Ramanathan aka Ramji fell in love with model making and engineering when he was eight — thanks to a Meccano set (a model construction system) gifted by his father.
He would end his day by making miniature models of trains and rockets at home. In 2018, a brass model of an ISRO rocket was appreciated by the space organisation, who asked him to build more rocket models for them.
Then 74, he set up Craftizan Engineering Models and designed models for ISRO, which has since then placed thousands of orders for rocket models and kits.
Padma’s granddaughters identified her crocheting skills and pushed her to convert it into a business. She now runs her own handicraft business ‘PB Handmades’ — selling crocheted birds, blankets, sieved bedsheets, keychains, earrings, cradle lace, purses, cup coasters, and much more.
Despite only completing her education up to Class 7, Padma has always had a deep passion for crocheting. She now dedicates at least three hours a day to her craft, even though she faces challenges with her eyesight.
Her products, priced between Rs 400 and Rs 5,000, attract orders from around the globe. “With this work, I also want to be an inspiration for other women. Today, the younger generation plans early retirement. I want to advise them to pursue their passion,” says Padma.
This remarkable nonagenarian from Haryana has triumphed over immense hardships, including the loss of two children and her husband after being married at just 12 years old. As a single mother, she worked tirelessly in the fields to support her baby boy.
Today, it’s her grandsons who have helped her rediscover a passion for sports. At 94, she began training with her grandsons and quickly found success, winning three gold medals at the Delhi State Masters Athletics Championship in 2022.
She followed that up with another three gold medals at the 9th World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland. “I will play as long as I live,” says the 96-year-old.
Promising her husband Thomas on his deathbed that she would make a name for herself and run a pickle business, Philo runs ‘Philo’s Pickles’ from her house with her daughter-in-law Tincy’s help.
She sells prawns, fish, and meat pickles, dried beef powder, chemmeen chammanthi podi (dried prawn powder), and seasonal vegetable pickles like mango and sweet lime. All the pickles are made in small batches of 10 kg at a time.
“We spend our entire lives buried in responsibilities. As we cross 60, we feel bored and tired and feel that we aren’t capable of anything. Change your attitude by focusing on your skill,” she shares.
When Veena Malhotra faced an unusual amount of hairfall, she tried multiple home remedies and oils, which failed. Not one to give up, she worked on the perfect recipe for hair oil for over five years.
Her hair oil, sold under the brand name Veena Ji’s Hair Oil, contains dried curry leaves along with other herbs like ashwagandha (Indian ginseng), shankhpushpi (morning glory), methi dana (fenugreek seeds), kalaunji (black caraway), kala til (black sesame), and amla powder (gooseberry) with olive, mustard, sesame and coconut oils.
Launched post retirement, the venture has given her a new lease of life. She also donates 50 percent of the sales proceeds to various charities.
When Nagamain was a young woman, her friend shared a 150-year-old hair oil formula with her. Nagamani would make the hair oil and distribute it among her friends and family over the years.
After the death of her husband, ‘Mani Aunty’, then in her 60s, turned her passion into a business ‘Roots & Shoots’.
Making the hair oil is a tedious process, with a base of coconut oil and four oil seeds, two of which are sourced from Himachal Pradesh.
Thankamma, a retired teacher from Kottayam, Kerala, established ‘Manavodaya Pakalveedu’, a daycare for elderly women, in her 200-year-old ancestral home.
Motivated by the desire to combat loneliness among seniors, she started the daycare at the age of 84. Today, 30 women regularly visit, finding companionship and staying active through various engaging activities that promote both mental and physical well-being.
“I have always felt a responsibility to give back to the society that taught numerous things to me. Spending time with these women brings me unmatched joy and peace of mind. We also owe a lot to the young women who help us in running the home efficiently,” says Thankamma.
Food and cooking have been a lifelong passion for Smita, a Maharashtrian born in Karnataka, married to a Punjabi, and settled in Goa. After retiring from her government job, she opened Smita’s Lake View Restaurant in Goa.
The restaurant has since become known for its authentic Goan cuisine and seafood. Popular dishes that keep diners returning include the prawn danger, fish thali, rawa mussels, and butter chicken.
Ask her about the challenges and she laughs, “What is life without some masala and drama?”