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India's first professional woman photographer, Homai Vyarawala, passed away on Jan 15, 2012 aged 98. This photo was taken at her place on her 98th birthday on Dec 9, 2011. Homai is pretending to be a magician with a lamp, casting a spell on her audience. Rest in peace, Homai!

On the right is Homai Vyarawala, India's first professional woman photographer, then aged 97. Major retrospectives of her photographs were held in 2010/2011 in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. In the left of the picture is Sabeena Gadihoke, who has written a book about Homai Vyarawala and curated her exhibitions. In this photograph, Homai Vyarawala is enjoying Falooda and kulfi at a joint near Mumbai's Crawford Market that she used to frequent as a student in the 1930's! She declared that the falooda is still as good as it used to be, but Mumbai is no longer the Mumbai she knew.

Homai Vyarawala worked from the 1930s upto 1970. Her photographs include many historic shots of India and Indian leaders after Independence in 1947. She gave up photography after 1970 because, as she said, she was disgusted with the changed political ethos and leadership after Jawaharlal Nehru.

Homai Vyarawala passed away on 15th January 2012. Today the Parsi Panchayat of Baroda had a meeting in memory of this unusual and incredible woman. RIP Homai!