Enthusiastic elders walked down Delhi streets on Wednesday celebrating the International Day of Older Persons, while commemorating this year's theme of "leaving no one behind
The event saw various associations of elderly people and even young students participate in the walkathon. It was an inspiring sight to see senior citizens walking with an unusual spring in their gait.
The walkathon was flagged off by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Thawar Chand Gehlot.
"The incumbent central government has made plans for the convenience of the elderly and old age homes will be built for the elderly who do not have someone to look after them. These old age homes will have all the comforts and facilities including entertainment, sports, education, gyms and food and we will attempt to give them a family like environment," Gehlot said.
The walkathon was organised by HelpAge India, an NGO working with and for older people for the past 35 years.
Country head of HelpAge India, Manjira Khurana said that this walkathon was aimed at encouraging a healthy lifestyle among the elderly.
"October 1st is celebrated as the International Day of Older persons, the world over. In India too, from the last many years, from 1992, we are celebrating the International Day of Older Persons. We encourage the seniors to get involved with life. Our mantra this year is 'get Active, Stay Active', basically to encourage healthy aging," she said.
On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons.
According to a report released by the United Nations Population Fund and HelpAge India, India had 90 million elderly persons in 2011, with the number expected to grow to 173 million by 2026.
Living up to the guiding principle of "Leaving No-One Behind" necessitates the understanding that demography matters for sustainable development and that population dynamics will shape the key developmental challenges that the world is confronting in the 21st century.
The need of the hour is to address the population over 60, which is expected to reach 1.4 billion by 2030.
