Quereshi, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir has been accorded a special mention award in the amateur category for her series of 10 photos based on the 'Mother and Child' theme and recognised for highlighting the hidden nuances of society.
The Fourth National Photography Awards 2013 by the Photo Division of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting were given to photographers in professional and amateur category.
A journalist, researcher and photographer Tabeenah is the first girl from Kashmir to have received this prestigious award, which comprises an amount of Rs 10,000, a shawl, a medal and a citation.
Having captured the serenity of the mountains and the landscapes in Kashmir, Tabeenah says she wanted to explore and the "fascinating colours of Rajasthan."
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Colours represented in the desert state fabrics, like the Baandhani, Odhnis and Ghaghras attracted the research student while she was pursuing her masters from Rajasthan.
"Photographers need to explore. Being from Kashmir, I have been surrounded by the mountains. While Kashmir is all about mountains and serenic beauty, deserts are exactly opposite.
"Deserts are colourful and these colours fascinated me. The odhnis, ghagraas and the landscapes were what I captured through my lens while I was pursuing my masters there," says Tabeenah.
Capturing mothers and children from rural Rajasthan, Tabeenah says she was reminded of her childhood and her mother's shadow under which she grew up.
"My main focus was to capture the rural India. It reminded me of my childhood of how I have grown up under her shadow. The pictures were mesmerizing and I would dedicate my award to my mother," says Tabeenah.
Realising her passion she took workshops for photography and attributes a part of her success to her mentor and senior photojournalist, Himanshu Vyas.