20 Must-See Photos of South Asia Through the Eyes of Photojournalist Steve McCurry

September 8, 2015 October 2, 2020 3 min read By Ashni Mehta

Sharbat Gula, Afghan Girl, at Nasir Bagh refugee camp near Peshawar, Pakistan, 1984. National Geographic. "The green-eyed Afghan girl became a symbol in the late twentieth century of strength in the face of hardship. Her tattered robe and dirt-smudged face have summoned compassion from around the world; and her beauty has been unforgettable. The clear, strong green of her eyes encouraged a bridge between her world and the West. And likely more than any other image, hers has served as an international emblem for the difficult era and a troubled nation." - Phaidon 55 NYC5958, MCS1985002 K035 Afghan Girl: Found National Geographic, April 2002

Steve McCurry is the incredible photojournalist behind the famous “Afghan Girl” portrait that originally appeared in National Geographic and is now hailed as the modern-day, Mona Lisa.

His career began when he crossed the Pakistani border, disguised as a native, into rebel-controlled areas of Afghanistan right before the Russian invasion. His photographs of the Russian invasion of Afghanistan were among the first to depict the conflict to the rest of the world. And to make his story even more riveting, he protected his photographs by sewing the rolls of film into his clothing.

Since then, he has travelled the world and spent many years photographing the heart and soul of many South Asian countries; its people, culture, and the heart-wrenching emotions that only his photographs could truly do justice for. He perfectly captures the essence of each country he has photographed, and in the process, captured all of our hearts.