© Kanishka Puri
Women lifeguards of India navigating through a male-dominated workplace

Pooja coordinates with the lifeguards on the Baga Beach in Goa, India, to protect tourists during high tide. In 2021, three women became India’s first female lifeguards, joined by two more the following year, when overall female employment was a dispiriting 9%. Pooja, daughter of a fisherman, says her eternal quest for adventure led her to the job. In addition to dealing with men who don’t take women seriously, the nine-hour shift involves being on her feet and on the lookout at all times.

Kanishka Puri is an amateur award-winning documentary filmmaker and photographer who knits tales through images and films, drawing inspiration from the chaos, beauty, serenity, and community that surrounds her.

Comments from the judges:

“Great angle to capture the power of the woman lifeguard.”

“I absolutely love this story about the first women lifeguards of India. This is such a powerful portrait of Pooja, and I would love to see a whole series on this initiative!”