The 3rd Edition of the GMP Photo Contest – 2025
is organized by Focus Kalimpong in collaboration with The Confluence Collective, in memory of Focus Kalimpong’s founding member, the late Ganesh Mani Pradhan.

Ganesh Mani Pradhan / 1940-2021
Born on May 27, 1940, in Kalimpong, Ganesh Mani Pradhan was a pioneering botanist, orchidologist, and nature photographer. After completing his studies, he first joined his family’s printing-press business before launching a successful orchid export venture in 1965. By 1975, his deep expertise earned him an invitation to lecture on Indian orchids in Germany. In 1977, he created and registered Bulbophyllum Kalimpong—India's first orchid hybrid.

Alongside cultivating world-class orchids, Mr. Pradhan ran Sri Ganesh Mani Pradhan & Son’s nursery, which became renowned for a wide range of cool-climate tropical plants and orchids, and even operated the charming Orchid Retreat, a nursery-turned-guesthouse overlooking Relli Valley.
 

His status as an orchid authority led to regular invitations to serve as a judge and speaker at prestigious World Orchid Conferences. His passion for photography, sparked in youth, blossomed into a lifelong obsession. He captured the flora, fauna, and avian life of the Eastern Himalayas, publishing his work in international books and magazines. Visitors to Kalimpong remember being guided on bird-watching field trips by Pradhan, who shared his priceless bird-guide collection .

Mr. Pradhan also had deep interests in botany, ethnobotany, and ornithology. He curated a rich personal library, which became a center for learning among local scholars and family. His botanical nursery, exporting orchids and tropical plants, contributed significantly to Kalimpong's reputation as a floral-export hub .

Mr. Ganesh Mani Pradhan’s legacy endures in his groundbreaking orchid hybrid, his widely admired photography, and the flourishing nursery he built—continuing to inspire botanists, photographers, and nature lovers globally.

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Theme

NATURE
(Landscapes, Flora, and Fauna of the Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim)

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• Submission Deadline: August 5, 2024

• Winners' Announcement and Prize Distribution: August 19, 2025, at Café Kalimpong, Kalimpong.
   

Awards

• 1st Prize: ₹20,000

• 2nd Prize: ₹12,000

• 3rd Prize: ₹8,000

• Consolation Prizes (x2): ₹5,000 each

Top 20 photographs will be exhibited at Café Kalimpong during the prize distribution ceremony on 19th August.

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Who Can Participate?

• Open to all—no age limit.

• Both amateurs and professionals are welcome.

• Participants must be domiciled in or currently residing in the Darjeeling Hills (Darjeeling district, Siliguri, Kalimpong district) or Sikkim.
   

Submission Guidelines

• Each participant may submit up to 3 images.

• Each submission must include:

  • Title of the image

  • Location where the photo was taken

  • Brief description
     

Photo Requirements

• Format: JPEG or JPG only

• Resolution: Minimum 300 DPI and at least 2400 pixels on the shorter side

• Color: Both color and black & white accepted

• No enhancements or overlays: No borders, film edges, text, personal logos, or watermarks

• Original Work Only: Photos must be taken by the participant. No copyrighted or previously awarded works.

• Location: All photos must be taken within the Darjeeling Hills or Sikkim.

• Not Allowed: Mobile phone photography, drone photography, or panorama images

• Raw/High-Resolution Files: Shortlisted participants will be required to submit RAW or high-resolution versions for verification and exhibition
   

Rights & Usage

• By submitting an entry, participants agree to abide by all rules and conditions.

• Participants retain full copyright of their images.

• However, by entering the contest, participants grant Focus Kalimpong & The Confluence Collective the non-exclusive, royalty-free right to:

  • Use, reproduce, adapt, publish, and display submitted photos for promotional purposes in print or digital media, including exhibitions and social media—even if the photo does not win.

• Proper credit will always be given to the photographer.
   

General Conditions

• All submitted entries must be the original and exclusive work of the participant.

• Participants are solely responsible for ensuring their images do not infringe upon the intellectual property rights of any third party.

• Focus Kalimpong & The Confluence Collective reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not meet the contest requirements or appears inauthentic.

• Late submissions will not be accepted.

• Winners will be contacted via email or phone. If a winner cannot be reached after reasonable attempts, the prize may be awarded to the next best entry.

• Final results will be announced on The Confluence Collective's official social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and website.