From coins to canvas, Lucknow elderly find new beginnings

After retiring as a seed production officer in U.P. Beej Vikas Nigam in 2016, Ravi Prakash Singh, now 69, spends his hours in the artistic pursuit of painting.

“I was always drawn to painting, but I never had the opportunity to learn the art. I visited exhibitions whenever I could. It was in one such exhibition that I met artist Pankaj Gupta who mentored me. Today, I dedicate about 4-5 hours every day bettering my painting skills,” said Singh.

As the world marks International Day of Older Persons on Tuesday, Singh’s motivation to learn to paint only reaffirms the adage that age is no bar to learning.

Similarly, Ashok Kumar, 73, who retired as an executive engineer in Jal Nigam in 2010, started a ‘little museum’ at his house where he exhibits coins, stamps and other collectibles.

“I love numismatics and draw inspiration from Kishore Jhunjhunwala. So, I thought of not just expanding my collection but also studying them. Today, I have a collection of more than 8,000 coins and 10,000 stamps. Over 700 people have visited the museum till date,” said Kumar.

Ambuj Agrawal, 69, who worked in the currency chest of a private bank for more than three decades, said he never had an opportunity to pursue his passion for theatre and music earlier.

“My day would revolve around currency notes. My passion took a backseat when I was working. After retiring, I didn’t want to spend my days just watching television or scrolling on my mobile phone. I began taking part in workshops to learn folk and classical music, and theatre. This way, I keep myself busy and away from all sorts of negativity,” said Agrawal.

Similarly, Ajay Tripathi, a retired banker, 65, said after he retired in 2020, he joined various senior citizen organisations and began pursuing his passion for music and anchoring.

“... Every evening, I ‘riyaz’ (practice) with karaoke,” said Tripathi.

Sociologist Neetu Batra said the concept of active ageing or positive ageing was being embraced by more elderly people.

“Many live alone after their children move out... Rather than seeing it as retirement, they look at it as a fresh chapter in life and work to make their 60s the new 40s. They actively participate in group activities such as morning walks, gardening, dancing, and even playing badminton. Many seniors also opt for second careers driven by a desire to remain active and contribute to society. One such group is ‘Varishta Nagrik Kalyan Samiti evam Pustakalaya’ founded by Gyaneshwar Sharma which works with a similar motive,” said Batra.