A CRICKETER scoring a century on field indeed is a happy moment to witness but a person stepping into 100th year of life is a rare unique thing to witness and that too in a township that had recently completed its century. Residents of Nagjibhai Town got another reason to celebrate in the beginning of the new year with its respected resident, Priti Devi Adhikari, entering 100th year on Wednesday. Born to Rai Sahib Satya Ranjan Adhikari, the then DSP of Nagpur, on January 6, 1921, Priti Devi is the first centenarian in the Adhikari family and also in the township.

 

The residents have planned to celebrate their ‘Priti Atya’s’ birthday on Wednesday but it would be in a sombre fashion because of her ill health.The centurion is confident of defeating the illness and get ready for the year soon. Belonging to one of the dozens probashi Bengali families that settled in Nagpur, the then capital of CP and Berar, Priti Devi completed her schooling from Scottish School, Nagpur, and further went on to do a diploma in social work at the Tata School of Social Work, Bombay, in the early 50s. In Nagpur, she grew up with elder brother Hridoy Ranjan, who retired from Central Railways, sister Sudha Devi, younger sister Durga Devi, former Professor with Hislop College and brother Priyo Ranjan, retired Lt Colonel of the Indian Army.

 

During the humanitarian crisis after the 1971 Bangladesh War, Priti Devi Adhikari was called upon to render her services to the Bangladeshi Refugees in the camps set up near the country’s borders. She was commended by the Indian and Bangladesh Governments for her work. She is a member of Mahila Gharoa Samiti and actively continued to participate in social work throughout Vidarbha until recently. Living alone in the over 100- year-old ‘Adhikari Bungalow’, Priti Devi was on her feet until a few days ago and used to take care of herself and the ancestral house. She had regular interaction with the neighbours and passer-bys but after a fall in the bathroom she is now taken care of by her doctor Sandeep Baxy, two nurses, attendants, caretakers and guards appointed by her niece Ruby Adhikari-Sehgal, fifth daughter of her youngest brother, residing in New Delhi.

 

“We would have definitely visited her today but due to the restrictions of COVID-19 and health issues of my husband we are bound here in New Delhi,” said her niece Ruby, who retired as Joint Secretary/Principal Director of Ministry of Defence. Other 3 nieces are living in America. “We are missing celebration on this occasion but will wait until her recovery,” Ajay Naidu, one of her neighbours, summed up the mood in the township on the historic ‘twin centuries’.