How I Kickstarted My Second Innings

Two members of the Silver Talkies Club Talk About Their Successful Second Innings with Valuable Takeaways. 

An exuberant Veena Iyer, a member of the Silver Talkies Club, has just returned from the Parkinson’s society she volunteers at during the visits to her daughter in the US. She speaks passionately about the exercise and fitness programmes the society provides for the community, and how there is a dire lack of awareness about the same in India. Iyer is a retired banker, and currently a Dance Movement Therapist practising in Mumbai. At 74, she embodies Satchel Paige’s words, “Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” 

Our society is witnessing a gradual transformation of the term retirement, shifting from 'cessation of work and work-related duties' to a phase of 'reinvention and rediscovery of lost, unsought ambitions.' Indian older adults are boldly defying the antiquated myths surrounding retired life and actively working towards achieving their goals and aspirations. Meet Veena Iyer and Duraiswamy, two people living that life.

Learning Something New

In 2014, when Iyer came across a Dance Movement Therapy course offered by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in coalition with Calcutta Sunway, her longstanding desire to be a part of something worthwhile and satisfactory in her golden years came true. There has been no looking back for her ever since. A key part of her work comprises utilizing techniques of movement therapy, visualization, expressive art, music therapy, drama therapy and prop-oriented catharsis, to facilitate the release of suppressed traumas and curbed emotions dictated by societal norms for people from all walks of life. 

Every time Iyer sees a homemaker or abuse survivor breaking free from restrictions, she feels her calling is confirmed. They work together to achieve liberation, self-expression, and empowerment.

As she grows older, Iyer sees her involvement in movement as a precious gift. It helps her stay active and nimble. She thinks the pandemic created opportunities for people to pursue their hobbies.

“You rediscover what you may not have had. It gives you a new lease of life”, she adds, talking about new learnings.

Constantly upskilling herself, Iyer is a certified practitioner of Reiki and Qi Gong, as well as Tai Chi. A member of the Creative Movement Therapy Association of India (CIMTAI) and volunteering at an early education initiative for children, she’s also part of an online platform called Get Setup. Recalling a lesson, she recently imbibed from her nine-year-old grandson, stagnation simply is a non-existent vocabulary for a spirit like her.

Iyer references the evergreen Rajesh Khanna from the film Anand, “Babu Moshai, Zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahi.” Her mantra in life is ‘K.H.O.J – Search within. Move, heal and rediscover yourself.’ 

In September 2023, Veena Iyer was one of the honorees at 58 Over 58, a collaborative initiative between WisdomCircle, an age-tech platform that connects senior experienced professionals with meaningful opportunities, and INK, a community platform.

Retirement? What’s that?

Putting An Expertise To Work

For Duraiswamy, a humble septuagenarian, a second inning came about in the form of banking on his expertise in the field of design consultancy for structural buildings to start his independent firm in Koramangala, Bangalore.

Duraiswamy, a Silver Talkies Club member, had no reservations about advancing the career he had devoted his entire life to when he retired from Mecon Limited 20 years ago as a general manager. After he retired, the very next day his wish to promote his skills came true due to a strategy he developed at Mecon.

Flooded with work, Duraiswamy shies away from the title of a workaholic when asked about his consistent work ethic. He believes rest must be part of one’s retired life, as long you don’t retire internally. In his free time, he coaches his granddaughters in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. A believer in giving back, he takes great pride and joy in tutoring civil engineering students who seek his guidance in securing internships in the field of designing steel structures. Duraiswamy says he has counselled over 100 engineers who are now well-settled, drawing an income of more than a lakh per month. 

Duraiswamy takes pride in his work. “Earlier, people have designed several structures. In a lot of places, I’ve found that those structures have failed. So, I rectified some of those things. And the clients were very happy with the results. I am very happy and it is memorable for me. A huge bunker in JSW failed, which I rectified recently. The happiness of the clients gives me great satisfaction and strengthens my confidence in designing any structures in the steel field,” he tells Silver Talkies.

At 78 and 74 years old, Duraiswamy and Iyer have no plans to stop their second-inning pursuits. According to them, there is no dearth of job opportunities for people looking to pursue their passions, so why even entertain the thought of stopping when you reach a certain age and are at the height of your skill? What one truly needs is just a nudge of inspiration to actively explore their area of interest and talk to people, build contacts not just for work, but also to combat loneliness, a common factor for urban many older adults.

Duraiswamy believes that the so-called “old geezers” are much more proficient in the fundamentals of expertise area and that one just has to search for a vocation or profession suited to their capabilities. There is no dearth of learning channels to upskill yourself either. “There are several platforms like Udemy offering certification courses, Coursera and the British Council, for anyone inclined towards social activity. My best friend, who took to writing recently sold her book on Amazon and it even won a prize,” Iyer adds.

Still, feeling hesitant? Take the leap of faith, we’re sure you’ll find all those myths of ageing becoming obsolete, one step at a time.

Are you pursuing a second inning? Let us know in the comments below