“Hey man, no time to waste on chatter. I have to manure two more rows of ginger,” quipped 93-year-old M M Varkey, even as he drank the rice gruel brought by his wife Annamma and ventured into the field, wiping sweat from his forehead.

Varkey, of Myalumadam in Kothanalloor, Kottayam,  just cannot sit idle even at this age. He works tirelessly on his land, making a living without depending on anyone, proving that age is just a number. Giving him company is his wife, 88-year-old Annamma.

A working life that took root at 15
He started working in the fields at the age of 15 and continues to do so even today. He married Annakutty, a member of the Thoppil family in Kanjirathanam, when he was 17. The couple has nine children, all of whom are now well- settled. Varkey lives in the house of his youngest son Biju, who is abroad with his family, leaving the elderly couple alone. Another son, Immanual, resides nearby.

Varkey owns an 80-cent plot and a small field. His main crops are tapioca, plantain, ginger, and turmeric. He prepares the 60-cent field entirely on his own. Household expenses, he says, are met through paddy cultivation. 

After having some rice porridge in he morning, Varkey heads to the field and works until the afternoon. Once Annamma joins him midway, the two sit under the shade and chat for a while before resuming work.

He once supplemented his income by rearing cattle and pigs. Varkey studied up to class five but could not continue further due to circumstances at the time, as he had to help his father with farm work.

Working on, as long as health allows
Varkey has lived his entire life through hard work, without facing major difficulties. His desire is to continue working as long as his health allows. Apart from a slight hearing loss, he has no other ailments. His wife Annamma too remains healthy.

When asked why he keeps working even at this age, Varkey smiles and says: “I would not have lasted till this age had I not worked.”