Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

U.S. Consul-General honours miniature Nimitz maker

Krishna Velupillai

— Photo: R. Ragu

Proud possession: Miniature model maker Rustom Dastur (left) with U.S. Consul-General David T. Hopper in Chennai on Wednesday.

CHENNAI: U.S. Consul-General in Chennai David T. Hopper presented Rustom Dastur on Wednesday with a medallion for his almost perfect miniature replica of the USS Nimitz that docked in Chennai recently.

The medallion reads: “This coin salutes the outstanding dedication and steady commitment of all those who served aboard the USS Nimitz.”

Mr. Hopper said that it was indeed unfortunate that the commander of the ship and the crew could not be at the presentation. “We are poor substitutes, they would have been happier [to be here]…,” Mr. Hopper said, pointing out that it was a “great pleasure and honour” to present the mementos — the medal and some photographs of the Nimitz and its crew in action — to Mr. Dastur.

“We were pleased to learn about the detailed miniature version of the Nimitz here in Chennai. Having heard of it we wanted to thank him and leave with him these mementos,” said Mr. Hopper.

Mr. Dastur modelled the ship nearly four years ago. “I’ve actually been doing this kind of thing from a very early age and started doing it by carving models out of wood. I was crazy about airplanes during the war, like most young men at that time, but after my paralysis 20 years ago I could no longer use the carpenter’s tools.”

He now makes his models from modelling kits which his friends send him from various parts of the world. “I have to use surgical artery forceps to put the parts together as I can’t use all my fingers well. But I think I’m one of the few people who makes all kind of models – from motorbikes to cars, ships to airplanes,” he said.

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