Agewell's Symposium "WISDOM OF OLD AGE"

Under the Series of Symposiums on Needs & Rights of Older Persons

Symposium on  "WISDOM OF OLD AGE"
21st May, 201, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi

Key Speakers:
  • Dr. Shyam Singh Shashi, Renowned Author
  • Prof. Shriniwas Rath, Renowned Sanskrit Writer
  • Ms. Meera Khanna, Social Activist
  • Mrs. Shaina Haider






Wisdom is not inevitably a product of old age, though reaching an old age increases the chances of acquiring the life experience and emotional maturity that nurture wisdom. Wisdom is generally defined as accumulated learning i.e. knowledge, ability to discern inner qualities and relationships, insight, good sense and judgment. These qualities are gained and enhanced through experience. Life experiences alone give older people an edge in the arena of wisdom. Older people have undergone many experiences that help them become insightful.



In India, older people have always been respected as source of wisdom. It is Wisdom of Old Age that makes older persons respectable in the society as well as in their respective families. But with changed socio-economic and demographic scenario older persons are being marginalized in the society. Resultantly, younger generations have fewer opportunities to get benefited from wisdom of old age.



Traditionally, knowledge has been passed on orally from one generation to the other for thousands of years in India. The concept of modern education is a completely new phenomenon. Old people in particular are still a store-house of traditional knowledge.



*                   *                      *



Older persons have never been a spent force. They are treasure trove of life-long wisdom, tradition, culture, knowledge and insight. They may have less knowledge of worldly things, which keep changing every moment, but they have solid insight of real & knowledgeable values, which are permanent in nature and qualities of humanity.



Another aspect of wisdom in our future generations is the acknowledgement of wisdom and the understanding of the same for the betterment of society in the changing demographic communities. Wisdom is taken to be the capacity to realize what is of value in life, for oneself and others. It includes knowledge, understanding and technological know-how.



All of us always must be respectful towards wisdom of old age, and be wise enough to garner the essence of this wisdom to create a better future.




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