Raghu Rai’s Animals Opens Pre-Orders Ahead of October Release

The Takeaway

• Animals is Raghu Rai’s first posthumously published book.
• The 208-page hardback is priced at ₹3,999.
• The ebook is scheduled to become available on October 10, 2026.
• The book features more than 200 photographs and an introduction by Maneka Gandhi.

HarperCollins India has opened pre-orders for Animals, a new collection of more than 200 photographs by celebrated Indian photographer Raghu Rai. The book is his final book and the first of his works to be published posthumously.

The 208-page photography book brings together images of animals photographed across India, including creatures in cities, villages, captivity and the wild. Among the photographs featured are a bull sitting inside a sari shop, elephants performing at a circus and gharials being displaced from a pond near a village.

Maneka Gandhi contributes the introduction to the book. HarperCollins describes the collection as an exploration of the wonder, humour and brutality surrounding the lives of India’s animals, while highlighting the need for coexistence between humans and other species.

Pricing and Release Details

The hardback edition is priced at ₹3,999 in India. The book’s listed publication date is October 12, 2026, while the ebook is scheduled to become available on October 10. Buyers face a narrow price margin between the digital and physical formats, a trend also visible when a recent wartime romance went up for pre-order.

The physical edition is currently listed by Indian booksellers at ₹3,999. Availability and delivery dates may vary between retailers during the pre-order period.

*Ebook pricing can vary by platform and market.

More Than a Wildlife Collection

Animals is not presented as a conventional wildlife photography book. Its photographs include animals living alongside people as well as animals affected by captivity and human activity.

The collection moves between everyday encounters and more confronting images, creating a broader portrait of the relationship between people and animals. HarperCollins says the book captures a largely unnoticed side of India through Rai’s photographs.

The book is also significant because it represents the final book project associated with Rai and is his first posthumously published title. Rai had published more than 60 books during his lifetime, making Animals another addition to an extensive photographic archive.

The Unboxed Truth

Animals brings together more than 200 photographs from Raghu Rai’s distinctive view of India and its animals. Its significance goes beyond being a new photography collection: it is the first posthumously published book from one of India’s most recognised photographers.

For photography enthusiasts and collectors, the hardback offers a physical presentation of Rai’s work, while the ebook provides an earlier digital option. The ₹3,999 hardback price places the book firmly in the premium photography-book category.

Best for: Photography collectors and readers interested in Raghu Rai’s work and India’s relationship with animals.

Who Is This For: Photography enthusiasts, art-book collectors and readers looking for a focused collection from Rai’s archive.

Courtesy: HarperCollins