Mauritius: Mrs Chundramah Pydiah, born on 18 October 1922, celebrated her 100th birthday yesterday in Chamouny.
An official ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity to honour the new centenarian. Mrs Pydiah received, from the authorities, a cheque amounting to Rs 26, 203; a centenarian medal; a Cookware Set; a gift from the Senior Citizens Council; and a cheque to the tune of Rs 10,000 from the National Solidarity Fund.
The centenarian, who comes from the village of Dagotière, resides at Vishnu Mandir Road in Chemin Grenier. Her father, Mr Cantiah Naucaya, was an artisan at Mont Desert Alma Sugar Estate and her mother, Mrs Assiravadoo Polamah, worked as a labourer. The family comprised 14 children, ten daughters and four sons. Only one sister, aged 90, is still alive.
She never attended school. She was religiously and civilly married to Mr Mootalloo Pydiah at the age of 25 in 1947. She had five children, four sons and one daughter. She has twenty-three grandchildren and twenty-four great-grandchildren. Her husband passed away in 1988, and Mrs Pydiah became a widow at the age of 66.
Mrs Chundramah Pydiah is non-vegetarian and likes to eat fish curry. She attributes her longevity to hard work and her faith in the Almighty.
Her great grandson was also present there, and celebrated her birthday and also wished her on his Twitter account by writing, “My great grandmother arrived in Slemani alone at the age of six fleeing the #seferberlik from Wan around 1914. Her wish was to visit home one day, and she couldn’t. We don’t know if she was Kurdish or Armenian.
