Age Defying Role Model!
July 12, 2019
A 70+ Scientist Promoting Yogic Practises for the Betterment of the Society
September 9, 2019
My name is Ravindra Nimbalkar. I am a 64+ retired Principal from Pune. After doing B.Sc and B.Ed, I started my career as a teacher in 1980 in a small town near Pune. After my retirement in 2013, I joined the Jyestha Nagrik Sangh Sangvi Parisar and Association of Senior Citizens Organizations Pune (ASCOP) to continue my passion of doing something productive for the society and to help other seniors in leading an active life post retirement.
Working for Social Cause
After my retirement, during 2013-2015 I was involved in the promotion and implementation of various welfare projects for seniors, mainly in the area of their health promotion.
In 2015, I attended a training program by International Longevity Centre, Pune on Rainwater Harvesting, Waste Management and Controlling Pollution. This training program opened a new perspective in my life and ever since then I took up the work of rain water harvesting in area. Initially I faced many challenges in implementing this project in Sangvi area, however with hard work and dedication I overcame all hurdles and till now I am working for this cause and promoting it in other places too.
Hobbies & Interest
I am fond of sketching, watching drama in Marathi, travelling to different places. I also like watching movies on social issues like Dangal and Saamna. I am fond of music; I love to play Flute and Banjo.
My childhood was full of struggles. I belonged to a lower middle class family. My father was a 4th class employee in the Irrigation Department and was the only breadwinner for a family comprising of ten members, who included me and my 4 siblings, 2 widowed aunts, my parents and my grandmother. Inspite of limited income my father wanted all his children to study well and excel in life. So, he really worked hard in his job and to fulfill his dreams me and my brothers also worked part time along with our studies. We sold vegetables, distributed newspaper, worked in a bakery to earn some money for school books and uniform.
I remember that during our school days we faced so much of economic hardship that we had only 2 sets of school uniform among three brothers. So only two can go to school at a time and one has to stay at home and miss the school.
I am proud to share that inspite of all such hardships we all five siblings are highly educated and are well settled in life with our respective family.
My struggles have taught me a lot in my life. They encouraged me to learn various life skills through which I not only survived but also progressed well in my professional life from a teacher to head of the college. In 2000, under my guidance my students won an award from National Children Science Congress in Kolkata. This was a big achievement in my professional life.
Family
I am blessed with a loving, caring and well qualified family. My wife was working as a teacher in a government school from where she retired in 2016. My son is a BE in computers, he works in IT sector. My daughter-in-law works in HR department in a company. They have a 5 year old son.
My daughter and son-in-law have done their Masters in Computer Science. They both are well settled with their 4 year old daughter in US.
Fitness Mantra
For a healthy and active living I go for morning and evening walk daily, eat nutritious food in all three meals, go out for movies and recreational activities with wife whenever feel like and spend quality time with family. In addition to this, I provide my advice to students who look forward to such guidance for the issues which they face in their personal and professional life. This gives me lots of satisfaction and uplifts my mental health. Currently, I am doing various projects with school children to create awareness on pollution free environment and importance of water in our life. Through these projects I am contributing in my way towards the development of the society.
According to me an active senior citizen must be physically and mentally fit, must eat well, and must behave nicely with others especially with younger generation.
Fitness Mantra
I keep myself fit by leading a disciplined lifestyle. Every day I get up at 6 am, do some exercise and then join a laughter club at 7am. After coming back from there I help my wife in doing some household chores. After this I do some writing work for magazines and newspapers. Post lunch, I read novels, magazines, newspapers. After this I visit my senior citizens club which I started in my area. At 4pm most of the club members meet to read books in the library, play some indoor games or do some social activity.
We do a lot of social and welfare work at our club like teaching slum children, organizing sangeet sabha which not only helps the club members to lead an active and productive life but also helps us in being useful for the society.
According to me an active senior citizen must be physically, mentally healthy and active. He/she must contribute in household chores and must also participate in social and welfare activities. They must respect the feelings of other seniors also.
Future Plans
I want to continue working for the welfare of senior citizens and environment protection. Also I wish to travel to different parts of the world.
Message
My message to everyone is to be positive in life, which is the best way to excel in life. This life is a gift from God, think about it and do something meaningful for others.
