The Indian celebrities who have replied to him are Amitabh Bachchan, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Ramesh Krishnan, Vikram Seth, J.R.D. Tata, Sachin Tendulkar and P.T. Usha.

Biswal's collection is the envy of any collector despite the fact that he lost almost 500 photographs during the cyclone in Orissa in 1999.

He has some photographs in his collection of the times when the legends were not as well known as they are today. And he has collected these rare photographs despite having no access to modern means of communication. Sometimes he has written hundreds of letters to celebrities goading them for years.

'It has certainly not been an easy task. Sometimes I have to write hundreds of letters to get their response. I had followed Bill Clinton for eight years since he was the governor of Arkansas and I got a signed photograph after he assumed office,' he said leafing through his meticulously preserved album.

'Sometimes I have to pay money to the agents of celebrities to get their addresses as celebrities don't disclose their address due to security reasons, especially after 9/11. I have paid anything from $2 to $50 to get their addresses,' he said, adding that he was sometimes financially supported by his brother who is a software engineer in the US.

The letters have helped him strike a personal bond with these celebrities.

'Recently a noted sarod player came to my house and stayed with me for a few hours. British javelin thrower Goldie Sayers has said he will come to my house during the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.'

Despite having many offers to auction his collection, he is reluctant to part with it. Instead he wants to set up a museum and donate the proceeds for setting up a school.

Olihan is some 60 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.

(Byomakesh Biswal can be contacted at byomakesh.b@ians.in)