Education Scholarships

Direct link to the various education scholarships offered by the Government of India

List of Private NGOs offering education scholarships

Ummid Assistant

Application form for OBC & Domicile Certificate Certificates (Urdu)

Admission to UPSC Coaching Centre run by Dr Ambedkar Competitive Exam Centre (ACEC), Pune

Welcome Guest! You are here: Home » Regional

India's oldest student at 100... still going strong

Monday, October 18, 2010 11:50:54 AM, Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS

Related Article

On Ventilator for 20 hrs, Anees cracks SSC board, tops school:

Despite being on ventilator for most of the time - in a phenomenal display of grit and determination - Anees Faruqui cracked the SSC exams and secured  »

Guwahati: A teacher, a lawyer, a judge and now back to being a student - 100-year-old Bholaram Das has just enrolled for his doctorate, perhaps becoming India's oldest university student.

Das has got admission in a PhD programme at the Gauhati University in Assam - an announcement he made at a public function organised by his family and friends to mark his 100th birthday Saturday.

"There is no age limit for acquiring knowledge," Das told IANS with a smile, dressed nattily in a brown suit and tie.

And the subject for his doctorate is as interesting as the man himself -- the role of his native village Bohori in Barpeta district in western Assam in the spread of neo-Vaishnavite movement, an egalitarian stream of Hinduism, propagated by Sankardeva.

Das was jailed when he was just 19 during the freedom movement against British rule. He spent two months in prison before he graduated in the commerce stream and later went to study law.

"I had a very fulfilling 100 years, having been a teacher, dabbled with politics by joining the Congress party way back in 1945, became a lawyer, then a magistrate, and retired as a judge in 1971," Das said.

The centenarian's zeal to get a PhD degree has stunned many.

"It is indeed heartening to find people like Bholaram Das in today's world and I am of the firm belief that he should stand out as a role model for the generation next," Governor J.B. Patnaik, who is also the chancellor of Gauhati University, told IANS.

"A 100-year-old student is indeed a rarity anywhere in the world," said Gauhati University Vice Chancellor Okhil Kumar Medhi.

Aided by a walking stick, Das is still agile and loves watching cricket matches on television, besides being an avid reader.

With five sons and a daughter, 10 grandchildren, and a great-grandchild, Das is a contented man.

"I love to smile and be happy always," Das said as he slipped into his study.



(Syed Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in)

 

 

 

 

 

  Bookmark and Share

Home | Top of the Page

Comment on this article

Name:
E-mail Address:
Write here...

News Pick

AMU plans new centres across India

After the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) opened its centres in West Bengal and Kerala, Muslims in five other states also want similar centres, AMU Vice Chancellor P.K. Abdul Azis said here Sunday. "Muslims living   »

Hunger banquet in Paris marks World Food Day

Ten thousand empty plates were displayed at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Saturday morning in an event to mark World Food Day. French non-governmental organisation Action Contre la Faim (Action Against  »

Congress appeasing minorities: RSS chief

The Congress has coined terms like "Hindu and saffron terrorism" to appease and consolidate its minority vote bank, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat said Sunday. Speaking at    »

Dalits fined for daring to drink water from tap

In a shocking incident in Rajasthan, three Dalits were fined Rs 45 thousand by a Panchayat for daring to drink water from a public tap. A case has now been registered against the accused. According to CNN-IBN, these  »

British restaurants waste 600,000 tonnes of food annually

Restaurants in Britain throw away over 600,000 tonnes of food annually, a media report said Sunday. Which means half a kilo of food is wasted every time someone eats out, The Independent wrote quoting a survey  »

Alcohol intake among Indian teenagers rise

Alcohol consumption among teenagers in the age group of 15-19 years has increased due to absent parents, easy money, and rising stress and depression, a study says. The study, by the social development   »

More Headlines

Turkey eases headscarf ban

Traditional gaiety marks Sir Syed Day celebrations at AMU

Sharjah Islamic Bank posts $52 mn Q3 profit

British restaurants waste 600,000 tonnes of food annually

AMU plans new centres across India

Iran won't make any compromise on its nuclear programmes: Ahmadinejad

Dalits fined for daring to drink water from tap

Hunger banquet in Paris marks World Food Day

The Taj, a hit with foreign athletes

Alcohol intake among Indian teenagers rise

Thousands of Kerala kids initiated into world of letters

Development overrides caste in Bihar battle

Israeli building permits receive widespread condemnation

Sibal moots neighbourhood libraries

Ayodhya Verdict: Muslim law board to appeal in SC but open to compromise

 

Top Stories

'Malegaon is paying the price for its role in freedom struggle'

Forget getting credits, Malegaon is actually paying the price and punished for the role it had   »

Sonia, Azad, Chavan admit there exists Pain in Malegaon

Malegaon: Not The One You Know

Dying Textile Industry: Govt. refusing to lend a helping hand despite repeated pleas

 

Picture of the Day

A Masjid and Mandir stand side by side in Malegaon. Though the town is regarded as communally sensitive place and has actually gone through a series of riots and terrorist attacks, people here are known for living together, and in peace and harmony since hundreds of years. The picture is taken during the Dassehra Festival that ended October 17. Every year the Mandir is illuminated and decorated with lights and special Pujas are held even as Muslims pray in the Madjid almost simultaenously.

(Photo: ummid.com)

 

  Most Read

Traditional gaiety marks Sir Syed Day celebrations at Aligarh Muslim University

The 193rd birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan was celebrated with traditional gaiety at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)   »

Sharjah Islamic Bank posts $52 mn Q3 profit

The Sharjah Islamic Bank Sunday posted a third quarter net profit of 191.6 million dirhams (about $52 million). The balance sheet grew since December 2009 with total assets reaching 16.3 billion dirhams from 16 billion dirhams. Liquid assets rose by 410.2 million dirhams to    »

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

RSS  |  Contact us

| Quick links

News

 

Subscribe to

Ummid Assistant

 

National

Religion

RSS

Scholarships

About us

International

Culture

Twitter

Government Schemes

Feedback

Regional

History

Facebook

Education

Register

Politics

Opinion

Newsletter

 

Contact us

Business

Career

     

Education

       

 

 

Ummid.com: Disclaimer | Terms of Use | Advertise with us | Link Exchange

Ummid.com is part of the Awaz Multimedia & Publications providing World News, News Analysis and Feature Articles on Education, Health. Politics, Technology, Sports, Entertainment, Industry etc. The articles or the views displayed on this website are for public information and in no way describe the editorial views. The users are entitled to use this site subject to the terms and conditions mentioned.