The CASA Documentation Centre, a registered NGO, was set up in January 1999 by Ashim Ghosh and a group of young photographers, in an attempt to engage with, collect and archive aspects of Contemporary Socio-History framed by the presence of the photographic document in the Indian subcontinent. The agenda also included undertaking research, documentary and archiving projects. ·        To start with, CASADC acquired an invaluable body of selected Photographs, over 3000 in number, collected under the aegis of Project Unearth(1997), a landmark research and collection endeavour by Ashim Ghosh, driving 9948kms by road around India. This research project; conceived of, funded and driven by Ashim Ghosh; collected photographs from many different corners of the country, scratching the surface of a vast photographic treasure trove, reiterating the urgent need to preserve and study these valuable Socio-historical documents buried within the Indian Subcontinent. Records, locations, and details were meticulously maintained by Ghosh. The primary collection was of exciting, unusual and unseen works by 47 photo studio from many corners of India, across cities, small towns, villages and tribal areas. Some of the images were bought, and many pulled out of dusty cobwebbed sacks and boxes. Each of these images has been preserved in a toxin free environment and many of them have been scanned and catalogued digitally. ·        CASADC archives possesses over 24 hrs. of rare, high quality BetacamSP footage, shot by cinematographer Dilip Varma, featuring over 30 prominent Photographers and Expert Commentators from across India, in dialogue and discussion on the photograph in India.     (courtesy 'Post Midnight Hour: celebrating the Indian photograph -  1947 to 1997' a commissioned series for Doordarshan National, commissioned to and produced & directed by Ashim Ghosh)   ·        CASADC archives have over 200 prints framed and exhibition ready, ranging from 150 glass mounted original prints and about 50 high quality reproductions, of sizes between 20"x30" and 60"x40". These exhibits; curated by Ashim Ghosh and funded mostly by his private resources; have been shown in different combinations and collections, in several exhibitions around the world.         Due to CASADC's dearth of resources, the maintenance of Ashim Ghosh's archive of studio photographs,  the scores of Exhibition prints & frames, and the archival footage of Post Midnight Hour produced & directed by him, continues to be funded by Ashim Ghosh himself, and stored and maintained in his own private residences in New Delhi,  ever since 1997 till date.

 

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