SHIMLA: For six-and-a-half decades, retired school teacher Shyam Saran Negi, 98, has voted in every single election in Himachal Pradesh, whether Lok Sabha or panchayat.

Feted by Google during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he voted at the nearest polling booth, making him the ambassador of democracy in the country.

But this record-breaking streak may finally end with age catching up with the first voter of Independent India.

Negi is still keen to vote in Himachal Pradesh’s panchayat elections on January 1.

But his relatives say given his frail health, even the two-km walk to the polling booth in Kinnaur’s Kalpa village may be a tough ask.

A resident of Kalpa, located at around 10,000 feet above sea level, Negi had on October 25, 1951 created history by becoming the first Indian to vote in the first Lok Sabha elections.

Considering harsh winter and early snowfall, voting in Kinnaur was held on October 25 while the rest of India balloted in January-February 1952.

Surma Devi, Negi’s daughter-in-law, said he is finding it difficult to walk because of paining legs.

“His health is not very good,” she said. “We hope that on January 1 he manages to walk up to the polling station but everything depends on his health.”

Last year, Negi had become a household name after a Google video showed him narrating story of the 1951 election when he walked to a polling station despite heavy snowfall.

Negi had sent the message of pride in voting and said he would never let his enthusiasm ebb.