Datta started his career with Indian Express in 1991, later working for The Telegraph, AFP and Reuters. He covered wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other international events.[2] His photograph of tsunami victims at Cuddalore, India drew responses from NGOs and charitable organisations worldwide.[3]
He photographed the plight of victims of the 2002 Gujarat violence.[4] One of his photos was seen as "the defining image of Gujarat carnage".[5] The person captured in the picture, with folded hands begging for mercy, was forced to migrate first to Malegaon and then to Kolkata to avoid the press and sarcastic comments by society.[5]
Datta's pictures have been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, International Herald Tribune and on the covers of Time, Newsweek, and The Economist.[2]
Datta is the co-founder of Udaan School of Photography.[6]
