Name: Dr Shreedhar 

From: Grantham

How long have you been collecting? From July 22 2012 

How many pins do you own? About 50

When I volunteered as a Games Maker at London 2012 Olympics in mid-2012, the only Olympic pin I had was an India-Sydney pin gifted by my friend Satish when I stayed with him at the Sydney Olympics 2000. Inspired by that atmosphere, I kept my medical qualifications under my hat and got posted at the Athletes' Village, sharing the space with over 7000 of the world's best achievers and personalities.

During the course of 23 days of supporting various National Olympic Committees (NOCs), McDonalds gave us 4 pins: a Games Maker logo in multicolour, bronze, silver and gold colours. But every Games Maker got them.

When I encouraged two of my NOC Bahrain's athletes to give interviews to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Museum, I got a safe sport pin from the IOC Museum in the process. I also arranged several more interviews with athletes from Togo, Uganda and the highlight was when I sat through the recorded interview of Indian bronze-medallist woman boxer - and a mother of two - Mary Kom from Manipur, India. The IOC thanked me by giving me some special pins.

Coming from Newton's place, I made a point to get the Newton pin from the 100-pin collection released by Samsung, one of the Games' sponsors.

One morning the NOC Brazil held a presentation of Rio 2016 Olympics. I attended it for my Chef de Mission and he kindly let me have the beautiful Rio pin inaugurated that day (with 'Brasil House, London 2012' on the back!)

But the first pin of London 2012 was one I cherish the most. I was going to take inventory of our flats, when I met a Nepalese official in the lift. I greeted him in Hindi & Nepalese and he was very pleased. He smiled, put his hand in his pocket and presented me with the Nepal NOC pin. I had no pins to trade at that time and he never asked for anything in return. I would not trade that pin for anything, as it represents the spirit of these wonderful Games.