Sir,

After reading about centenarian Allaranda M. Kuttappa, who lived to the grand-old age of  104 years (KBG’s Abracadabra ‘Of mice and men’ in Star of Mysore dated Feb. 5) it sent me down on my memory lane about my father.

My father H. Ramanna died in his 105th year on Oct.23, 2007. It is difficult to tell what is the secret of longevity but I would like to mention certain attributes of my father’s life.

He used to tell me that when he read an article ‘Persistency of youth’, it influenced him profoundly. He lived with three mantras — Zest for life, Rosy outlook on life and Will power.

He had  other positive habits which I believe contributed to his longevity. He was fond of walking and everyday he would walk for about 10 kms. He had cultivated a temperament of  not to worry about anything.

He was very gregarious and loved to enter into conversation with anybody and everybody including  any stranger  that prompted us to say that he could even make a stone to talk to him.

He had a prodigious memory, was a voracious reader and had insatiable curiosity about everything and kept in touch with latest scientific developments.

He had a regularity of habit and particular about keeping time.  Whenever he used to attend any lectures, he would occupy the front seat and always ask questions. He had a fall in his 96th year and broke his hip joint  and was using walker till his death.

I used to take him to all musical performances even after his fall, for he loved music. He loved good food and was very fond of drinking strong coffee.

His pet description of coffee: Coffee should be ‘Hot like hell, Thick like paste and Bitter like poison’! He was very particular to take prompt action if he fell ill. Though he had his share of ill health, he never made a  fetish of it.

When he died on the night of 23rd October 2007, we three children (my elder brother had died earlier) were with him. Though he had stopped eating for the past two days he loved the last taste of coffee which I gave him and he just faded away with his last utterance and smiling countenance  ‘Anandamaya.’

– H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana, Saraswathipuram, 6.2.2022

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