The Centenarian Meet at Jada Village, In Karnah Kupwara.

GNSONLINE KUPWARA

SHAKIR BHAT

KARNAH KUPWARA DECEMBER26:–The general area of Tangdhar is characterised by beautiful landscape free from all types of pollution. Also the simple and village based lifestyle of people of this area makes this area categorically free from diseases and medical ailments vis a vis other parts of the country especially the metros.The people of this area are simplenature loving and hardworking but full of passion for the environment and the country. It is a less known fact that the life expectancy of the area is high and interestingly there are 13 persons more than 100 years of age in 11 villages of Tangdhar. These persons have contributed to the society in their own ways and are a live example of a healthy body and active mind especially in an era where the biggest challenge despite the best of the medical facilities, is to remain fit.
With the aim of paying our respect to these centenarians and to learn from their experiences of life a Centenarian Meet was organised in Jada Village on 25 December 2022. Out of these 13 centenarians five were able to bless the event with their presence and it was nothing less than a surprise to see these centenarians together in one forum and actively participating in the interactions. The event commenced with the welcome speech by the students of the Army Goodwill School followed by the felicitation by Brig NK Dass, Cdr Shakti Vijay Brigade. This was followed by sharing of life experiences by these centenarians where they coved almost all aspects of their life ranging from the anecdotes of the pre independence ear, difficult times during indo pak wars, the role of the Indian Armed Forces in mitigating the sufferings of the local populace over a long period of time, the developments in the Karnah Valley to the emotional memories of friends and family members who left for heavenly abode and so on. The site of interaction with the school students from three different schools of the nearby areas who were also present for the event was most exhilarating where the youngest are seeking guidance from the oldest at one place.
The event also included a poster making competition for school students on the theme of “A simple life, A healthy life” followed by tree plantation by the centenarians to be called as the Centenarian Orchard at Jada Village. This event was also taken as an opportunity to conduct a medical check-up camp which was attended by more than 70 persons. Also a CSD counter was also established to enable the people of these remote villages cater for their daily needs. Overall the event was a unique opportunity to interact with these centenarians and learn from their experiences spanning more than 100 years.