Today will be the 26th death anniversary of Walanjatil Jacob Ninan. His son Walanjatil Ninan Duke turns emotional as he remembers his old man from all those years ago. In a way, he had died for his children. Those memories had made Duke relive his childhood spent in Ludhiana, all over again in 2011. He left his job and home and took his bike to ride from Kanyakumari to Ludhiana, at the age of 55. That was the beginning. Every year after that, Duke would do something out of the ordinary — another big ride, an incredibly long walkathon, his pursuance to try climb the Everest, age never coming in the way of this spirited Malayali with roots in Kottayam. Duke tells his story, beginning as he does, with the words: I miss my father.
“Perhaps it is in my genes. My cousin Susan Thomas was a state volleyball player and I heard they are going to name a Volleyball indoor stadium in Kottayam, after her,” says Duke. He too had been active as a child, becoming best camper in school. Then life became subdued, with the usual responsibilities of a job and a family. Duke became a teacher in the same school he studied at in Ludhiana, and stayed on till he became a vice principal. Marriage brought him a life partner from Kollam. And then came the troubled times when he went to Kuwait for a few years. War came. And his dad had no way to communicate with Duke or his brother. “He died of shock,” Duke says. “But I could be here for the 40th day ceremonies we observe after death.” There is a smile on his face as he says this, for Duke believes that it is God’s way of doing things. A strong believer, his daring rides and adventures are a way for him to test his faith in god.
Duke wouldn’t tell his family before he takes out on one of his adventures. This is between him and God, he says. So he is not dejected that for the last two years his attempts to climb the Mt Everest have been thwarted by strange circumstances. “The first time was in 2015. I sent my profile to Colonel Neeraj Rana of Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling. He gave me endurance tests, making me run and climb on the hills and was astonished that I was 57 years old. They don’t usually take people beyond 39 years of age.”Unfortunately an avalanche had cancelled that trip. But Duke was not let down. He tried again in 2016, and this time he decided to walk from Kanyakumari to Kathmandu and join the troupe. The walking happened in phases and in 118 days — coincidentally it was 118 hours he took to finish his second long bike ride in 2012 from Jiri to Kochi — but he was too late to join the team. Duke is still not dejected. He is waiting for next year, and this time he would fly to be there on time.
He will also carry the Indian flag that was given by ambassador Ranjit Rae in Nepal, at the end of his 118-day walkathon.
“In that walkathon I have had nasty experiences only in Kerala. Once in Kundara, an old man in a rick was passing offensive Malayalam comments, thinking I was a foreigner. I went and talked to them.” He always reacts when he is teased like that, there are neighbours too who say, ‘doesn’t this old man have anything better to do than climb and run.’ But because of his positivity nothing comes in the way of Duke and his mission.
