8 ms·

Indian man of 100 goes back to university for PhD

95 points by credo 16y ago

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maheshs 16y ago
> "you are never too old to learn" I take my hat off to this man.
henning 16y ago
Another somewhat high profile of completing a PhD later than most is Brian May, guitarist for Queen, who completed his PhD in astrophysics more than 30 years after starting graduate studies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_May#As_an_astrophysicist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_May#As_an_astrophysicist
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
sp4rki 16y ago
This man is trully an inspiration! I'm a developer but I dropped out of college (Finance and Banking) because of great work opportunities a few years ago. I should really go back and get my degree so I can finish before I'm 30. Great article!
known 16y ago
"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." --Mark Twain
mahmud 16y ago
Like any successful PhD, his main drive is vanity :-)
- zixan 16y ago
  Agreed.
- BrandonM 16y ago
  I disagree. See mechanical_fish's comment below: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1811011 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1811011 In a way, it makes more sense for an elder to get a PhD than someone in his youth.
  - mahmud 16y ago
    You missed the part where he said wants a "Dr." prefix before his name. I didn't do any analysis, just took the man on his word.
    - BrandonM 16y ago
      Ahh, my mistake.
      - mahmud 16y ago
        No worries :-)
    - sensemaker 16y ago
      The problem with the statement is 'Like any successful PhD' ... There should be some analysis to back that up.
- hugh3 16y ago
  And like any PhD, the really difficult part will be finishing. More so for him than your average 21-year-old.
vinorathna 16y ago
Great Man!
swah 16y ago
I thought folks here would criticize him from taking the place from someone who would have time to use his knowledge. So why didn't this happen? Do you guys think knowledge has intrinsic value by itself?
- mechanical_fish 16y ago
  The doctoral programme he has embarked on involves field trips, interviews and finally writing a thesis. It doesn't sound like he's necessarily taking the place of anyone. I don't smell a lot of grant money in this kind of research, nor do I see a lot of equipment or lab space being required. And, yes, research has value. If this fellow writes down what he knows, and what he finds out, people in the future will be able to read it. That's creating something of value. Would it be better if this hundred-year-old smart guy took all his knowledge to the grave? Nowadays it's fashionable to think of all education, right up to the Ph.D. level, as a kind of jobs training program, but in fact the traditional point of the Ph.D. isn't to make yourself smarter. It's to make the world smarter by doing some original research and then publishing it.
- philk 16y ago
  Personally, I find the idea that you can still be doing something actually impressive[1] at that age inspirational and gives me hope as I age. [1] By anyone's standards. Not "impressive for a 100 year old."
- robryan 16y ago
  There isn't any guarantee that a young person gaining a PHd won't leave the field or move into a position for the money where there PHd work is irrelevant. The work, providing of enough value to society, will always exist though.
- vog 16y ago
  > Do you guys think knowledge has intrinsic value by itself? While knowledge may have no intrinsic value, the act of learning does! Exciting and satisfying your curiosity is one of the best things you to can do for your brain. And staying mentally healthy in old age is something very valuable. It's definitely better than just watching TV, playing cards or solving crossword puzzles. Learning is more comparable with traveling, but with a lot less stress for the (aged) body. And it's more interactive than just reading, and interactivity is very important, too.
willydaemon 16y ago
When I went to college, it was a little strange to also see older folks (40s-50s) on campus getting their education right next to 18-20somethings. But being a little older now I really have to give this old guy his props. Life doesn't stop just because you're old.

95 points by credo 16y ago

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maheshs 16y ago

> "you are never too old to learn" I take my hat off to this man.

henning 16y ago

Another somewhat high profile of completing a PhD later than most is Brian May, guitarist for Queen, who completed his PhD in astrophysics more than 30 years after starting graduate studies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_May#As_an_astrophysicist http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_May#As_an_astrophysicist

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

sp4rki 16y ago

This man is trully an inspiration! I'm a developer but I dropped out of college (Finance and Banking) because of great work opportunities a few years ago. I should really go back and get my degree so I can finish before I'm 30. Great article!

known 16y ago

"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." --Mark Twain

mahmud 16y ago

Like any successful PhD, his main drive is vanity :-)

zixan 16y ago
Agreed.
BrandonM 16y ago
I disagree. See mechanical_fish's comment below: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1811011 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1811011 In a way, it makes more sense for an elder to get a PhD than someone in his youth.
- mahmud 16y ago
  You missed the part where he said wants a "Dr." prefix before his name. I didn't do any analysis, just took the man on his word.
  - BrandonM 16y ago
    Ahh, my mistake.
    - mahmud 16y ago
      No worries :-)
  - sensemaker 16y ago
    The problem with the statement is 'Like any successful PhD' ... There should be some analysis to back that up.
hugh3 16y ago
And like any PhD, the really difficult part will be finishing. More so for him than your average 21-year-old.

vinorathna 16y ago

Great Man!

swah 16y ago

I thought folks here would criticize him from taking the place from someone who would have time to use his knowledge. So why didn't this happen? Do you guys think knowledge has intrinsic value by itself?

mechanical_fish 16y ago
The doctoral programme he has embarked on involves field trips, interviews and finally writing a thesis. It doesn't sound like he's necessarily taking the place of anyone. I don't smell a lot of grant money in this kind of research, nor do I see a lot of equipment or lab space being required. And, yes, research has value. If this fellow writes down what he knows, and what he finds out, people in the future will be able to read it. That's creating something of value. Would it be better if this hundred-year-old smart guy took all his knowledge to the grave? Nowadays it's fashionable to think of all education, right up to the Ph.D. level, as a kind of jobs training program, but in fact the traditional point of the Ph.D. isn't to make yourself smarter. It's to make the world smarter by doing some original research and then publishing it.
philk 16y ago
Personally, I find the idea that you can still be doing something actually impressive[1] at that age inspirational and gives me hope as I age. [1] By anyone's standards. Not "impressive for a 100 year old."
robryan 16y ago
There isn't any guarantee that a young person gaining a PHd won't leave the field or move into a position for the money where there PHd work is irrelevant. The work, providing of enough value to society, will always exist though.
vog 16y ago
> Do you guys think knowledge has intrinsic value by itself? While knowledge may have no intrinsic value, the act of learning does! Exciting and satisfying your curiosity is one of the best things you to can do for your brain. And staying mentally healthy in old age is something very valuable. It's definitely better than just watching TV, playing cards or solving crossword puzzles. Learning is more comparable with traveling, but with a lot less stress for the (aged) body. And it's more interactive than just reading, and interactivity is very important, too.

willydaemon 16y ago

When I went to college, it was a little strange to also see older folks (40s-50s) on campus getting their education right next to 18-20somethings. But being a little older now I really have to give this old guy his props. Life doesn't stop just because you're old.