In this age of impersonal e-mails and faxes, when handwritten correspondence is growing increasingly scarce, collecting autographs and historical manuscripts is a link with the past--a "slice of history" that autograph aficionados insist is more intimate and revealing than coins or stamps. On engraved letterheads or even scraps of tattered paper, the genius and personal feelings of the world's greatest figures come alive. We can read tomes about artists, statesmen and scientists, yet here, right in our hands, are their pithy confessions, underscoring all the wit and wisdom that have made them immortal. Autographs are written evidence of the great men and women who have themselves been written about in history for their thoughts and action.

As India celebrates its 60th year of independence Imprints attempts to pay tribute to some great Indians who have contributed in diverse fields ranging from Politics to Philanthropy, Science to Sports and Arts to Adventure. The personalities from the various fields are broadly divided into five different categories viz. Inspirers, Innovators, Imagineers, Impressionists and Idols. The people who have contributed to India’s success as a vibrant nation dynamic democracy and a global power are many; the exhibition is by no means exhaustive as these autographs are from a personal collection. The personalities showcased truly represent an era and Imprints is merely a small attempt to showcase these great Indians who for our tomorrow sacrificed their today.

Imprints is dedicated to the common Indian the “Aam Aadmi” who truly contributes towards making India a nation to be proud of and for every Indian to believe that “Mera Bharat Mahan” meaning “My India : Magnificent”.

Jai Hind.

Imprints of Inspirers

Imprints of Inspirers
Politicians, philanthropists, public personalities—these are the men and women who have given hope and direction to India and inspired generations thereafter.

Imprints of Innovators

Imprints of Innovators
From dams to cooperative milk farms, people who have impacted the growth of India and have contributed to her prosperity.

Imprints of Imagineers

Imprints of Imagineers
Engineers and scientists who, through their imagination overthrew our inherited ideas about logic, language, learning, mathematics, economics and strived to make India a global power.

Imprints of Idols

Imprints of Idols
With some it is their bravery that inspires; for others, their physical skills. And then these are those who have fought against odds, went to space or simply been a world champ.

Imprints of Impressionists

Imprints of Impressionists
In Music and movies, dance and drama, art and architecture, culture and cartoons, they have explored new territories, set new standards and above all made India proud of its diverse and rich culture.

Major V Shankar,SC

Major V Shankar, SC is a serving Indian army officer. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, he was commissioned into the Indian Army in 1997.



The officer has participated in counter insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and North East. In 1998, the officer was awarded the Shaurya Chakra (India’s third highest gallantry award in peace) by the President of India for displaying conspicuous bravery while
fighting militants in the jungles of Jammu and Kashmir. The officer took active part in Operation Vijay in 1999.He has also served as an instructor in the prestigious Indian Military Academy and has held various command appointments all over the country.



A Rashtrapathi Scout (India’s highest honour awarded by the President for boy scouts) he was one of the two scouts to represent India at the Asia Pacific Jamboree in Japan.



An avid quizzer and an active quiz master, he has participated in the prestigious quiz show “BBC Mastermind India” and has conducted quiz shows for schools and colleges all over the country and as a student used to write quiz columns in leading Indian dailies and periodicals. A man with varied interests the officer is an amateur magician and performs shows for charity for school children and patients.



A linguist he can speak five languages, and has the distinction of compiling the world first
“English-Dzongkha (national language of Bhutan)-Hindi” trilingual dictionary.



Collecting autographs of famous personalities for over 20 years, Maj Shankar is one of the leading collectors in India. His collection of over 4000 autographs includes autographs, letters, and memorabilia of personalities like Mother Teresa, His Holiness Dalai Lama, Nelson
Mandela, Mohammed Ali, Rod Laver, Sir Don Bradman, Neil Armstrong, Edmund Hillary, Jack Nicklaus, Clint Eastwood and Charlie Chaplin among various other luminaries all over the world from diverse fields.



He has exhibited his autographs on various themes all over India. His exhibition of autographs titled “Indian Maestros” consisting of autographs of classical musicians including Pt
Ravishankar, Ustad Bismillah Khan, M S Subbulakshmi, Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt Jasraj, Pt Bhimsen Joshi, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan was organised on the occasion of the 25 years of Spic Macay (an Indian organisation which promotes awareness of classical music) was inaugurated by Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma.



His exhibition of Indian Nobel Laureates and living Param Vir Chakra (India’s highest gallantry award) winners was organised in New Delhi and was felicitated for the exhibits by Rajyavardhan Rathore, 2004 Athens Olympics silver medal winner.



On the occasion of the 60th year of Indian Independence the officer is organising a worldwide exhibition titled Imprints consisting of autographs of Indian luminaries who have contributed to the nation from various walks of life to make India a vibrant nation and a dynamic democracy including Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel,Rabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa, Dhyan Chand, Amitabh Bachchan and Tenzing Norgay.



He is presently posted in Thimphu, Bhutan. The officer can be contacted at +975 17607237 or by email at
vembushankar@rediffmail.com.