He has the will and enthusiasm of a teenager and at the age of 64, he has returned to college to study law.
Jai Gopal Tiwari, a retired Indian Air Force serviceman, now sits on the wooden bench, along with 20-year-olds, at the Deena Ram Public Law College in Robertsganj in Sonebhadra district to take lessons in law.
“There is no reason for me to feel embarrassed or inferior in class. Learning is an endless process and one continues learning all his life. I feel sorry for those who think learning process must stop at a particular age,” he said.
Mr Tiwari, who has two well-settled sons, is enrolled in a law course because he wants to help the poor.
“I have seen that poor people often suffer because they are ignorant about the laws and cannot afford legal aid. They lose their land, are embroiled in court cases and are often duped by unscrupulous lawyers. I thought that if I have a law degree in my hand, I can .at least, offer legal consultancy to such people,” he explained and added that he had to study hard to clear the entrance examination for the law course.
Mr Tiwari, a resident of Meerut district, has taken a room on rent to complete his studies in Sonebhadra.
“My sons were initially sceptical about my returning to the classroom at this age but my wife was extremely supportive. She even helped me make notes for the entrance examination,” he recalled.
Mr Tiwari further said that he does not feel odd hanging out with students who are one-third of his age. “In fact, while sitting in the canteen, I get to know the latest gossip, the latest trend and even the mindset of the youth. It is fun while it lasts,” he added. Talking about his stint in the Indian Air Force, Mr Tiwari said that he joined the force as an aircraftsman in 1963.