Narayan Poddar, a sixty-year-old man, looks upon a group of attentive students. Taking them back sixty years, he begins to tell them stories of his days as a student. His audience is the Jamtara Deputy Commissioner, Faiz Ahmed Mumtaz, who is listening with rapt attention.

Mumtaz has been instrumental in setting up block-level clubs in each of Jharkhand’s six blocks. Through these clubs, the elderly can spend time together and share their sorrows and joys. Poddar, the president of the elders club in Narayanpur block, is one of the many who benefit.

About 10% of Jharkhand’s population (nine lakh) is over the age of sixty. With these clubs, the elderly can engage in activities like reading, playing board games and watching television, combatting loneliness and sharing stories.

Mumtaz’s efforts were recognized and he was awarded The Indian Express Excellence in Governance Awards. The biennial awards recognize the outstanding work done by District Magistrates, men and women who are regarded as the backbone of the government and who direct change that affects the lives of countless people all over the nation.

The cost of renovating each building for the club was 3-3.5 lakhs, with other amenities such as TVs and refrigerators being crowd-sourced.

Each of the 25 members at the Narayanpur club takes on the responsibility to maintain the club.  While some people clean, others water the plants, and some people, like Poddar, chat with the occasional visitor. They all have stories to tell, which is something they have in common.

Poddar remarks, “I talk to my friend. I try to understand what his faith is. He tries to understand mine.”

The block-level clubs in Jharkhand are a gift of togetherness, bringing the elderly out of loneliness and offering them a platform to share their wisdom and experiences.