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An eye for the unusual
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S.B. Raja Seetharaman has a rather unusual hobby... from collecting coins and currency notes to used batteries and bulbs.
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S.B. Raja Seetharaman explaining his collections to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
AT THE professional level he collects dues from his company's debtors, while on the personal front he collect objects that catches his fancy - from coins and currency notes to telephone and wedding cards and from expired credit cards to discarded batteries, bulbs and refills. S.B. Raja Seetharaman is a rare accumulator.
Though the two tasks might appear different in nature, the qualities required are the same. "Both demand rigorous follow-up, perseverance and loads of patience," says this 35-year old, trying to relate his work with his passion.
"My profession is more of a training ground to pursue my hobby," he says. Though he enjoys doing both, it is his personal collection that has brought him fame and recognition. There are people who call him from Mumbai and Kolkata seeking guidance on how to collect coins and currency notes. "It reminds me of my earlier days when I too was looking for similar assistance," he says with a smile.
It all began quite accidentally when he was studying in the Standard VI. "One day while returning from the grocery store I got a coin with the face of King George VI embossed on it, along with some loose change. I grew interested in it and later as suggested by my father I decided to collect coins."
However till 1995 Seetharaman was just stocking coins and currency notes, without knowing how to arrange them. "It was only after I joined the Madras Coin Society a year later that I realised the significance and the nitty-gritty of thematic collection. I also learned a lot from the annual `Coinex' exhibitions conducted by the society."
Finally in 1999 Seetharaman participated in his first Coinex exhibition and from then on he has been consistently winning the Vermeil Medal (gold medal) in his `Indian Republic Coin' category. (According to the rules of the Madras Coin Society a candidate can participate in up to a maximum of three categories from the choices given by the society, which include groups such as ancient coins, modern world coins, modern world paper money etc.) "I deliberately make one category India specific because I want to make people aware of the unknown aspects of Indian coins and currency. For instance, how many of us know that apart from the four mints in Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Noida, India also mints coins abroad?"
The highpoint in Seetharaman's life was when he met the rocket man A.P.J Abdul Kalam last year (before he became President) during an exhibition at Teynampet to commemorate the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. "He started taking notes when I told him that apart from India, Liberia and Equatorial Guinea are the only two countries in the world that have come out with coins honouring Gandhiji. In fact Kalam's parting words after watching the exhibition was `Gandhiji is still living here.' "It was the greatest recognition in my life."
A collection need not be restricted to just coins, currency notes or stamps. It can be a collection of collections for everything is valuable. Seetharaman has a ten ft. showcase on the first floor of his residence at Chintadripet wherein he has aesthetically arranged a whole lot of discarded materials such as soap wrappers, shells, ball bearings etc. "The idea is to motivate people to start collecting. It also helps to relieve tension." Moreover, if done properly, a collection can be an asset for posterity, as most of the collector's items have antique values."
Among his priceless collection are an American dollar minted in silver, coins with errors, discarded by mints and a three-dollar plastic currency note issued by New Zealand to commemorate the birth of the new millennium in its `Chatham Island' (The island was the first place on earth to see the sun).
"My ambition is to represent India as a collector. I am also looking for a sponsor to set up a museum for my collections," says Seetharaman. You can contact Seetharaman at Ph: 28550016.
SANGEETH KURIAN
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