No prescription needed: This ‘doctor’ treats pens

VARKALA: Need a pen repaired? There is a good chance that people in Varkala will point you towards Suresh — affectionately known as the town’s ‘Pen Doctor’.

A former health inspector, Suresh has earned the nickname by repairing pens for people who turn up at his doorstep with their treasured writing instruments. And it is not just repairs that keep him busy. He is also an avid collector, with a collection that has grown over decades.

Suresh’s collection has pens of different kinds, including models inspired by the writing instruments once used for palm-leaf manuscripts, as well as pens with gold-coloured finishes and silver coverings. Among his prized possessions are pens used by deed writers around 60 years ago.
According to Suresh, the collection would be worth around Rs 6 lakh at today’s prices.

His fascination with pens began when he was in Class V. What started as a childhood interest gradually turned into a passion and eventually into an extensive collection.

Suresh’s ambitions go beyond his personal collection. The ‘Pen Doctor’ dreams of setting up a Pen Park in Varkala, where pen lovers can explore the history and variety of these everyday writing instruments. He also plans to organise a special exhibition featuring expensive and rare pens.

Pens, however, are not the only things that have found a place in Suresh’s collection. Coins, gramophones, telephones and rare books are also part of his growing collection of curiosities.

For Suresh, what began with a simple fascination with pens has evolved into a lifelong passion — one that has earned him a rather unique title in Varkala: the town’s ‘Pen Doctor’.