education

Updated: Jan 31, 2019 08:03 IST

For 81-year-old Isha Ghosh, age is just a number. With her enthusiasm intact, Ghosh has successfully defied the barriers of age to keep herself busy in conducting special physical training classes in schools. As a state committee member of Bharat Scouts and Guides (BSG), she has been helping school students to stay mentally and physically fit for several decades now.

Ghosh, who hails from Chaibasa, provides training to school students during BSG camps. She spends eight hours in the day conducting physical training. In order to stay fit, she herself walks around seven kilometres in the town daily and conducts physical training programmes in different schools in the city. Ghosh also conducts drills on Japanese music, climbing and yoga, inspiring kids to lead a disciplined life.

Ghosh has been residing at the Scout and Guide residential campus in Chaibasa since 2003. She meets her daily expenditure with marginal remuneration given by the BGS, while local residents help her out during special needs.

“Sitting idly at home is not good and one should do something for the society till one’s last breath. Since joining BSG in 1963, I have been helping people to remain mentally and physically fit. Service to the society is like a religion for a BSG member. After completing eight decades of life, I love to serve the society and it gives me inner satisfaction,” Ghosh said.

Ghosh, daughter of late army personnel Vibhuti Bhushan Ghosh, was born in Kolkata in 1938 and completed her graduation from Lucknow. She has been associated with BSG for the last 56 years, back when she started out as a guide in 1963.

Suresh Singh, west Singhbhum district secretary of BSG, said the woman is an icon of physical fitness. “The district administration should come forward to provide her financial support for a comfortable life,” he added.

Aseem Kumar Singh, science teacher in Nagarpalika Bangla Madhya Vidyalay, said school students highly enjoy the training sessions by Ghosh. Students were inspired by her training and her fitness even at this age, he added.