Going to university sounds quite nice. Especially if you’re a hundred years old! Freedom fighter Bholaram Das, on his 100th birthday, told his family that he wants to do a PhD at the Guwahati University. As his subject he’s going to study how his native Bohori village helped in the spread of neo-Vaishnavism, especially in Assam. He currently has 10 grandchildren and a great-grandchild. And who else to guide him in his PhD than one of his granddaughters, a university professor!
He said that he feels he must work towards a PhD to satisfy his hunger for learning. He has an interesting history: Bholaram Das was jailed in 1930 for protesting against the British rule, at the age of 19; before joining the Congress Party in 1945 he studied law and commerce; and he has worked in the fields of law and education. He’s been a lawyer, a magistrate and a district court judge. He retired in 1971.
In the mean time, the authorities at the university feel that the presence of a 100-year-old student will encourage others to take up courses with them. Even youth in his family will be inspired by this endeavour.