In a rare and fascinating pursuit, Manish Kumar Dhameja, a resident of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, has gained attention for building an extraordinary collection of credit cards, possibly one of the most diverse personal archives of its kind in India honored by World Records India
What began as a curiosity has now turned into a serious passion for Dhameja, who has collected dozens of credit cards issued by various banks over the years — each representing different time periods, technologies, and designs. From the early magnetic stripe cards to the latest contactless and metal variants, his collection traces the evolution of banking and digital payment systems in India.
“Each card tells a story of innovation, consumer trends, and financial history. It’s more than plastic — it’s a timeline,” said Manish, whose enthusiasm for financial tech has led him to study card issuers, offers, security features, and global card systems in detail.
While not yet officially recognized, his collection is drawing the attention of banking enthusiasts, fintech historians, and collectors. Dhameja now hopes to create a public exhibit or digital archive that educates others about India’s credit and payment system evolution.
