Rambai Maan, a runaway success at 106

The Indian athlete, who only started running when she was 104, has won 21 gold medals and five trophies in national competitions

Rambai Maan displays her gold medals. Photo: The Maan family

Rambai Maan is living proof that age is just a number.

Popularly known as “super granny”, the 106-year-old was feted by the New Delhi government this month for her exemplary contribution to Indian sports, the honour adding yet another feather to the centurion’s well-plumed cap.

The matriarch’s professional athletic career took off in June 2021 at the ripe old age of 104, when she ran 100m and 200m sprint races at the National Masters Athletics Championship in Vadodara, Gujarat.

After the sporting event, the centurion became an overnight social media sensation. Top ministers congratulated her, while young girls tweeted how they aspired to be like her. A runaway success, literally, Maan has since bagged 21 golds and five trophies in national events across various states including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala.

“It’s been two years since I started taking part in professional competitions and it feels great to win. Youngsters ask for selfies with me,” Maan tells The National during a video call from her village, Kadma, in the northern Indian state of Haryana. The state has produced some of India’s best sportspeople, including Olympian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra.

Born on January 1, 1917 when India was still under British rule, the matriarch’s biggest cheerleaders are her daughter Santra Devi, granddaughter Sharmila Sangwan, and great-granddaughter Jasmine Gahlwat. “My granddaughter Sharmila, who is also a runner and regularly participates in athletics meetings, has been a big motivator. She handles my tournament schedules and drives me to all practice sessions,” Maan says.

Sangwan says the entire Maan family consists of proud sportspeople, who have won numerous awards and prizes. “But we’re most proud of granny’s achievements. She’s a source of inspiration for all of us. What I love most about her is her childlike enthusiasm. I feel blessed to help her achieve her ambitions at this age when most people lead retired lives.”

Ever since Maan’s husband, Nihal Singh, died 25 years ago, she has been living with her two septuagenarian sons. “My four daughters and my grandkids visit me often. We’re very tight as a family and love spending time together. I love singing bhajans [hymns] and folk songs, and cooking for them when we’re all together. We laugh a lot and eat good food,” Maan says.

The athlete adds that she “feels blessed” to have witnessed six generations of her family in her lifetime. “I’ve attended the marriages of my great grandsons and held their kids in my arms. What more can a grandmother ask for?” she says.

“People keep asking me about the secret of my health, and I tell them it is my loving family. Also, if you live a physically active life, it keeps you healthy. Even at this age, I face no medical issues like arthritis, diabetes, blood pressure. I take no medicines.”

Conscious of her fitness and diet, she is particular about drinking only buffalo milk, which her family feels is the secret to her super-fit physique. “Also, instead of rice or wheat, which she steers clear of, granny prefers bread made from super-grain millet. She consumes 500g of curd and 250g of ghee every day in addition to eating a portion of churma [an Indian dessert made from flour, ghee and sugar]. She consumes only organic produce grown in the village,” Sangwan adds.

A busy schedule means Maan gets up at the crack of dawn to work in the fields, cook and do all the household chores. This is followed by running four kilometres around the village.

“Ever since I’ve been participating in tournaments, fellow villagers always stop me to ask what I’m up to next. They keep track of my competitions and also tell me they follow articles on me. This motivates me to do my best,” she says.

Staying active, participating in social and community gatherings, celebrating festivals and helping others whenever possible further gives her strength, Maan says. Despite her phenomenal success, however, the going hasn’t been smooth for the matriarch. “Corporate sponsorship is hard to come by, especially for women athletes in the country … and at her age. But we do our best to make granny happy,” Sangwan says.

Maan’s success has spurred her to set her sights on international competitions now, and she hopes to get her passport soon.

“While running at home is great, I’m keen to bring international laurels to my country as well,” she says. “All you need is passion to excel. If you have that, nothing can stop you.”