The 90 year old Dad August 28, 2007

That’s right, a 90 year old man is the proud new father of a bouncing baby girl. Well he’s hardly new actually is he? I was pointed in the direction of this story by ymiss after struggling to come up with ideas for posts (and now I have 2 today, woo!) and needless to say we both “eewwwww-ed” it to within an inch of its life last night.

Source: timesonline

The world’s oldest new dad has fathered his 21st child at the age of 90 and he says that he plans to continue breeding for at least another decade.

Nanu Ram Jogi, a farmer in the Indian state of Rajasthan, cannot remember exactly how many children he has produced with his four wives, but estimates that he has twelve sons, nine daughters and at least twenty grandchildren.

“Women love me,” he boasted as dozens of relatives came to see his 14-day-old daughter, Girija Rajkumari. “I want to have more children. I can survive another few decades and want to have children till I am 100. Then maybe it will be time to stop.”

Mr Jogi married his first wife, Lalki, in 1942 when he was 25, the world was at war and India was still five years away from gaining independence from Britain. He fathered his eldest daughter, Sita Devi, a year later.

He married his second wife, Punni, when he was 50 and his third marriage, to Rukman, came 20 years later in 1987. He married his current wife, Saburi, in 1997 when he was 80 and India’s economic boom was beginning to get under way.

Saburi, who is 50 and has given him seven children, was previously married to his eldest son, Shiv Lal, who died ten years ago.

“At first I didn’t want to stay here after my husband died,” she said. “It was a bad time and I was going to go back to my family, but Nanu insisted. He promised to look after me and said he would take care of my family, so I stayed and now we have seven children.”

So what is Mr Jogi’s secret? “I eat all kinds of meat: rabbits, lamb, chicken and wild animals,” he said. “There is a dense forest around the village. I go hunting most days and eat whatever I catch. Lots of food is my secret to staying healthy. I will survive another few decades to take care of these kids!”

Ok there’s so many things wrong with this article I can’t even begin. First of all lets get it out the way, a 90 year old? Eewwww. Ok now that’s over with lets to some serious breaking down. The dude is 90, he’ll live max to, lets be optimistic, say 105 and dying of natural causes? So this poor kid gets to see her father painfully succumb to death while she’s a teen. Not to mention he won’t be able to give her his “best” whilst bringing her up because he’s so old. Maybe I’m being ethnocentric, using fatherly ideals that I’m familiar with which aren’t prevalent in India but the mothers hardly a spring chicken herself either is she?

Next thing: he can’t remember exactly how many children he has. Oh wonderful. Nominee for best father in the world anyone? He’s 90, so his memory probably isn’t in it’s best shape so we can forgive him for that but he’s still having kids! How are they going to feel if he can’t even remember how many he’s had?I mean, my mum always calls me by my sisters name which is annoying itself but this guy’s not even going to remember a number! He’s not even going to be able to say “Hey you! Child #16! Make me a cup of chaa will you?” because he doesn’t know which one they are.

The mother used to be his daughter in law…. :-l

I suppose it is quite incredible really, he’s 90 and has managed to produce a child naturally and goes hunting most days to catch dinner. Most 90 year olds over here don’t know their names. Quality of life when you’re older then is definitely better “over there”!

Kidding aside though, how would you feel if you were in that family? There must be tonnes of attention seekers. I suppose birthdays are quite fun though, they’ll get craploads of presents. But lets face it, French lessons for the kids are going to be a nightmare aren’t they?

Teacher: ‘Ow manyy brutherrss an’ seesters do you ‘ave?

Kid: Erm, J’ai erm, vant et erm one freres and erm seesters…je…think anyway.

Teacher: Silly girl! Zat is most reediculous! Do not lie!

Kid: Erm, non it ees not. Je erm, ees telling ze truth

Teacher: Bladdy hell! C’est incredible! Mangetout mangetout

Kid: Err…Oui oui. Citroen Xsara.

(I wasn’t very good at French, I spent most of my lessons moving from one side of the classroom to the other)