Age is just a number for a growing number of senior citizens who are living it up with foreign travel, adventure sports, salsa classes and much more (TOI Photo)NEW DELHI (The Times of India), December 16, 2007:
Turning 60? Time to sit back and relax, let life drift on slowly? Not anymore. After all, life begins at 60! There’s lots to do - take a long-desired trip to Turkey, learn the finer points of salsa, take a desert safari in Dubai, raft on the Brahmaputra, buy the latest sedan. It’s yesterday once more for grandpa and ma.
More and more older people in urban India are discovering the thrills of life, post-retirement. Today, they indulge in activities that even the current generation wouldn’t dream of doing. Leisure has become a big part of their lives and they don’t feel guilty while splurging on themselves.
“Longer lifespan, better health, disposable income and more opportunities are some of the reasons behind the change in attitude. Also, earlier, in a joint family, there were roles to be fulfilled but now, with many of them living alone, they have more time to do what they want to,’’ says Nidhi Raj Kapoor, head, communications, Helpage India.
A recent KSA Technopak study, called the “India Consumer Trends 06-07”, pegs the number of the elderly, between ages 60-70 years, at 11.6 million. The World Citizen, as the study calls this group, indulges more in leisurely activities and lifestyle enhancement. A major part of their spending is on apparel and their monthly spending amounts to Rs 8,142, says the study.
New explorers
Travel, especially international, is a major attraction for senior citizens. Many travel companies, who call them the Forever Young travellers, offer them special packages. And the numbers, say these companies, are growing. “Each year the number of senior citizens travelling abroad increases. They have a new conviction that life is to be enjoyed, and this attitude makes them the fastest-growing segment of the travel market,’’ says Sunil Gupta, COO, SOTC.
Nagpur-based Shyam Joshi had long wanted to see the Great Barrier Reef but never got the opportunity while he was in the government service. The year after he retired, he packed his bags and headed for Australia with his wife. “It was the best experience of my life,’’ recalls Joshi of the trip made four years back. Since then he has travelled to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Dubai.
Many others prefer something more adventurous! Like Mumbai-based couple Anil Borkar, 60 and Gauri, 55, who are just back from a fortnight-long rafting trip on the Brahmaputra. Two years back, they had trekked to Nam-Tso Lake in North Tibet and then to Everest base camp, north face. Next stop is a trip to the Zanskar river in Ladakh. “Such trips make us more charged and enthusiastic,’’ says Anil.
He’s not alone in this. “More people in their 60s and 70s are coming for adventure trips. Most of them are in good health, fond of adventure and from affluent backgrounds,’’ observes Vaibhav Kala, director, Aquaterra Adventures. Their favourite activities are river rafting, mountain biking, hiking, trekking and jeep safari. “Today, there are more opportunities for the senior citizen to go on adventure travel. There are many more companies which are providing special facilities for them,’’ says Pranav Kukreti, director, marketing, Treks ‘n’ Rapids (P) Ltd. Mandip Sing Soin, MD, Ibex Expeditions, remembers an 84-year-old retired army general, who recently did two para jumps. “Today, 60s are the new 40s,’’ says Kapoor.
Shall we dance?
And it’s not just travel; many of them are catching up on hobbies they put on the backburner for years. Harbeer Singh Sodhi, 60, a retired fire officer from Punjab, is busy learning the tango. As a young college student, he was an enthusiastic bhangra dancer. “At this age I can’t do bhangra. It’s too rigorous. So I chose tango. It’s a great way to stay entertained and fit at the same time,’’ he says. His wife Gita also joins him.
Aamir Ahmed, a dance trainer who runs Ballrumours in the Capital, confirms that older couples are joining his classes. “I once had an elderly couple who wanted to learn ballroom dance because they were not able to join a dance session while on a cruise. They were going again and didn’t want to be left out again,’’ says Ahmed.
“They are much more confident and independent today,’’ says Sheilu Sreenivasan, founder president, Dignity Foundation and Dignity Lifestyle Township. The latter, in Neral, Mumbai, houses 45 such people who have moved there simply because they want to lead a life they always dreamt of.
Many have also taken to social networking and blogging. Columnist Gurcharan Das discovered blogging recently and vouches for it. “It’s a terrific medium where you stay connected with your readers and get instant feedback,’’ he says.
Age is no longer a barrier. As one senior citizen loves to say, “I never think of my age.’’ That’s a sentiment many others would agree with.
By Meenakshi Kumar
Copyright © 2007 Times Internet Limited.
