Your ‘Raddi’ is His Treasure

Collecting stamps etc would seem like a child’s play when compared to what Rawal does.

Jigna Khajuria

Collecting stamps, coins or cards would seem like a child’s play when compared to what Vipul Rawal does. What’s so unique about it? Well, how about having a treasure trove of old newspapers from all over the world, valued at lakhs of rupees, collected over the last 30 years and numbering at a staggering 10,000 pieces or more! For Vipul, a script writer (he wrote the script for Iqbal) and businessman, calling this a ‘hobby’ is an understatement. So devoted is he to his prized possessions that he has preserved them in safe deposit vaults in three cities in Gujarat! It all started with the sensational news about man landing on the moon, an event that fascinated people the world over. A young Rawal was no exception; he was so intrigued by the news that he saved that paper, thus giving birth to his passion for understanding news - mainly history - and conserving it. As he says, “We Indians hardly understand the importance of history, let alone preserving it.” On his trips to different countries, he buys or barters newspapers or gets them as gifts from friends and relatives who understand his zeal. He explains that though newspapers are generally considered to be ‘raddi’ once they are read, to him they are worth millions – and he sure has a small fortune! Let’s take a walk down this rare piece of history in the picture gallery attached.