BHUBANESWAR: He is not a politician or a political activist. However, he is an ardent follower of Bharat Ratna late Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his works. Meet 40-year-old Shashanka Sekhar Dash of Arangabad Village of Bari Block under Jajpur district who is popularly known as ‘paperboy’. He has collected over 416 newspapers and magazines on Atal Bihari Vajpayee which prompted 2019 edition of Limca book of records to publish his record.
His collections have been under the theme ‘Atal loss-a great loss for nation’. He said, “When he (Vajpayee) became the prime minister of the country, I was so pleased. During his tenure as PM, Iseveral watershed moments in the country’s history like Kargil War, Pokhran Blast and Bus to Lahore were scripted.”
Atal Bihari Vajpayee died August 16, 2018. Shashanka collected newspapers of August 17 and 18, 2018. He enriched his collection through newspapers of other dates that had published articles about Ataljee. His collection comprises 254 newspapers of August 17, 109 newspapers of August 18, 34 newspapers of other dates and 19 magazines of various periodicities.
His total collections about Atljee consists 416 newspapers and magazines. These are from 18 Indian states and are in 16 languages including tribal language Mizo and Karbi. Along with these newspapers and magazines, he has also collected books by him, about him, pictures in matchbox and mourning covers among others.
Along with this special collection of Ataljee, Shashanka has also collected more than 6000 newspapers. These are in 81 languages and from 89 countries. These are 4109 different titles. For these collections, he was recognised by both India Book of Records and Limca Book of records.
Shashanka purchases these dailies whenever he gets a chance to visit the place of origin. He also writes directly to newspaper offices for souvenir copies. Major collection of Shashanka was gathered through his friends who stay at other states and countries. His method of collection is quite intricate. Firstly, he puts a sticky note on every newspaper with a brief sketch. He then carefully wraps them in a poly bag and then stores them carefully in shelves and Almirahs. These dailies would then be brought out whenever he has to show them for an inspection or display them for an exhibition.
He has already exhibited his collection many times in various parts of the state. He has exhibited once at Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenkanal, twice at Baripada Municipality, Mayurbhanj and six times in Bhubaneswar. More than 20 lakh people have witnessed his collections. With such a long part of the journey already completed, Shashanka doesn’t want to go it as a waste. He now starts a museum and research centre in his father’s name for the same in his village.
With many newspapers closing their editions, this collection will have an eternal value. Shashanka already has many newspapers in his collection which have closed down. Now they are of enormous value. He has also written six books in Odia which include poems, short stories and also a book on journalistic essays. Khabarakagaja Aneka Katha is one of his books on newspapers. In the year 1999, he has published Odisha’s first children’s newspaper Shishu Pratiyogee.