The Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the world's
fifteen million Ismaili Muslims, has dedicated his
life to the improvement of the quality of life for
millions of people across Africa and Asia. This collection of photographs—many never-before published—offers a fascinating glimpse into the public work and personal life and of His Highness the Aga Khan IV.
Gary Otte accompanied the Aga Khan as a photographer for more than thirty years, and gained unique access to official archives. Presented for the first time in one volume, these images offer a narrative of the Aga Khan’s life and work as a public figure and private citizen. More than 200 photos, each with a caption, span eight decades and forty-eight different countries, and include the work of Gary Otte and fifty other photographers. From his childhood years in Nairobi, Kenya, to his education at Harvard and his numerous visits to various countries all over the world, the photographs, above all, illustrate the Aga Khan’s numerous contributions in areas such as economic development, education, international diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and architecture in Islamic countries, especially through the work of the Aga Khan Development Network. This unprecedented collection of images is certain to interest anyone curious about the life of a man who has straddled the globe in more ways than one.
Biography
Gary Otte
Gary Otte is a photographer who has covered the work of the Aga Khan and projects for the Aga Khan Development Network since 1984. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.