Raghavendran V is a vocalist and vexillologist (study of flags). He is a collector of table flags, which he says he gets directly through diplomatic missions in India and other countries. He is also a member of the South African Vexillogical Association (SAVA), North American Vexillogical Association (NAVA) New Zealand Flag Association and Vexillology Ireland. Just like every journey, even Raghavendra’s has a beginning.
He was left immobile in 1990 after a series of ortho surgical procedures went wrong. He struggled in this state for 22 years. “I could not even sit up. To kill time, I took to learning classical music, where the gurus would come home to teach me. “ Soon, playback singers like S Janaki and the late SP Balasubramanium became his mentors,” he states.
Besides singing, Raghavendran started listening to the radio, specifically BBC. “That was my only means of entertainment. It not only helped improve my spoken English, but also kept me abreast with world news. Watching the Olympics on Doordarshan was another passion for me. What fascinated me was the inaugural march, with the athlete marching ahead with their country’s name on a placard and their national flags flying high over their heads. Those were the days of black-and-white television, so I had no clue what the flags looked like in colour. I started studying each country and their flags.” That hobby grew into collecting desk flags.
Flags, Raghavendran says, reveal a lot about the country. He collected coins and stamps too from countries across the world. Due to inability to move around, Raghavendran mailed the diplomatic missions requesting them to send him a desk flag. “I was honoured when diplomatic mission heads from Costa Rica, Malaysia, El Salvador, Mali and Palau personally visited my home to give me their desk flags.”
After corrective surgery, Raghavendran was able to stand and walk. “Through my flag collection, I am trying to promote peace and friendship among countries by sharing the meaning of the colours and the designs on the flags.” Raghavendran also wishes to tell people not to let disability deter them from achieving their dreams.
