My Indian-American friend and army veteran Lt Col Om Julka turned 98 on 30 August. I wonder what he was thinking as he stood on the threshold of a century. However, as always, my friend was nonchalant about the impending century. He smiled and said cheerfully, ‘Que sera sera (Whatever will be, will be).’

Julka is a source of great inspiration, even envy, to me and his fellow silver friends in Cleveland, Ohio, where he lives. This group of distinguished senior Indian-Americans meets twice a week for coffee at Starbucks. When there is a birthday, it is celebrated with lunch at an Indian eatery. All of them are in their 70s and 80s.

The next senior after Julka, at 90, is Prof Hans Nagpaul. Dr Vinod Joshi, a retired anaesthetist, is the baby of the group at 72. “It is great to be part of this group. We mostly discuss current affairs, economic, social and, sometimes, Indian politics. I am mostly asked about medical info and advice,” Dr Joshi told me over the phone from Cleveland.

Julka is in reasonably good health, much better than some half his age. He walks ramrod straight and doesn’t use a walking stick. He was in a jovial mood when I phoned to wish him for his 98th birthday. ‘Do you still drive?’ I asked. “Yes, I used to drive until a few months ago and my driving licence is valid till the age of 100,” he replied with pride. “However, my children have now forbidden me from driving.”

His army career was very eventful. In 1962, during the Chinese invasion, he was in Army Headquarters and had the opportunity of visiting the office of prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, where defence minister Krishna Menon and Gen Kaul discussed the war situation. And on India’s Republic Day, in 1966, Julka—then a major—stood near president Dr S Radhakrishnan and announced the names of the winners of the Bravery Awards for the 1965 War with Pakistan. He also saw action in the Bangladesh War in 1971.

One of his proudest moments was when he touched the feet of Mahatma Gandhi in 1938-39 during one of the latter’s visits to Delhi. He was in Delhi when Gandhi was assassinated and was witness to the sea of human heads that followed the open hearse that carried his body.

Blessed with an interesting personality, Julka has an uncanny knack of learning languages and his repertoire includes English, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Sanskrit and German. Even at this age, he often uses the Internet and is also learning computer programmes. He has great interest in genealogy and has been working diligently on compiling his ‘Julka family tree’. He says he has been able to trace his family lineage up to 400 years!

To what does he attribute his longevity? “Age is just a number for me. I don’t feel I am ageing but only growing up. I am a non-smoker and a teetotaller, barring the occasional glass of red wine. I enjoy simple food such as dal, roti, vegetables or even chicken or lamb; I do not eat beef or pork. I am fond of fruits and nuts, albeit in moderation.” Keeping fit is vital at any age and my friend says, “I walk a mile every day, weather permitting. I avoid medicines of any kind unless compelled by some ailment. I make sure I am not constipated. Also, ‘early to bed, early to rise’ is equally important.”

He mentions two more ingredients to living a long and healthy life: simple living and the abundant affection he receives from his four children, seven grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. “A stress-free, happy social and family life is a sine qua non for a long life. I also have some pastimes that keep me happily engaged,” he says. In fact, one of Julka’s sons has established an endowment fund called ‘Om Julka Endowment of the Moses Cleveland Scholarship Programme’ at Cleveland State University. It extends scholarships to brilliant students from low-income families.

“I have a large number of good and sincere friends. I have seen it all and done it all. There is nothing else I desire now. I am now 98 and whether or not I reach my centenarian year is in His hands,” he concludes.

—Raj Kanwar, Dehradun

Photo courtesy: Om Julka
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
October 2016