This colonial-era British Indian passport goes viral on internet

The Instagram user, who goes by the handle ‘vintage.passport.collector’, collects old passports and narrates their history. He recently posted about a passport that belonged to Bombay-based Dr Balabhai Nanavati.

Hyderabad: People who are fond of history usually retain a habit of collecting vintage and antique items, including old stamps, coins and many such which have great value. One such item has recently come up on the internet where a person, seemingly a passport collector, shared a video of an old British India passport from 1927.

The Instagram user, who goes by the handle ‘vintage.passport.collector’, collects old passports and narrates their history. He recently posted about a passport that belonged to Bombay-based Dr Balabhai Nanavati.

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https://www.instagram.com/reel/CkRYavOLC6M/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

“1927-32 British colonial Indian passport issued to a famous doctor from Bombay who travelled to Europe in the late 1920s,” says the caption of the video posted by the user.

The passport, used till 1932, looks a little worn out and is royal blue in colour with the monogram of then British monarch. It also has the owner’s photograph and signature, along with his travel diaries.

It is to be noted that a famous personality in Indian history, Dr Balabhai Nanavati is the one who also has several hospitals named after him.

As the video was posted on social media, it has garnered 17,163 likes and over 3.7 lakh views. “Nanavati Hospital yay. The very famous one. Also was the Indian Passport known as British Indian interesting(sic),” wrote a user. “This is really vintage and lives up to your profile name. Truly an insight into history,” commented another person.