Odisha teacher turns home into museum with 1,000 rare objects
Retired Urdu teacher Abdul Wadood Khan has spent 14 years collecting historical items for his Ama Sangrahalaya museum in Cuttack.
A retired Urdu teacher, Abdul Wadood Khan, has turned part of his home in Cuttack, Odisha, into a museum called Ama Sangrahalaya. According to the Times of India, the 61-year-old has spent 14 years collecting more than 1,000 old and rare objects.
The collection includes gramophones from the 1950s and 1960s, rare coins, old telephones, radios, and over 100 old Odia newspapers. Khan, also known as Raja Sir, has also gathered items such as fountain pens, railway signal lamps, and currency from more than 150 countries.
Khan began his teaching career at Naiguan Daudpur High School in 1985 and retired from regular teaching in 2023. His interest in collecting grew through his involvement with the Bharat Scouts and Guides and Red Cross exhibitions, particularly after he was selected as a Scouts Master in 2012.
The museum was built using his own savings, time, and space, with assistance from family members, friends, and former students. Khan currently works as a guest teacher with a monthly salary of Rs 12,000.
The collection features various items including British-era postcards, agricultural tools, and a tiny holy Quran donated by retired teacher Azad Hussein Khan. Khan stated that he welcomes people who are willing to donate or sell old and rare items at a reasonable price.