HelpAge India launches the ‘AdvantAge60: Powering Aspirations’ campaign, redefining ageing with power & promise for elders to lead Active, Enabled & Empowered lives.

HelpAge marks ‘International Day of Older Persons 2025’ with its campaign ‘AdvantAge60: Powering Aspirations – Active, Enabled & Empowered,’ to celebrate the strength, resilience, and untapped potential of India’s elders, challenging stereotypes of ageing and showcasing how life after sixty can be a vibrant stage of active engagement and fulfilment. It was launched in the presence of Guest of Honour, the inimitable Raghubir Yadav, renowned artist, actor, singer, musician, across theatre & the cinematic space.

The Chief Guest was Pune based centenarian, former ISRO Scientist and Padma Bhushan Awardee the distinguished Professor E.V. Chitnis, who started the Indian Space Research programme along with Mr. Vikram Sarabhai. His presence filled the room, as he joined the event virtually, sharing excerpts from his amazing 100-year-journey.

“I don’t know the secret to good health or long life. What I do know is, that I pursued my work and research with great determination, often through many struggles. We began space science research with a vision to help India excel. No one instructed us, we simply seized the opportunities before us. Today’s youth are confident and clear about what they want to do, just as we were. What they need is an enabling environment that allows them to flourish.” says Chitnis.

Many elders feel able and want to continue contributing and working in their later years, an earlier 2022 HelpAge report revealed, that 40% of them wanted to be employed for ‘as long as possible.’

A research study done earlier this year by the organization on understanding perceptions on ageing, stated that most youth of today perceive elders as being ‘dependent" (48%), but on the other hand also ‘wise’ (51%) and ‘respected’ (43%).

“It is vital that we recognize the potential and promise of life after sixty. Today, a growing number of senior citizens aspire to remain active, engaged and valued - not be seen as dependents but as contributing members of society. They seek opportunities to work, start ventures, volunteer, mentor and to share their wealth of experience - yet the platforms available for them remain limited. This makes it imperative for us to build an enabling environment across every sphere - in policy, in workplaces, and within communities. AdvantAge 60 is a call-to-action for all stakeholders to make this possible. We must create meaningful channels for elders to apply their lifelong learnings, wisdom and skills. Let age not become a barrier, but instead reimagine ageing as a stage of life with a renewed purpose, filled with possibilities” says Mr. Rohit Prasad, CEO, HelpAge India.

In the true spirit of the theme of the day, the event was led by 78-year-old Mr. Kiran Karnik, a man who has worn multiple hats in life: a leading role in the IT sector, introducing Discovery Channel in India and S. Asia, and over two decades in ISRO focusing on applications of space technology, amongst other roles. Now, a writer and columnist passionately interested in public policy and strategy, he feels strongly about the elder cause and currently is the Chairperson of HelpAge India.

 “Today’s theme ‘AdvantAge60: Powering Aspirations’ is extremely close to my heart. I think the first step is towards making any impactful change is a change in mindset, whereby elders are seen as an asset and not a burden. Improvements in medicine, science, and healthcare have resulted in longevity now taking centre stage, and the concept of “active ageing”. The proportion and number of elders in our population will practically double over the next 25 years, creating a major demographic shift. While we are currently benefitting from the youth bulge in our population (the "demographic dividend"), imagine the impact if we could add to that the contribution of nearly 140 million elderly! All it needs is some training or skilling in appropriate areas for these seniors, appropriate opportunities and, of course, elder-focused healthcare. The promise of how this can change (and improve) lives, community and industry, is truly unimaginable. The elders lived experiences can be such a rich resource bank for generations to tap into. What is required is a systemic change in how we approach elder needs, and the creation of avenues for them to realise their potential, so that we add life to their years and not just years to their life” says Karnik, Chairperson, HelpAge India. 

The day was also marked by honouring ‘Super Seniors Achievers’ over the age of 85 years, who have led exemplary & purposeful lives, continue to contribute to society and are a true beacon of active ageing, such as Mrs. Prabhavati Bhagwati (98 years), Mr. J.C. Luther (102 years), Dr. Vinod Kumar (87 years) and Mr. Niren Sengupta (85 years).

Also recognized were the ‘Champions of Change’ who continue to make significant contributions in the elder care and community service space, constantly working towards improving and transforming the lives for the better, such as Dr. Giridhar Prasad Bhagat, Ms. Neelam Mohan, Ms. Meera Khanna, Mr. Alagarathanam Natarajan and Mr. Jiwan Ram Gupta.

The day also featured a panel discussion on ‘Building New Enabling Ecosystems for Elders,’ led by accomplished Speakers such as Mr. Amarjeet Sinha, (IAS), Former Secretary to Govt. of India, with 40+ years of experience advancing rural development, social welfare, and inclusive public policy in India, Ms. Gita Nayyar, finance and strategy professional, angel investor and philanthropist, Dr. A.B. Dey, Former Professor and Head Geriatric Medicine AIIMS, New Delhi, Dr. Mohsin Wali, Cardiologist & Padma Awardee, and Mr. Harbinder Narula, moderated by Mr. Kunal Kishore, Mission - Head – Agecare, HelpAge India.

Through the launch of the campaign, HelpAge plans to further boost its efforts in encouraging active ageing through its own programmes for the elderly, whether it be in the rural or urban space. It has already been actively doing this, through its livelihood & income generation programmes, while also empowering seniors with digital skills, to help them adapt to an ever-evolving digital landscape. To keep elders engaged and healthy in later years, HelpAge is placing strong emphasis on preventive healthcare and extending basic healthcare services through its Mobile Healthcare programme, which reaches some of the most remote corners of the country.