Take Two

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn,and this will mean all your life, said American businessman and philosopher Henry L Doherty.

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn,and this will mean all your life, said American businessman and philosopher Henry L Doherty. And considering that most societies think of ‘learning’ as just a part of growing up,school,university,and not a process in itself,it becomes difficult for people to get to work (read learn) once they have ‘grown up’. But breaking traditional shackles some enterprising elderlies take it on them to do just that. They are bank employees,doctors,educationists and entrepreneurs,all united by the common desire to learn and constantly evolve.

Jaswant Singh Karir, who retired as an associate director,DRDO says,I retired in the year 2001 and have been learning how to play the guitar for the past two years. I feel that the music you see is the music you create. Having dabbled with various forms of art throughout my life,I feel that I have music in me. I have always been interested in singing and I feel that the guitar accompanies vocals perfectly. I play for family and for my own pleasure and I think that one should constantly grow intellectually and skillfully,he says.

But music is not everyones cup of tea and learning it right at the age of 68 can be more than a little difficult. But he says,All that matters is that you should have a basic sense of music in your soul. If you understand that,all you need is training and skill.

Damini Nagpal retired as a school principal,but has recently taken to learning art. I wanted to be an interior designer when I was growing up. But my husband was in the Defence and we had to be on the move. The only job with which I could get a fixed pay and a secure life while on the move was that of teaching,so after my marriage,I completed my B.Ed degree. Now I want to do something Ive always wanted to do,that is painting, she explains.

The idea of vanaprastashram (relaxation after retirement) may appeal to many,but for Nagpal,its quite the opposite. Ive never had the time to do what I really wanted to and now I have time and I make sure that I do things that appeal to me. Ask her about her being indulgent and pat comes the reply,Ive given all I have to my children,so now when they are nearing 40,I see no harm in giving the rest of my time to myself.

A persons,especially a sexagenarians decision to get back to learning is not just his own; it is a family that needs to be encouraging and supportive. This is exactly what Jayant Munshi,a 65-year-old engineer and entrepreneur believes. He says,”I am very intrigued by languages. I had a printing press and got printing jobs in different languages. I kept studying them and eventually got serious. Its my kids who pushed me into formally learning Japanese. I joined classes and am planning on appearing for my examination in November.”

But in certain cases decision making is not an easy task. Sanjay Nagarkar a 65-year-old retired bank official, wanted to learn Sanskrit but that has just remained with him. “I joined an institute that is specifically dedicated to training retired professionals in any skill they are interested in. I went there to learn but ended up teaching Marathi”,he says. But even if its just teaching and not learning,he enjoys the experience and does not regret it at all.

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Take Two

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn,and this will mean all your life, said American businessman and philosopher Henry L Doherty.

Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn,and this will mean all your life, said American businessman and philosopher Henry L Doherty.