As a child, Mala Mansukhani observed her mother's actions intently. Having had to leave everything behind in the partition, her mother led a rough childhood and even rougher married life. She was bringing up four daughters singlehandedly while also working to provide for them.
Despite the hardships, Mala’s mother would care for and feed their elderly neighbor they called dada. There may have been little to go around but there was always something for everyone at her home. "It was a spiritual experience," recalls Mala, now 63. "My mom never went to temples but always believed in being selfless and serving others."
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Unbeknownst to her, this incident would play a huge hand in her founding and running Grow Younger, a movement to help senior citizens stay healthy and robust—physically and mentally.
Targeted at women above the age of 50, Grow Younger works on the idea of holistic development of the mind, body and soul. For the women associated with the cause, Mala hosts multiple health workshops and workout sessions on a regular basis. One day could be a dawn yoga class; the other a more energetic intense workout class; or a Zumba class!
The idea that senior citizens are in their twilight years and must spend their time just sitting in one place to atrophy repels Mala. In her 60s herself, Mala is a personification of the cool grandma example. She has tattoos, hits the gym nearly every day and is a fitness icon and model. The only grandma to walk the ramp and participate in Mrs Gladrags 2006, she was awarded the Mrs Courage title for an extraordinarily-led life.
Recently, as part of Grow Younger’s endeavours, she tied up with fashion designer and socialite Rohit K. Verma for a fashion show called Vrridh that saw a special line of outfits designed for senior women. “The who's who of the Mumbai circuit like RJ Malishka and Tanaaz Irani cheered from the sidelines as 10 women in their 60s and 70s confidently strut down the ramp,” she beams.
Grow Younger also hosted an art workshop that saw choreographer Geeta Kapoor arrive as chief guest, last year.
A cause that's closest to her heart is actually helping out at NGOs and old age homes with whatever she can do. "It's depressing to see the condition of the older populace here in India," she says. "Parents, who have toiled all these years so they can to ensure their children live a fulfilling life are left to languish in pitiful conditions. Parents with no idea where their kids are anymore, no family contact for years, and children unbothered if their parents are even alive. It’s heartbreaking."
Mala has also conducted Nana-Nani, Dada-Dadi adoption drives to bridge the gap between generations. "With nuclear families burgeoning, not only are the grandparents bereft of the love of their grandkids, the younger generation too lacks the care and guidance of their elders. This was my attempt to bridge this gap by kickstarting this virtual adoption drive."
Mala is currently working on a workshop called Speak Up!, the idea for which came to her during some of her existing sessions. She realised seniors would often hold their thoughts back to keep peace at home. This bottling up of emotions can often take a toll physically and mentally. A series of exercises aimed at getting participants in touch with their emotions for more effective communication is the plan.
As she works on creating a structured program for this workshop, Mala tells us she's targeting corporate setups first. Why? "To be honest, everyone needs this. I hope to bring Speak Up! to even schools and colleges. But for now, having myself led a professional life, I realise the need for such a program in the corporate structure," Mala says.
The program hopes to not just allow for a structured release of feelings and resentment but also looks to prepare people to take feedback constructively. "Sometimes it isn't just enough to vent. The person opposite to you must be in the right frame of mind to accept your thoughts so you can build a more positive relationship moving forward," she signs off.
You can follow Mala’s endeavours on Instagram on @grow.younger and @malamansukhani
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