TIRUPATI: Numismatics has opened a door into the yore for Head Constable Thimmapuram Suresh Reddy who gathered history in to his kitty by gathering coins from Mauryas and Satavahanas of ancient India to the Vijayanagara rulers, Mughals, Nawabs and the British. His two-decade-long collection traces political, cultural and economic history of the country through the coins issued by different rulers.
What began as a childhood hobby has evolved into a passion and his two decade long hobby has now become a focal point for the new generation to learn about the past. Suresh Reddy, a 1998-batch police constable, serving as a head constable at Tirupati West Police Station, began collecting postage stamps while studying in Classes 6 and 7 and in the next two years started collecting old one-paisa copper coins.
After a lull, he revived the hobby after his transfer to Tirupati in 2004-05. As his collection grew, so did his curiosity about stories behind them.
“If we want to understand a coin issued during the Satavahana period, we have to study which ruler issued it, the metal used, the inscription and the symbols on it. We have to spend time in libraries, read historical books and verify the facts before going in search of the actual coin,” he says.
Coins associated with Vijayanagara rulers such as Sri Krishnadevaraya, Achyutaraya and Rama Raya are among the notable pieces in his collection. Gold, silver and copper coins, along with stamps, are also part of his collection. The Tirupati-Chittoor region, with its confluence of Telugu, Tamil and Kannada cultures, has a special place in his study. Vijayanagara-era Varahas, Company-period dabbulu and kasulu associated with the Nawab period.
Behind this passion, however, lies a personal story of perseverance. His son was born with issues affecting both kidneys. His wife, who was working with a paramilitary organisation in Delhi, had to leave her job to take care of their son.
“When there are problems at home and mental pressure, a person needs something to keep the mind occupied. I chose this as a stress buster,” he says.
For Suresh, the value of an ancient coin is not merely determined by its age or monetary worth. Its real value lies in history it carries. “When I look at a coin, I feel as if I am travelling back in time,” he says.
And that is precisely what he wants his collection to do for others, particularly students. His aim is to take the coins out of cupboards and display them before the public, enabling visitors to see tangible remnants of different eras and understand the dynasties that once ruled.
In an age when history is encountered through screens, Suresh is using tiny pieces of metal to make the past tangible again. A policeman by profession and a student of history by passion, Suresh has turned a childhood fascination into a lifelong crusade to preserve the past and pass its stories on to future generations.