Guinness Record for letter writing

Date

October 19, 2005

Post by

arZan

Category

News

In this day and age of fast communication via email, blogging, et al, it seems there are still some people who do it the tried and trusted old fashioned way.

Behram Dastur is one such person.

The Indian Express informs us that

“Chief executive of Bombay Parsi Punchayet sets world record for writing maximum number of letters to the editor”

This achievement is stupenduous, if you take this into consideration

Behram Dastur has more newspaper bylines than most journalists. Over the past 50 years, he’s written 2,493 letters to various publications in the city and recently, secured a place in the latest edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.

Behram wrote his “first letter in November 1955, pointing out that a number of luminaries had been omitted from a list of historical figures.”

Since then nearly 2500 (and counting) have followed.

What is even more interesting is that some of the letters are collectibles, having appeared in publications that have long since ceased to exist…..viz. he Daily, The Commerce, Kaiser-e-Hind and Sunday Standard..

It seems we Indians have a penchant for writing letters. Coincidentally, the previous record holder was also Indian, Delhi’s Subhash Chandra Agrawal, whose tally was about 1,600.

Way to go Behram. You make India proud !!

[cross posted on news views and analysis]