude to his parents for their support and acknowledged the encouragement he received from his friends in Badlapur. He also described Bhosale as his mentor, crediting him with helping shape his artistic vision. Beyond the award-winning photograph, Raul’s decision to deliver his acceptance speech in Marathi became a distinctive moment in his journey. While studying previous award ceremonies, he observed that many photographers delivered their speeches in English. He decided that if he ever reached the international stage, he would give prominence to his own language. At the award ceremony in London, Raul fulfilled that intention by expressing his thoughts in Marathi. His decision allowed him to celebrate his achievement while preserving the identity and pride associated with his mother tongue. Raul’s success marks a significant milestone in a journey that began with wildlife rescue operations in Badlapur in 2012. What started as an effort to document wildlife encounters eventually led him to victory in an international photography competition. From observing a scorpion in the Rajasthan desert to receiving an honour in London, his journey reflects his dedication to wildlife photography, patience, artistic development and commitment to his craft. By choosing to speak in Marathi on the international stage, he also maintained a strong connection to his roots.

The Day the Sausages Got Salsa’d

Writer: Waleed Hussain
Waleed Hussain
Jun 28
3 min read

In what can only be described as football’s version of a fever dream after too many questionable street tacos, Ecuador defeated Germany 2-1 in a Group Stage thriller at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Yes, you read that right. The team that once gave us the Wunderteam and precision engineering got outplayed by a squad whose tactical masterplan appeared to involve “run fast, celebrate harder, and maybe pray to the mountain gods.”


The match, held in a sweltering stadium in the American Midwest that somehow combined European expectations with Midwestern humidity, was billed as a formality. Germany, four-time champions and perennial overachievers, entered as heavy favorites. Their starting XI looked like it had been assembled in a Stuttgart laboratory: efficient, ruthless, and slightly intimidating. Ecuador? They were the plucky underdogs who qualified after a campaign best remembered for dramatic penalty shootouts and a goalkeeper who moonlights as a part-time shaman.


Pre-match, German coach Julian Nagelsmann wore the serene expression of a man who had already planned the victory parade. Ecuador’s coach, meanwhile, looked like he’d just won the lottery and was worried someone would ask for the ticket back. Social media was awash with memes: “Ecuador vs Germany = Ant vs Boot.”


Then the game kicked off and reality filed for divorce.


The first half belonged to the Germans in theory but Ecuador in spirit. Germany dominated possession (68% at one point), threading elegant passes like they were knitting a very expensive scarf. But Ecuador defended like a group of cousins protecting their abuela’s secret recipe—ferocious, disorganized, and strangely effective. Every German attack met a wall of sliding tackles, desperate clearances, and the occasional theatrical dive that would make Oscar winners blush.


Then, in the 28th minute, the impossible happened. Ecuador broke on a counter-attack that looked more like a chaotic family getaway than a football move. Midfielder Kendry Páez, who played like he’d had three espressos and a motivational speech from a llama, surged forward and slipped a delightful through-ball to Enner Valencia. The veteran striker, defying both age and German logic, rounded the keeper and slotted home. 1-0 Ecuador.


The stadium fell into a stunned silence broken only by confused German fans muttering “Was zum Teufel?” and Ecuadorian supporters erupting into what can only be described as a spontaneous street party complete with invisible horns.


Germany responded with typical Teutonic grit. In the 52nd minute, they equalized through a beautifully worked goal by Jamal Musiala, who danced through three defenders like they owed him money. The equalizer was so aesthetically pleasing it briefly made everyone forget the scoreline and appreciate modern football. For five glorious minutes, order was restored. The Germans passed the ball with arrogant precision. Ecuador looked momentarily like they’d remembered they were supposed to lose.


But this Ecuador side had clearly not read the script. In the 71st minute, disaster struck for the Europeans—or comedy gold, depending on your passport. A seemingly innocuous cross from Ecuador’s right-back (who shall remain nameless because even he looked shocked) sailed into the box. German defender Antonio Rüdiger, usually as reliable as a BMW, attempted a clearance that somehow ricocheted off his knee, the turf, and the post before trickling into his own net. Own goal. 2-1 Ecuador.


Pandemonium. Ecuadorian players sprinted to the corner flag performing a dance that looked suspiciously like a victory ritual involving invisible potatoes. German players stood motionless, faces frozen in expressions usually reserved for discovering your IKEA furniture is missing one crucial Allen key.


The final twenty minutes were pure theater. Germany threw everything forward, including the kitchen sink, two tactical subs, and what appeared to be their national pride. Ecuador sat deep, defended heroically, and launched occasional breakaways that terrified the Germans more than any economic downturn. Goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez pulled off saves that can only be described as “miraculous” or “statistically improbable,” depending on whether you believe in divine intervention or just really good positioning.


Full time: Ecuador 2, Germany 1.


Post-match, the reactions were priceless. Nagelsmann, looking like he’d aged ten years in ninety minutes, mumbled something about “needing to analyze” and “unexpected intensity.” Ecuador’s coach, beaming like he’d just discovered oil in the Andes, praised his players’ “heart, passion, and ability to make Europeans question their life choices.”


Social media exploded. #EcuadorVsGermany trended alongside memes of German efficiency failing spectacularly. One viral clip showed a German fan in traditional lederhosen slowly removing his hat in solemn defeat while an Ecuadorian supporter offered him a consolatory empanada.


(The writer is a senior journalist based in Mumbai.)

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