She’s still going strong at 100
A woman celebrate her 100 year-old birthday at Medan Damansara. AZMAN GHANI / The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: Her appetite for curry, sweetappam, thosai and durians is still as voracious at the age of 100.
As B. Amaloo Veerappan does not have any dietary restrictions, she eats all her meals like the rest of the family – whether it is nasi lemak or chicken curry.
Although her eyesight has deteriorated slightly, the centenarian can still walk around the house without any aid.
Her youngest daughter-in-law, Uma K. Nair, 60, said Amaloo had a great memory and would even remind her about appointments and weddings to attend.
“Apart from her daily pills for high blood pressure, doctors have given her a perfect bill of health,” she said.
She said one of Amaloo’s great-grandchildren who lives in the same house, as well as another who lives nearby, were her daily source of “entertainment”.
“Playing and spending time with the young children keeps her happy and entertained,” she said.
Amaloo celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at their home yesterday with five generations of her family flying in from various parts of the world.
Amaloo was born in Bukit Mertajam on Oct 2, 1916.
She has eight children, 24 grandchildren, 40 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
“My mother did not work. My father had four or five cows and he would rent out bullock carts to people in the village,” she said.
She got married at the age of 19 to her husband K. Ramayah, who worked at a coconut mill in Penang.
After her husband died in 1970, Amaloo stayed with her youngest son R. Gowrisan.
They later moved to Kuantan where her son worked as an administrative and diplomatic (PTD)officer.
While she did not keep a full-time job, Amaloo recalls selling appam to earn additional income while her children were growing up.
“Those days, we earned very little. It was hard to find jobs.”
Over the years, Amaloo has travelled to the United States, Australia, India and Thailand with her family.
Many of her grandchildren have migrated overseas.
“My advice for my family and all the young children is that they must study hard because education is very important these days,” she said.
