At Age 115, Venkat Reddy Reminisces His Past
Living a long life without ever seeing the face of a hospital and without depending on others’ charity is extremely rare: Reports
ANANTAPUR: Age, they say, is a number. But, centenarians have seen it all. They’re alive and kicking. They have experienced the change of seasons and shift of generations, and carry with them a huge bundle of memories.
People often bless others by saying, “May you live a hundred years.” Easier said than done. In today’s lifestyles, people in their twenties are no longer healthy. Many are facing obesity, courting diabetes or blood pressure and suffering from neurological problems at a young age.
Living a long life without ever seeing the face of a hospital and without depending on others’ charity is extremely rare.
However, Eddula Venkata Reddy from Pogaruru village in Pamidi mandal of Anantapur district is the odd man out. At age 115, he lives with dignity, he’s managing many of his activities on his own and maintaining some health.
Venkata Reddy was born in 1912 in Pogaruru village of Pamidi mandal to a couple Ramanna and Lakshmamma. Until the age of 109, he remained very active and walked at least half a kilometre every day. Today he’s confined to bed, but remains mentally alert and physically stable. Currently, he lives under the care of his second daughter.
In 1934, he married Venkamma. The couple had five children; two of them sons and three daughters. Elder son Pulla Reddy passed away in 1990, and Venkamma died in 1992. Second son, Peddi Reddy, died of electrocution.
Venkata Reddy follows a simple lifestyle. His diet is modest. He eats only twice a day -- in the morning and evening. He eats whatever is available. Even simple foods such as tamarind peel chutney, ground roasted gram powder, or chili powder would suffice for him to fill his stomach.
Despite his advanced age, Reddy retains a deep awareness of history and public service. He says that at the age of 20, in 1932, when Mahatma Gandhi visited Peddavaduguru, he had a rare opportunity to meet him. Venkata Reddy then helped decorate the stage with mango leaves. He remains as the only living witness to that historic event.
“I was an active Congress worker,” he says, adding that he worked alongside leaders like Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, Tarimela Nagi Reddy, and JC Nagi Reddy.
Confined to bed now, Venkata Reddy requires regular assistance for his daily chores like bathing. To maintain his health, his daughter ensures providing him nutritious food like fruits, vegetables, and milk.
Like many elderly people, he prefers to stay along with his kin, and not move into any care home.
Leaders like Muchukota Suresh Babu who heads the Praja Science Vedika, Prof Manchi Sharath Babu, senior citizen welfare association president Prof G Venkata Siva Reddy have appealed to the collector to increase his pension to `12,000 per month.
This financial support, they said, would help him get nutritious food and essential care items.
