For generations, the Indian concept of ageing, particularly for women, has been synonymous with vanaprastha – a quiet retreat from active life, often a forced surrender into the background. But a powerful new narrative is emerging, led by a group of spirited women in their seventh, eighth, and even ninth decades. These 'Rebel Grannies' are not trying to defy age; they are simply leading engaged, potent lives on their own terms, inviting everyone to reimagine the possibilities of later years.
From Ghoonghat to Gym: The Weightlifting Dadi of Bhiwani
For most of her life in Bhiwani, Haryana, 71-year-old Roshni Devi Sangwan lived behind a ghoonghat, her identity tied to marital customs and endless chores. "I never felt the need to look into a mirror," she recalls. Today, the world knows her as 'Weightlifter Mummy,' a woman with a radiant smile who deadlifts 105 kg, leg presses 120 kg, and performs 60 kg squats.
Her journey began at 69, guided by her physical instructor son, Ajay. Battling osteoarthritis and a disc bulge, she started with gentle stretches. Within a year, she mastered heavy weights. "The mind is the only champion," says Sangwan, who now aims for defined abs and has been invited to the World Strength Games in the US in May 2026.
She follows a strict 1,500-calorie diet, sleeps by 9:30 PM, and spends two hours daily at the gym, inspiring young boys around her. "I do it only to tell women there are no limits to the body and mind if they choose not to entrap themselves," she states, challenging the notion that ageing means irrelevance.
Building Startups and Political Power in the Silver Years
Far from the gym, other women are building empires and political influence. 71-year-old Rekha Mody, from the industrialist family that built Modinagar, launched the 'She Leads' programme in 2021 to groom women politicians. Her mission is to see more women in leadership, believing they can end divisive politics.
"We teach them PR strategies, how to manage their media image, master AI platforms, and work within party hierarchies," Mody explains. Her work has empowered 300 women in Kashmir to articulate issues like women's entrepreneurship in healthcare and combating the drug menace.
In Mumbai, 66-year-old Meenakshi Menon turned a moment of ageist insult at an iPhone store into a mission. She founded a startup and launched the Gen S Life app, a curated service platform for the elderly. For an annual subscription of Rs 990, it offers services from booking ambulances and concierges to mental health workshops and fraud prevention advice.
"Gen S is generation smart, savvy, stubborn, and self-reliant," Menon says. The app also provides offline community meet-ups in parks to combat loneliness, proving "joy is not complicated or costly, it's spunky."
Backpacking the Globe at 80: Sisters on a Spiritual Trail
Proving that adventure has no expiry date, sisters Valsala Menon (86) and Ramani Menon (84) from Wadakkanchery, Thrissur, are seasoned global backpackers. After losing their husbands, they decided to stay together and travel, starting with pilgrimages in their 70s.
They have since explored Kashmir, Southeast Asia (Singapore, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam), and Europe, with trips often planned by Ramani's daughter, Bindhu. "We may be slow during tough climbs, but we reach the destination at our pace," says Ramani. As vegetarians, they stick to simple foods, proving you can explore the world while staying true to yourself.
Their travels have given them immense confidence and a platform to inspire other women in their local communities to have their own 'self-starting' moments.
Together, these women – Roshni, Rekha, Meenakshi, Valsala, and Ramani – are crafting a bold, new blueprint for ageing in India. They are not raging against the dying of the light but are instead turning up its intensity, showing that the later years can be a time of unprecedented growth, strength, and spirited adventure.
