Age-Old Beliefs

Though he is not known for the profundity of his pronouncements, Prince Philip’s latest comment should be heeded at least by the political class in India. After being in public life for well over 60 years as the consort of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh remarked in an interview to mark his 90th birthday this week, “There is an ageism in this country, as everywhere, and quite rightly so, because I think you go downhill — physically, mentally and everything. It's better to get out before you reach the sell-by date.” Considering Britain’s Prime Minister, Deputy PM and Chancellor of the Exchequer are all well under 50, the duke may well feel the weight of age. Our netas suffer no such pangs of mortality, soldiering on in quest of eternal high office and relevance unless ill-health puts a spanner in the works.

No wonder young India’s PM and finance minister are going strong at well over 70, and every party has its evergreen senior league. Indeed, no senescent Indians worth their official bungalows (particularly if they are as spry and brighteyed in their ninth decade as the British prince is) would make the mistake of saying as Philip did, “I reckon I've done my bit, I want to enjoy myself for a bit now. With less responsibility, less rushing about, less preparation, less trying to think of something to say....On top of that your memory's going, I can't remember names. Yes, I'm just sort of winding down.” Despite his son Edward insisting that “he’s still got that fascination and interest and energy” — that can be said about his Indian contemporaries too — Prince Philip’s belief that “you don't really want nonagenarians as heads of organisations which are trying to do something useful” should be given deep consideration. It all depends on the definition of ‘useful’, of course.