Bhubaneswar: The National Human Welfare Board Trust is holding a National Collectors Championship in November this year. The Trust is inviting Collectors from all classes and categories for online participation. This will be the first of its type of competition which will cover the entire gamut of collectibles.
According to Sarada Prasad Mohapatra, the Chief Trustee of the NHWBT, India had varied collectors who collect diverse items ranging from matchboxes, newspapers, pens, medals, cards, toys, dolls, cameras, radios, lamps, pottery etc. While there are many stamp and coins collector clubs and associations, other collectors do not get proper platforms for exhibiting their collections and propagating the hobby. This Championship will give an opportunity to this niche of enthusiasts.
Shashanka Sekhar Dash, the coordinator of the program, who is himself is a record holder in the Limca Book of Records for his extensive collection of newspapers, is of the opinion that the hobbies should be popularized among children and youth. Two classes of entries, the Baal Sangrahak and Yuva Sangrahak for the age groups of 5-18 and 19-35 years respectively have been formed. The Jury Board will have eminent collectors and record holders from all over the country.
According to Anil Dhir, Chairman of the Jury, who himself is a collector of international repute; hobbies are becoming a dying habit. Expect for India Post, no other agency is giving impetus to this activity. The school curriculum of many nations has compulsory hobby classes, and adequate encouragement is given to students to take up hobbies of their choice.
The competition had invoked a lot of interest among collectors and a dozen entries have already been filed. The participants can send their entries in the form of a three minute video. The last date of submission of entries is 9th November and the results will be declared on 17th November. Entries can be sent by email to directornhwbt@gmail.com.
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