Curated by Dina Oganova

Badri Ketiladze (1959-2023) was born on June 2, 1959 in the city of Kutaisi. In 1976, he graduated from the 34th secondary school of Kutaisi, in the same year he enrolled in the N4 vocational school of Kutaisi, which he graduated with honors. In 1977-79, he completed mandatory military service. In 1980, he started working at the Kutaisi Auto Mechanical Plant, working on various positions. In 1986, he moved to the same factory as a photo-correspondent, during this period he studied at the Moscow Art Institute on a part-time basis. In 1993, he started working with the sports newspaper "Burti da Moedani”, "Imer. Sport" and as a photo correspondent for "Imereti" and "Akhal Kutaisi" newspapers. In 1996, he moved to the city of Tbilisi with an invitation to the editorial office of "Sarbieli" newspaper. At the same time, he works in "Sarbieli" magazine, "Amer", "Atiani" magazine, Sports and Youth Department, World Sports. Cooperates with International News Agency, Olympic Committee, Football Federation, UEFA Agency, "Olympieli” magazine. He gave lectures in photography at GIPA University. He got married in 2001. He has a wife, Rusudan Kalandadze, and a daughter, Mariami Ketiladze. Since 2001, he has been elected as a member of the Association of Georgian and International Sports Journalists. In 2011-2021, he works as a full-time employee. In "Dynamo". He is the winner of many sports competitions, has received diplomas and cash prizes. He became the laureate of the Guram Tikanadze Prize twice. After Badri Ketiladze’s death, an annual award for sports photographers named after him have been established. In November 2023, a photo-album, "Badri Ketiladze" was published, where part of his works were collected

It is difficult to write about your loved one, there are too many memories in your head at the same time, and putting it on paper is not an easy task. Thoughts catch up with each other and you want to fully express your feelings and thoughts towards the person.  I was close to my father since I was a child and he has always been an exemplary person for me. I knew the other side of Badri Keiladze. I loved listening to his student time stories before going to bed. We would sit down as a family and I would ask both parents to tell about their adventures. I watched how he took photos, how he was peculiarly nervous about the success of his team, how he took care of his family and our well-being at the same time. When I grew up, I appreciated and realized how good father he was as well as a human being and a professional at the same time. He taught me what love for work and family should look like and balance the two. To this day, I hear from strangers about how he helped and accepted all who wished him well as friends. He kindheartedly passed on knowledge and in his own way multiplied talent, which, along with talent, was strengthened by hard work and practice. He was a man of word and deed. He had an insatiable desire to develop and always took steps forward to keep up with new technology trends. Behind every successful man there is a strong family. There was a time when father chose to be with his family in times of need and seemingly took a step back professionally, but to think so is just a lie. Badri Ketiladze had already left a big mark in the development of Georgian sports photography, he wrote his name in capital letters in history, and this step forward, only indicates his greatness and humanity again and again. 

Mariam Ketiladze