Praful Thakkar
I.A.S. (Retd.)

Praful K. Thakkar is an ardent collector of autographs, stamps, FDCs, coins, medals, tokens, badges, badge plates, etc. since last more than 50 years. 'Share the Knowledge & Spread the Knowledge' is the motto of his life. And in true spirit of his life's motto, besides authoring several learned publications on Indian culture in Gujarati, he has authored

1. Collector's Guide to Indian Canteen Tokens
2. Collector's Guide to Membership Badges of Turf & Race Clubs of India
3. Collector's Guide to Chronologies of Sultans, Rulers & Colonial Heads of India
4. 'Chapras'-Collector's Guide to Belt Buckles, Badges & Badge Plates of India
5. Glimpses of Indian Autographs
6. Collector's Guide to First Day Covers & Folders of India 1947-1964 Official & Private
7. Collector's Guide to First Day Covers and Folders of India with Set of Stamps, Se-tenant Stamps & Miniature Sheets

Through his Guides on Indian Philately, he has made a painstaking effort to give a direction and dimension to organize this fascinating subject of modern Indian philately. His last two philately books have received a very warm response from all over the world. His philately book 'Collector's Guide to First Day Covers & Folders of India 1947-1964 Official & Private' has received awards in International Philatelic Exhibitions at Portugal, South Africa, Washington-USA, Chicago-USA, Tokyo-Japan and Jakarta-Indonesia.

As I.A.S. officer he has served the Government of Gujarat for more than 31 years. He has worked in various capacities as Collector, Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Gujarat in various departments. Even after retirement he has still continued this hobby and he firmly believes 'Hobby is for Health & Hobby is for Happiness'.

The hobby of philatelic collection has given him new energy and enthusiasm. For him any such hobby is a worship that keeps him pure, fit and healthy. People have hobbies for happiness and harvesting profit in future. For him it is for keeping good health too. For him this hobby of philately is the hobby for happiness. And therefore, the symbolic slogan for this website is 'Living with Hobby is Living in Happiness'. He tries to share his knowledge, experience and happiness with all the collectors by presenting this gallery.

As a collector of various collectibles, he has faced many a difficulties in collecting, understanding and arranging the collection. The same may be happening to new collectors and they might be facing similar hurdles too. To overcome such situations and to encourage various hobbies and to preserve such a classic collection of Indian heritage, he is tirelessly working hard. Apart from writing books on various hobbies, he has also made attempts through websites.

His two websites www.indiannumismatics.com and www.indianautographs.com have made landmarks in their respective hobby-fields of Numismatics and Autograph collection.

He has been felicitated in Sept. 2008 with Life Time Achievement Award for outstanding contributions to Indian Numismatics, at Indore in the 92nd Annual Conference of the Numismatic Society of India, which includes the Numismatic Society of India Varanasi, the Indian Coin Society, Nagpur and the Gwalior chapter INTACH.

He has been awarded Life Time Achievement Award by Gujarat Coin Society, Ahmadabad at their Annual General Meeting in June 2009.

In 2009, he has been considered as National record holder by Limca Book of Records and has been placed as double record holder for his collections of Autographs and Indian Canteen Tokens.

Mumbai Coin Society, Mumbai has conferred upon him the "MUDRA RATNA PURSKAR" which is a Life Time Achievement Award given to any one for his outstanding contribution in the field of Numismatics. The Award is a testimony of Numismatic Community's appreciation of sincere and dedicated efforts during the Life Time.

Print media and TV media have, time and again, covered his various themes of collection.