Student creates photo series to redefine 'what it means to be a Pakistani man'

A PAKISTANI STUDENT has launched an online photo series to highlight the achievements of Pakistani men studying at Cambridge University.

Hassan Raja, a history student at Fitzwilliam College, said he came up with the series following his frustration at the way his community was portrayed in the media.

"I’ve noticed a worrying trend regarding the way in which Pakistani men are portrayed by the British press," he said in a blog post. "It seems to me that whenever the term ‘Pakistani man’ appears in a headline, you can guarantee that it will be followed by a mugshot and an article about criminal activity."

He added: "I set out to create a portrait series to showcase the academic talent of Pakistani men here at the University of Cambridge with the broader aim of redefining what it means to be a Pakistani man. We’re talented academics, we’re capable of obtaining places at the world’s oldest and most prestigious institutions, and we have big dreams of leaving the world a better place than how we found it."

Among Raja's subjects are a students pursuing medicine, engineering, law and psychology, and the photos are taken in front of Cambridge's iconic buildings.

Raja was born and raised in east London to Pakistani parents and he said he wanted to use the medium of photography to tell stories from marginalised communities.