Largest collection of newspapers (different titles)
Who
Shashanka Sekhar Dash
What
4515 total number
Where
India (Bhubaneswar)
When

The largest collection of newspapers - different titles is 4,515 and was achieved by Shashanka Sekhar Dash (India), in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India as verified on 30 November 2019.


From Shashanka's childhood days, he loved reading newspapers. 'My father Shri Dolagobinda Dash, retired Head Master of a Middle English school was the first customer of daily newspaper of our area, who purchased newspaper and read.' The newspaper is the mirror of society. A fresh daily newspaper today, is history tomorrow. This ideology forced me Shashanka join a newspaper in 2000, when he joined in this small newspaper as sub-editor the paper went through many varieties (daily, weekly, fortnightly and monthly). Shashanka read newspapers regularly in a routine. 'Slowly, it germinated in my mind and fascinated me towards newspapers, why not to start collection of it and then my journey started. Earlier it was my hobby now it is my passion.'

The Samaja, an Odia daily newspaper from Odisha state was one of the first items in Shashanka's collection. This newspaper, which is one of the oldest publications in the country (more than 100 years), is the first item he collected. Then Shashanka added and expanded his collection to other languages available in his state, country and eventually Globe.

'I have some rare collection of newspapers these are extra ordinary for me. I have collected “Deen Dalit” a hand written newspaper published from Dumka, Jharkhand, India. Gouri Shankar Rajak, a laundry man published it.'

Shashanka also discusses another of his favourite items in his collection:

'I have collected “Khabar Lahariya”, a Bundeli language newspaper published from Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India by women. This paper also won UNESCO king Sejong literacy prize in the year 2009.'

The newspapers are now 'part and parcel' of Shashanka's life 'like a co-traveller.'

As of time of writing, the collection stands at 4515 different titles from 138 countries and 94 languages. 'I have visited only one country Nepal and collected newspapers from that country. The rest of countries, newspapers collected through my friends, relatives, colleagues and well-wishers.'

One of the newspapers that has evaded Shashanka's collection was the last issue of the London based 'News of the World', this is still very much on Shashanka's must have list for his collection.