New Delhi, Jan 20: A centenarian couple from a
little village in Himachal Pradesh are making a spirited bid
to enter the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest
surviving pair, even as the clock ticks on.
Thakur Pyara Singh (104) and Hansa Devi (101), married
for 84 years now, approached Guinness when one of the pair
recognised as the oldest living couple died four months after
the 83rd wedding anniversary in the US last year.
However, the record entry is still that of John Rocchio
and Emelia married on February 10, 1923 in Rhode Island.
Emilia died in 2006.
Born on January 5, 1904, Singh married Hansa Devi on may
23, 1924 at Kot Patiala village in Una district of Himachal
Pradesh.
He has been an army pensioner for over 65 years besides
having fought World War II under the British and the couple
have three sons, two daughters and a family strength of 81.
The family approached Guinness but repeated attempts
yielded little results. "I sent relevant details about my
parents to the record office in London," Bishambhar Rana said
over phone from Dharam couple to "fax necessary details to number +44 (0) 2073875098 and wait for a response", he said. The wait is yet not over.
A reminder was sent to the London office this month but
the names of Thakur Pyara Singh and Hansa Devi do not even
figure in the Guinness application system.
"We cannot find anything with those names in our
application system," Guinness PR Manager Amarilis Espinoza
said.
He said the couple must have been provided with a
membership number following their application though Singh's
family denies receiving it so far.
The Guinness Book of World records 2008 is out and the
organisation is already working on 2009 edition. The couple
still holds a fair chance to make it to the book.
Singh and his wife were invited by the Dalai Lama to
attend his birthday celebrations at Mcleodganj in July last
year and were felicitated by the spiritual Tibetan leader
on the occasion.
Bureau Report
