Ageing Youthfully: Ten Mantras

By Dr. Suneeta Mukherjee

Ageing is just a number is an oft repeated quote among those in their 50s and beyond. While that is true, what are the best practices to ensure that this is not just a quote?
Ageing youthfully is not about being free of disease; rather it is about how one can address the challenges of our health as we age and yet live life to the fullest.
Seventy-three year old Dr Suneeta Mukherjee draws upon some of the studies on ageing available in the public domain, shares her learnings as an administrator in Govt of India and the United Nations, weaves in anecdotes from her own life and those of her friends to bring out the do’s and don’ts required to ensure that old age need not be one of infirmity, loneliness and despair. Despite having a pace-maker in her heart, she is an active swimmer, trekker, cyclist, yoga practitioner and dancer.
She is an ideal for many of her friends and family members, and is uniquely placed to write on this subject.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr. Suneeta Mukherjee
• Release date: Apr 10, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005076825

Book preview

Acknowledgements

I am delighted to have this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped me in my journey. This opportunity has come to me because I wrote this book Ageing Youthfully.

My father, Col H.S Dhingra, was very strong himself but very gentle with me. His guidance was gentle and supportive. My mother Amrit Dhingra was a true home maker and she silently facilitated my journey through my academic life and entry into the IAS, My parents gave me a very happy childhood and laid the foundation for a joyful life which I took for granted. But as I went through life, I realised that this is a rare gift my parents gave me, a state of happiness.

My daughter Mitali, a dentist settled in California with her husband Rudrajit and daughter Arya are a great source of joy in our lives. Our son Rajat, the younger of the two, has also become a big support, especially during our holidays and adventures which we often undertake together. Child is the father of man, said Shakespeare. Truly our children have now become our Advisors.

My two brothers are always a quiet support in the background. I had always been very close to Haramrit, the adventurous and older of the two but I am now equally close to Sawraj and his family consisting of his lovely wife Indira, his incredible daughter Deepti and his adventurous son Amardeep. I look forward to see what these children make of their lives,

 My sister-in-law Prachee Mukherjee and her husband Shantanu are a great source of joy. It's great to discuss things with Prachee, whose feet are always on the ground even though her head may be in the clouds. I often use her as a sounding board to clarify my thoughts. My mother-in-law Bela Mukherjee, so much like me and so much fun. I miss her. As also my quiet and strong father-in-law PN Mukherjee who left us too soon. I cannot help but mention what an inspiration my husband’s nephew Abhijeet Mukherjee provides us with: how he has overcome the trials and tribulations of his life, but that story is for another book.

Mummy always said that I had so many friends but she lost count of them. She would say in the local language if you do that if you dig anywhere in the world, you will find that a friend of Suneeta lives there. I have wonderful friends and also great batchmates. I will only be able to mention a few special friends here. Manju Madhavan has been a childhood friend from Chandigarh and in fact it is due to her inspiration that I took the exam for the IAS. She and her husband live in Bangalore and even today are our biggest advisors. My other friend from Chandigarh, Sudha Sharma and her husband Manohar and daughter Pooja also mean a great deal in my life and I often turn to Sudha as a sounding board. Another friend, Manjulika Gautam in Noida, is very close and I can talk about anything to her. My friends in Gurgaon include Promilla Issar and some people from our complex. I must mention Manisha Bhagat the nutritionist and dietician, a great friend from whom I learn a lot.

My recent beacon holders in the fitness journey are: Parul, our yoga instructor and Manish and Sunita, our fitness instructors and Shashank, our Bollywood dance instructor. My gratitude to them and the Fit gang of gangsters and the Bollywood Dance Group, of which I am a part.

My gratitude to all my friends: Dr. IC Pathak, Dr. Sneh Bhargava, and Dr. Usha Nayyar and Kiran Pawar, all of whose stories I have recounted here.

I find no words to thank my husband Sudipto, who has a no holds barred mantra in helping me. He is truly my soulmate and I cannot imagine what my life would have been without him. He stands by me no matter what difficulty I am in and he is supportive without being too intrusive. I would have been incomplete without him and if I could give the credit to one person for my state of wellness today, it is him as he’s so full of fun and adventure while paying attention to food and exercise.

Last and not the least are Arefeen and Irfan without whose insistence I would neither have written this book nor undertaken this coaching journey.

Introduction

One day our daughter Mitali said, Mom, write your story, write your life story. And I said, Mita, what is it that you don't know? You were with me when you were young, and you know everything that I did. She replied, You were always working. I used to look at you from a distance. At night, while you were doing files in bed, I would hug you and fall asleep while you kept working. I knew a lot of activity was going on, but I didn't understand much. All I know is that you have a lot of stories to tell. Why not tell them to us and to the rest of the world? She wanted me to write a book, my life story. Mitali is a dentist in California, and her chief supporter and best friend is her nine-year old daughter, Arya. Arya chimed in, Nani, you must write your story. I know you have a lot of stories to tell, please write them for us and for everybody else. So here I am; and yes, I’m writing my life story too but that will come later. This is the story of what I am today and I share it with the hope that it may encourage some of you to age youthfully