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Old is bold Fact file The International Day for the Elderly is dedicated to honour, respect and care for the world's elderly. In 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 1st as the International Day for the Elderly, also known as the "International Day for Older Persons". The holiday is the result of the UN World Assembly on Ageing, which was formed in 1982 to explore and tend to the needs of the elderly in the world. According to the United Nations, "one of every 10 persons is now 60 years or older. By the year 2050, one in five will be 60 years or older; by 2150, it will be one in three persons". When they were young…when they were young? When they were not as young as they are now! Fauja Singh, the Sikh marathon icon, the Adidas poster ‘boy,’ is 98 and a world record holder. Ruskin Bond is 75 and still writing at the speed of a concorde, just as is Khushwant Singh, 94, journalist, writer, historian. Touch wood! For the rest, isn’t youth just wasted on the young? Young is what young does and age is just a numerical expression. Hopefully the rash- brash brigade can catch up, cope up and keep pace. Here’re some elders who’re going strong and going places too… Meet Bhopinder Banta Singh, silver medallist at the World Master’s Athletics Championships held in Finland in August. The lady turned 80 this March and when we called her, she was making a soufflé for the party she was hosting. “Very soon, the guests will start pouring in and I want it to be ready by the time and not get spoiled.” As for the big achievement, she says, “I’ve been a sportsperson all my life, always won gold, this is for the first time I’ve won silver.” What’s her secret? Must be on a strict regimen? She laughs, “I play tennis everyday, that’s about it. And what regimen? I eat whatever I like, till date I’ve never had even an unbuttered toast.” A little bit of nudging and she divulges, “I think it’s the love for sports. If you’re into it since formative years, your muscles are developed in such a way.” Did she just redefine age stereotypes? Or un-define active? Spell active and who would have the spirit to go anywhere beyond the compulsory pilgrimage at that age. Shouldn’t every elder be blessed with a similar lifestyle? As Surjit Kumar, 66, retired businessman and avid traveller, says, “I went on a world tour for seven months and especially to Canada to see how the elder generation lives there. There’s this small town of 6000-7000 people, 200 km from Adminton. Every citizen above 80 enjoys all the time nursing provided for by the government,” and “the people in Atlantic city don’t lie, spend a lot and have a very active social life.” We wish…He opines, “Old age is the time when you should be enjoying the most, as it is one’s so busy during childhood, parenthood, throughout.” Vijay Kumra, city-based retired businessman, too has quite a thing for the roads and routes. He pulls out all the toll tax receipts as proof of his love for travel. Unnecessary gesture. Doesn’t the passion always effortlessly show? Particularly if the itinerary runs from the city and back to it with Delhi, Agra, Gwalior, Orasha, Mudrai, Thiruvananthapuram, Cochin and host of 25 other cities fitting in between. He laughs, “When we calculated it actually comes out to around 9100 km and we spent around Rs 45000 on petrol.” It isn’t about money, it’s about spirit. Surjit Kumar seems to believe in just one thing, ‘living’. He says, “We have one morning club where we all get together, gossip over tea,” and adds, “I’ve been to almost all the places, you name it and I’ve been there.” Once again, it’s not about traveling, it’s about spirit. “If I don’t travel I fall sick!” ‘Sturdy youngsters’ who fall sick at the turn of a mountain can look the other way. As can those who start puffing on climbing one floor. Hope the message travels far and wide, inspiring super seniors by the exponents. All this while, the soufflé must have
got ready… manpriya@tribunemail.com |
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Jest in case The film will see David Dhawan and Govinda knotted for 18th time, “And we hope people would appreciate our efforts this time too,” says Govinda who was surprisingly not in a colorful tee. “I know how to take off clothes now after doing ‘Partner’ ship with Salman Khan.” Not to miss the tall heroines, Sushmita and Lara starring opposite the not so tall heroes. Riteish speaks his heart out too, “Delivering dialogues with necks stretched seemed like we were pleading to them.” And he is happy to play the role of a male character in the movie after going through painful waxing and threading sessions for a female character in Apna Sapna Money Money. The film hits the box office with Wake up Sid! but doesn’t sense a tough competition, “The films have entirely concepts and the long weekend would help further,” adds David. Anything’s welcome on a long weekend. ashima@tribunemail.com |
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Wide angle
A collection put together by the youngest of the lot, Shabad, a Class V student, awaits you as does his interpretation of the world around. There’s a race in progress titled Flying Men, an insect about to move the surface. Moving on, the collection by Ankit Malhotra of Class VI has been chosen out of the 500 odd photographs the boy clicked. He explains, “Some of the pictures displayed here have been from my visit to Egypt. For example, this statue has actually been made out of one rock.” Likewise with every student, every frame, every photograph. Gursehaj Singh totally devoted himself to flowers and trees while Saahil Cuccria stuck to wildlife and nature. He says, “In this particular picture of fish, it’s appearing purple just because of the way I clicked it with a flash.” There are places captured — in the form of a tram, picture taken of giant wheel, canal, Seattle, San Franscisco, Orlando, Disney World, people frozen in frames — brother, friends, casual moments, family, anything and everything, whatever your eye fancies. Your camera, your wish! Shares Angad Singh Wadhwa, “I click anything that I feel would look nice as a photo that catches your eye.” Now for the man we read about on quite a few students’ acknowledgements, someone who put it all together. Michelangelo Francis’ own collection greets you at the end. It comprises The Presidential Palace at Lima, Peru, the pebble beach called Callao Beach among others. “These are actually 22 shots collected together and they’re called panorama shots,” he explains. As for the palace in the picture, bet it couldn’t have looked this good anywhere outside the frame. — Manpriya Khurana On at Government Museum and Art Gallery-10 till October 3
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High unemployment during recession may not be bad for health as thought before, with a new study finding that the life expectancy of Americans rose by 6.2 years during the Great Depression of 1930's. The University of Michigan study published in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says that life expectancy rose from 57.1 in 1929 to 63.3 years in 1932. The increase occurred for both men and women, and for whites and non-whites, Science Daily reports. "The finding is strong and counterintuitive," Tapia Granados, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR), was quoted as saying by the Daily. The findings are contrary to what most people think that periods of high unemployment during recession are harmful to health. While population health improved during the four years of the Great Depression and during recessions in 1921 and 1938, mortality increased and life expectancy declined during periods of strong economic expansion, such as 1923, 1926, 1929, and 1936-1937, the Daily reported. — PTI
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Renee writes Being a mom
Renu Kataria It's wonderful to know that you have taken a brave decision of getting married again and trying to have a happy family. Well you have to understand the apprehensions of the young man concerned . After all you are taking the place of his mother and boys are very touchy about their moms. Girls on the other hand are normally like friends for their mothers and are generally happy for her in most of the decisions she takes regarding thier life. You have to reach out to him to give him a level of comfort where he feels you are not threatening his position in his father’s life. Also you have to make a special effort to create a bond with him. It will not be an easy task but honestly I can assure you that it will be well worth the effort. After all you do want harmonious existence. Just work at it. Get real
I am a 36 years old woman working in an office and still single. I have been in this relationship for the last four years with a man from my own office. He is 44 years old and married with two kids. He has been telling me he will leave his wife and marry me. I have believed him all this while. Now he is transferred to another city and I do not get many phone calls from him. I feel he is avoiding me and I have not much hope in his keeping his promise to me. I am extremely depressed. I feel like crying all the time and I am not able to concentrate on my work. Do you think he will come back to me. How can I make this happen? Rachna Shrivastav This seems to be such a usual tale why are the female species so gullible into relationships with guys who are already attached? Is there such a lack of single unattached males around. It is OK to have a level of
friendship in an office situation but to start expecting marriage from an already married man is really
asking for heartache. What makes you think he would like to leave the
comfort of his family life. And even if he does leave his wife what is the guarantee that he will not do the same thing to you? So please think about it. Do you want to spend the rest of your life in a limbo. Try and muster up the courage to leave this situation behind I do not see much in lingering on with it. Find the emotional security within yourself you will definitely find someone who values you. Break the cycle
I am 25 years old and have been in a steady relationship for the last four years with a very nice guy who works as an engineer in a firm. My problem is that I am very scared of commitment I really do not want to get into any relationship that will not last. Actually I have seen my sisters marriage break up after 6 years and some how do not want history to repeat itself. Although I am very fond of this man I am still in a state of paranoi regarding marriage. My boyfriend has suggested consulting a therapist. Do you think I need help? Sushma Rawat It would be good for you to go to a professional person and get rid of all your fears. Sometimes just getting it out of your system is a good form of catharsis . There are lots of girls and men alike who are like you and terribly scared of commitment. Why not take a chance in life? After all some chances have to be taken. I feel you should come out of your emotional hiding. All relationships do not end up the same way. You must try and see to it that you develop a level of emotional stability within you that makes you realize that it is not about the other person it is you who have to be sure of yourself. Once you are sorted the rest just sorts itself. |
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As per its tradition, Hotel Taj-17 is offering a special Gandhi Jayanti offer to senior citizens, wherein they can avail of a discount on a meal at its restaurant Dera equivalent to their age. The hotel is providing pick up and drop facility to the senior citizens, if required. Fab India-8 has also put up an exhibition of the fabric promoted by Mahatma Gandhi, khadi. On from September 30 to October 4. Used by Gandhiji as a symbol of India’s freedom struggle, this hand spun yarn is used to make many modern-day apparel, that’ll be on display. — TNS
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City Beautiful is going to see Ajooni, a fashion oasis, envisioned by Nameet Kochar, a pass out from the London College of Fashion. The three-day exhibition starting October 1 will showcase an exclusive range of ethnic wear, imitation jewellery and bed furnishings at Hotel Mount View-10. Designers who will participate in the exhibition are Nalanda Bhandari (Mumbai), Alka Mehra (Delhi) and Nidhi Singh (Delhi) among others. Kochar, the promoter, says Ajooni is a designer’s platform for theme-based exhibitions. — TNS
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Initially launched with just two models as part of the fun and funky Vybes collection, the concept of changeable temples proved to be quite popular with consumers compelling the company to launch a more comprehensive collection on the same concept. Each Switchers frame comes with a set of three different temples, giving the consumer the choice to change his or her look to suit every mood or occasion. It is available in full rim, semi-rimmed and rimless options with temples in a combination of trendy colors. These frames are priced between Rs 3,200 and Rs 3,500. — TNS
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High time! Seriously, all the juries at least should now incorporate this award for a special category that has made so many movies work. Trust us, it will be ‘the’ award that any heroine who has played the role of the hero’s second woman in the film, would deserve. Now, we aren’t sure about all the nominees but out of Lara Dutta and Sushmita Sen, the one playing the ‘oh-so-important’ role of second woman in David Dhawan’s upcoming film, Do Knot Disturb, might get lucky. David doesn’t want to reveal who would get nominated but confirms the plot of the movie at the web conference on Wednesday that also saw presence of star cast, Riteish Deshmukh and Govinda, “My films can’t be complete without the second woman”. 
Some exhibition! Eye for the beauty, thing for the camera, little bit of passion, early beginning, what all does it take to be a great shutterbug? The ongoing photographic exhibition put together by St. John’s High School students, was one affair with the lens, an art and straight from the heart. 
I am 38 and getting married to a guy who is 42. It is a second marriage for both of us. I have two kids, 16 and 12 years and he has a son who goes to college. We are both very happy together. The only problem is that I cannot figure out how his son feels about me. My two daughters are quite delighted at the thought of having a new father, but I always get a very unaccepting attitude from his son. How can I make things better? I do want things should work out smoothly between us and we should all live like a normal family. Please advise.
Titan Eye Plus, a chain of optical stores from Titan Industries Ltd, launches Switchers — a range of optical frames that gives you three looks for the price of just one.