Ram Singh Boudh, a resident of Gajraula in Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh, has achieved a remarkable feat by securing a position in the Guinness Book of World Records with his extensive collection of radios. In an era dominated by digital music platforms like Spotify and YouTube, Mr. Boudh is preserving the legacy of the humble radio.
His collection, which spans from radios manufactured in the 1920s to those from 2010, includes 1,257 unique radios. These were acquired from various markets across India, including Delhi and Meerut. Although Mr. Boudh owns 1,400 radios, the Guinness World Records guidelines required that all entries be unique, leading to the exclusion of duplicates. With this collection, he surpassed the previous record held by M Prakash, who had 625 radios.
Mr. Boudh’s passion for radios extends beyond mere collection. He aims to educate future generations about the significant impact of radio on society. He remarked, “10 years ago, on October 3, 2014, PM Modi started Mann Ki Baat, giving a new lease of life to radio and Akashvani, bringing the broadcaster advertisements and money.”
In November 2023, during his monthly radio show Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged Mr. Boudh’s dedication. PM Modi highlighted that Mann Ki Baat has revitalized radio’s popularity in households. He shared a letter from Mr. Boudh, noting, “Ram Singh Ji is collecting radios for many decades. He says, that after Mann Ki Baat, people’s curiosity about his radio museum has increased.”
Following this recognition, Mr. Boudh received a special invitation to attend the Republic Day parade in New Delhi. He is retired from his position as a supervisor at the Warehouse Corporation of India. Known as the ‘radio man of India’, Mr. Boudh claims to have the only radio museum in the world.
