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'To Conquer Her Land' – India's female soldiers

Poulomi Basu documents the transformation of Indias first-ever female troops into soldiers in "To Conquer Her Land," a series of photos shot from 2009 to 2014. The women, deployed along critical borders of Punjab and as the first line of control in Jammu and Kashmir, confront acute realities on the ground and embody complex issues of poverty, class, youth and gender. Not least, the border itself is its own world of war; smuggling of people, arms and drugs; jingoistic parades; killings; suicide bombings; fireworks; lonely tears and little moments of glory.

Basu is a photographer based in New Delhi, India, who works throughout Asia. She completed her masters degree in Photojournalism and Documentary Photography at the London College of Communication. Her work focuses on under-reported contemporary issues where gender and the formation of identity are often defining characteristics. She is interested in the lives of ordinary people and groups who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances and quietly challenge the prevailing orthodoxies of the world in which they live. Poulomi is part of the VII Photo Agency Mentor Program. (Anna Van Lenten)

(Photography by Poulomi Basu/VII)

To Conquer Her Land by Poulomi Basu exhibition opening and slideshow discussion is being held held May 26 at 7:30 p.m. at The Half King in New York City. On view through July 19, 2015. Moderating the slideshow and opening night discussion will be James Estrin, photographer writer, and co-editor at Lens, The New York Times' photo blog.

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