A Whet'eran appetite that works

This Bengaluru girl always had a soft spot for the elderly, which began at a very young age as a result of her relationship with her grandma. After contemplating a bit, Dipti Varma Narain had no doubt on what she wanted to do when she set up The Silver Surfers Club (TSSC), a club of like minded Silver Surfers aged 55 and above. Her deep rooted urge to help seniors reach out to a target audience with their vocation laid the foundation. It was inspired by her own mother-in-law’s range of sauces, pickles and dips.

“While we started predominantly to showcase and market home businesses run by senior entrepreneurs, we have now grown to customise them. We curate Silver Getaways for members of the club keeping their wish list destinations in mind — in India and around the world, organise monthly networking meets and workshops to ensure that our members continue to stay socially active and networked, and our popular Silver Bazaars, where they interact in real time. I want to change the face of ageing and bridge the generation gap by offering the members an active and engaging platform to age in a dignified manner,” shares the young lady who loves to spend quality time with her silver haired friends.

We stay clear of the word senior citizen as we believe that being awesome has no age. She wants every member of her club to be fun loving and inspiring. “The club is for those people who look to this time of their life to make those dreams a reality, to make new friends and travel the world with them, to find dance partners and simply have a great time. I’m personally a part of every activity, get together, cooking workshop, dance workshop, bazaar and holiday and it is fun. The jokes are as much fun and the company probably more genuine. Be it a sun down swim with fellow member and all of 73 years Veena on our Goan holiday, being lost in the laughter of an 83 year Meera who joined us in Sri Lanka, being the dance partner of Anil at our jive dance workshops or bunking in a dorm in Masinagudi together - I have so many unforgettable and fun experiences,” reveals the youngest in the group, who believes that age is just a number.

A graduate from Christ College, Dipti finds inspiration in their humour and in their zest for life. Sharing some of her fun experiences with the group, she adds, “TSSC finished a fun Lebanese cookalong workshop, a picnic in Cubbon Park coupled with a photoshoot, a dance workshop, karaoke brunches and lots more. We are booked for our getaway to Bhutan and I’m also kicked about our Bazaar at the Royal Orchid Hotel lawns in September this year. My husband Manish Narain has been my biggest support and my sounding board.”