Kendrapara: Age is just a number and this statement has been proven by many people time and again. Some people are old at 18 and some are young at 90. This time, an octogenarian from Kendrapara’s Rajkanika block has proved that age doesn’t matter when it comes to learning.
Defying age conventions, 82-year-old Gopinath Biswal from Meghapur village in Rajkanika block has achieved the remarkable feat of completing his Master of Arts (MA) degree in Odia from Sambalpur University.
A retired school teacher with a four-decade-long career, Biswal’s passion for learning knows no bounds. After passing Class VII, he began teaching at Dengasarga Ashram Primary School in Sambalpur in 1959. While working, he pursued higher education privately, earning his HSC, IA, BA, and B.Ed degrees.
In a brief conversation with Ommcom News, Biswal shared his inspiring story which is a testament to the power of determination and the pursuit of knowledge. Despite facing financial difficulties and family responsibilities, Biswal’s desire for higher education never wavered.
During his four-decade-long career as a teacher, Biswal worked in many schools in Sambalpur and Kendrapara districts. He retired at the age of 58 in 2000 as a headmaster. In 2022, Biswal enrolled in the MA (Odia) course at Sambalpur University.
As people age, they limit themselves by not looking for the things that matter. But Biswal is an exception. Despite being a father to four children and grandfather to five children, he wanted to pursue a master’s degree which for an elderly person is unthinkable.
“I believe learning has no age limit,” asserts Biswal.
“My desire to learn and grow has only intensified with time. My conviction is rooted in the idea that education empowers individuals, fostering personal growth and influencing others. My journey was incomplete without challenges. Financial constraints and family duties forced me to put my academic aspirations on hold. However, I never relinquished my dream of becoming a postgraduate. With unwavering determination, I enrolled in the MA course and passed with flying colours”, he signed off.
