-APS Noorpuri
Hobbies are horses without reins. You might have heard certain common and certain uncommon hobbies. Two brothers Vishav Gupta and Vishal Gupta resident of Sector 40, Chandigarh who have an unusual hobby of collecting tax free gifts from the various schemes floated by companies to promote their products.
Their interest in this hobby began about 32 years back when they purchased Tonus -7 tonic from the chemist shop at Sector 15 and got free lunch box as a gift. After that day, they purchased tax-free articles regularly.
Till now they have collected about one lakh such gifts and about Nine hundred booklets from various schemes. Lampshades, pen, pencils ,toys , tumblers ,jars, t-shirts ,crockery, tiffin carriers ,carry bags, suit case, stapney covers and plastic goods etc ,are some of the items in their one lakh odd collections.
Vishav Gupta says,” We have the latest information on which product is coming with a free gift. Several times shopkeepers avoid giving the gifts to the customer but they cannot be fooled us’. They spent more than seven lakh Rupees on these articles. it has become difficult for them to store their stuff in cupboards and suitcases. Their family members are very supportive and helpful.
Sixty years old Vishav Gupta is an ex employee of UP Handloom and his younger brother Vishal Gupta, “58” works in a private company and both are married. Gupta brothers are very popular in city and areas shopkeepers are well known to him. Their aim is to enter the “Guiness Book of World records”,which does not have any such records in the unusual hobby. Their names have already entered in “Limca Book of records in 1992 to 2021 Edition and published in India Book of Records from 2004 Edition to 2012 Edition .
Soft Spoken Vishav Gupta Participates in social activities and cultural events also. Everybody appreciates his work and ability. Gupta brothers are very hardworking and inspiration of new generation.
Unusual and rare story coverage by the senior journalist Amarpal Noorpuri.