HYDERABAD: Hyderabad-based eye surgeon Dr Anthony Vipin Das and writer, content creator Vidushi Duggal have launched a book titled Around the World in Magnets. The book documents the duo’s exploration of travel souvenir magnets from across the world. It was first introduced at the Hyderabad Literary Festival in January this year and was officially launched at a function held in a hotel in Banjara Hills on Saturday.
The launch was graced by guests, including Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Government of Telangana; Dr GN Rao, Chairman, LV Prasad Eye Institute; Dr Evita Fernandez, MD of Fernandez Hospital; Amita Desai, Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Hyderabad and others. The book is all set to inspire travellers all over the world and is a must-read for every travel enthusiast and geek.
Available on Amazon, the book comprises high-resolution pictures of the magnets along with details of the location on one side and the authors’ personal story of the journey on the other. It also offers a brief description of the place and provides insights into the authors’ experiences of the location, its history, and their cherished memories of the place.
Additionally, it explores some of the wonderful UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It gives readers a unique insight into the different places around the world that the authors have visited over 14 years, collecting 370 magnets from 40 countries.
Principal Secretary, Jayesh Ranjan praised the authors for penning a book on magnets collected from all 40 countries, calling it an incredible idea. He further emphasised the book’s immense possibility of building a community around it and suggested creating a community for “magnet lovers” or “magnet owners”.
Dr GN Rao suggested to the authors that if they ran out of wall space, they should consider displaying their magnets at the LV Prasad Eye Institute. Writing a book was never part of the plan, according to the authors. However, when they put all the magnets on the wall, they realised that it was telling a bigger story. This prompted them to share their experiences and create a unique way of exploring the world.
Vidushi Duggal expressed her excitement in presenting the book to the public, hoping that it would inspire others to explore the world as they did. The book not only showcases personal experiences and cherished memories of the places they visited but also gives insight into the history and culture of the places they explored.
The authors’ collection of travel magnets serves a different purpose compared to most collectors of travel magnets. They aim to offer a unique way to see the world without having to leave one’s comfort zone. Each magnet tells an amazing story that symbolises an entire region, providing significant insight into the place visited.
Dr Vipin, a busy eye surgeon at L V Prasad Eye Institute and a TED senior fellow, is an explorer at heart. He continues to discover new cultures across the world and is working his way through the long list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, one at a time.