Guinness has got in Touch: More than 19,000 pencils in hand, Delhi boy rewrites record books

Some pencils are expensive, studded with Swarovski crystals and plated in 22-karat gold.

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Tushar started collecting pencils when he was barely three years old. “Even as a child, I was particular about collecting different types of pencils. I used to put away pencils that I received as gifts. This habit evolved into a passionate hobby, encouraged by my family and friends,” said Tushar. In 2009, he was recognised by the Limca Book of Records for having the largest pencil collection in India. By the time he was 15, Tushar had collected over 14,000 pencils from 60 countries.

But the two pencils he is most fond of have an unique story: they were once supposedly used by the Queen of England. “These two are the most precious and closest to my heart,” said Tushar.

While he has pencils from over 60 countries, one day, he hopes to have a collection which has a pencil from “each and every corner of the world”.

On October 20, Tushar broke the Guinness record of Uruguayan national Emilio Arenas, who owns 16,260 pencils collected from 72 countries.

“The London-based office of Guinness World Records has given its approval. They conducted a detailed counting as per their strict norms, including full video recording, photography and certification by a representative of a pencil manufacturing company, a government official and a senior person from public life,” said Tushar.

The teenager, who dreams of setting up a pencil museum someday to display his collection, is now awaiting a formal certificate from the Guinness authorities.