In what could make him the oldest surviving person in the world, a man in Indian administered Kashmir has claimed that that he is 141 years old.

New Delhi, July 22/Nationalturk- A man in Indian administered Kashmir has claimed that that he is 141 years old.

Feroz-ud-Din Mir son of Mattuli Mir of Bijhama village in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district in Indian administered Kashmir has claimed that he is 141 years old.

His Date of Birth as per his birth certificate is March 10, 1872.

If his Date of Birth certificate, which has been signed and counter signed by atleast four persons including Dr A.M Rather, Tehsildar Uri, Village guard and Numberdar (Village head),  proves to be correct, then it would make him world’s oldest surviving person.

If Feroz’s claim proves to be correct then it would make him 26 years older than Misao Okawa,the 115-year-old current record holder.

He would also overtake Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment as the oldest person to have ever lived. She had died in 1997 at the age of 122.

Feroz can still walk, talk in broken voice

Despite his age, Feroz can still walk on his despite although he is suffering from some ailments. He is presently undergoing treatment in Baramulla hospital.

His family members said he can talk in a broken voice. “His eyesight has faded with time but he can recognize family members and the voices of his great grandchildren”.

He has married five times, has over 10 children

According to Srinagar-based fortnightly magazine Kashmir Life, Feroz started his business with the help of his father and married for the first time in Pakistan to a local Punjabi girl, somewhere in early 1890s.  Overall he has married five times. He has more than 10 children, who live in Kashmir and Pakistan.

“There were no boundaries between India and Pakistan at that time. It was easy to go to Muzaffarbad, present capital of Pakistan administered Kashmir, than to Srinagar, summer capital of Indian administered Kashmir. I used to work with a business family in Karachi, who would buy nuts from me. I would take nuts from Kashmir, which were very famous in Karachi,”  said Feroz, who speaks in Pahari.

After the death of his first wife, he moved back to his native place in Bijhama, Uri.

His present wife, Misra, is still alive and is more than 60-year-old.

“Life was not as complex as it is today. In early days there was no concept of electricity and all the other comforts. As the life started becoming easy, people couldn’t live easily with each other,” Feroz said.

Feroz’s youngest son Parvaiz Ahmad said his father had told them about the 1880s earth quake that rocked and destroyed Sopore and Pattan area of north Kashmir.

He said his father also recounted the time when Pakistani raiders went to Kashmir in the late 19th Century.

Feroz’s grandson Abdul Rashid said his grandfather’s health had declined in past 10 years. “We used to hear so many stories from him when we were young”.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News

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