"Telefunken"

#6992494

25 August 2021

Amit Ranjan Karmakar's little shop is easy to miss. In his mid-60s, the 'radio man' of Kolkata sits surrounded by radio sets of all sizes and vintages.The old brand names roll off his tongue - Bush, Murphy, Phillips, Telefunken...once household names in India as far as radios went. By his own estimation, the oldest set in his shop dates back to 1944, brought in by a customer and never reclaimed.Today, business has nosedived, he admits, though he is still sought after by those wishing to preserve family heirlooms. "People come to me with radio sets belonging to their parents or grandparents, and ask if I can repair them, at any cost," says Karmakar. 1952 Phillips Holland model, and a 1962 Murphy radio, both in working order, once again unclaimed by their owners.Karmakar himself thinks he's probably the last of his breed left in Kolkata. That said, he knows radio sets will never come back in fashion, but he also knows that he will do nothing else for as long as he lives. On August 25,2021 in Kolkata,India.

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