At 138 years, India's oldest man dies

Wed, Aug 20 03:27 AM

India's oldest man, Habib miyan, who entered the Limca Book of World Records in 2005, died early on Tuesday morning in his Jaipur house at the age of 138 years. The centurion fell ill with fever and dysentery on Sunday and succumbed in Jaipur's SMS Hospital. Incidentally, Habib decided not to celebrate his 138th birthday on May 20 this year following the serial blasts in Jaipur on May 13.

Born in Rajgarh in Rajasthan's Alwar district on May 20, 1870, Habib grew up to become a clarinet player with the Jaipur Royal Palace band. His close friend, Rajesh Nagpal, a bank employee, recalls, "I noticed him when he came to collect pension for years from the bank. He started with a pension of Rs 1.28 in 1938, which finally rose to Rs 2,698."

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