At 79, Bengalurean globetrotter conquers Antarctica

By Choodie Shivaram
This 79-year-old Bengalurean has found a joyous way of defying age. Arkalgud Padmanabha, an avid globetrotter, recently returned from a 10-day cruise to Antarctica where he felt "on the top of the world at the bottom of the earth."

"I'd travelled to five continents; only South America and Antarctica were left. I wanted to set foot on them while my limbs were still cooperating," says Padmanabha. It was a promotional offer by a private expedition agency that made his dream come true.

"I was excited about being in a wonderland of snow, ice, glaciers, icebergs, penguins, whales, seals as well as Antarctic birds. It was a mesmerizing experience," says the resident of Yelahanka, north Bengaluru.

The cruise was not hassle-free; the passage between Cape Horn and Antarctica, a notoriously treacherous stretch of sea called the Drake Passage, sets hearts (and stomachs) of even experienced mariners churning.

But nothing shook this intrepid explorer.

"Most of the passengers became seasick for a couple of days when the ship was tossed by the rough sea. I went through only one bout of nausea and was advised by the doctor on-board to ignore it. The next day I was fit and fine." Warm clothing was another challenge.

"Conditioning oneself to layers of cold-fighting clothing, long socks and knee-high muck boots tends to be an ordeal, but we get accustomed to it. Adjusting to food is another aspect that helps if one is willing. Even a finicky Indian vegetarian can adjust to a spread of bread, croissants, cheese, salads, fruits and milk," Padmanabha says.

The septuagenarian, who held senior positions with ITC and Bhadrachalam Paper Board, diligently planned for the trip. "I started preparing two months ahead. A self-designed exercise regimen and dietary changes kept my diabetes in check."

A gym trainer advised him to take cod liver oil, a glass of milk, boiled egg whites, goat leg soup and exercise regularly to strengthen his bones.

When not travelling, the sprightly pensioner has nary a free day. Padmanabha is a veteran theatre actor whose love for the stage is everlasting. After 53 years, he recently returned to stage, starring in Undadi Gunda with the Green Room Group. He's also an avid philatelist and numismatist, and has a collection of coins from the Victorian era.

Padmanabha is concerned about social issues and is associated with the Yelahanka New Town Citizens Forum and a few schools for the visually impaired. He is part of the rejuvenation drive of Puttenahalli lake too. "Whatever I may do, my debt to my motherland remains in arrears," says Padmanabha, who dreams of exploring Russia, North and South Korea, and wall-less East Berlin.