In an age where news vanishes with a swipe, the art of collecting newspapers might seem quaint, even curious. But for one man in Nagpur, it became a lifelong pursuit, meticulously archiving not just paper, but a slice of the past. Deepak Sant has created a remarkable chronicle of India’s past, preserved through the pages of ‘The Hitavada’. Sant’s passion for collecting newspapers over the last four decades has earned him several national records, 11 Limca Book of Records titles, and recently by the OMG Book of Records, Mumbai. The record celebrates his curated rare and extensive collection of 365 editions of ‘The Hitavada’ Nagpur, each of a different date from January 1 to December 31, across various years. For his record-setting compilation, he carefully handpicked one newspaper from each date of different years, and this process of the 365-piece collection took him nearly four months.

 

 

 

 

Over the years, Sant has amassed a staggering 800 editions of ‘The Hitavada’. Each paper marks a historic moment, from mankind’s first steps on the Moon to the announcements of national events, turning his archive into a time capsule of socio-political journey. Among these newspapers are issues priced as low as 8, 10, and 16 paise. The collection includes reports on monumental events such as the death of former Prime Minister of India Lal Bahadur Shastri, the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the Apollo 11 Moon landing and return, the declaration of Emergency in India, the passing of former President of India Bharat Ratna Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, among many others. Sant’s vast archive now comprises over 4,500 newspapers from around the world, across various publications, national, regional, and international. 400 of these newspapers come from 100 countries outside India, and he is also a record holder for compiling A to Z alphabetical collections of international newspapers. “I reached out to foreign embassies for newspapers, and over the years, friends, family, and acquaintances travelling abroad contributed by bringing back editions from different corners of the world,” he explained. His enthusiasm for Indian regional newspapers is equally strong.

 

“I have gathered newspapers from every Indian state, including local publications,” he shared, noting how he relied on travellers to help source regional newspapers. Sant said that his collected editions of ‘The Hitavada’ have also been featured in exhibitions held in Jaipur, Chennai, and Bhopal. His long standing relationship with newspapers began during his tenure in the Public Relations department of Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL). Today, six almirahs in his home are packed with collected newspapers. Interestingly, Sant’s interest in collecting is not limited to newspapers. He has also curated an alphabetical collection of perfumes, which includes international brands too.