Rewriting 60, one country at a time:
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 10 Apr: The Antara senior living community in Dehradun’s Purukul area today flagged off two of its residents — Rajender Kumar Singal (62) and Sangeeta Singal (61) — on their 16,000-km overland journey from India to United Kingdom, in a testament to the spirit of empowered and active ageing that is nurtured here. The Singals will now drive to Gorakhpur—India’s official starting point for the iconic ‘Road to London’ expedition by Adventures Overland—and onwards on their 65-day journey across 40 cities in 20 countries, including China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey and parts of Europe.
Although the official convoy, including eight other participating cars, departs on April 13, the couple received a ceremonial flag-off at their home community, Antara Dehradun, this morning — surrounded by cheering friends, fellow residents, and the entire Antara team.
For Rajender Kumar Singal, a practicing Chartered Accountant with a large practice in New Delhi and Mumbai, this journey represents the rediscovery of a long-shelved dream. “Life after 60 is not an end, Antara made me realise it can be the start of a new beginning. We have done what all hardworking families do; have spent years working, raising a family, telling ourselves that dreams can wait. But living at Antara, surrounded by people who cycle to Leh and write poems, I finally felt that if they can chase their dreams, so can I,” he said.
In the months leading up to the drive, the couple underwent extensive routine checks with Antara’s in-house clinical team, including doctors who knew their medical histories, making preparation for the arduous self-drive seamless. Team Antara also advised preventive measures for long-haul travel and ensured the Singals carry all prescriptions required across international borders—the small things that matter but can take a big toll.
To build flexibility for driving 8-10 hours at a stretch, the Singals enhanced their yoga routine to prevent back strain. Mrs Singal, a vegetarian, has even prepared her own travel diet plan with guidance from the expedition team.
Sangeeta Singal said, “Antara’s support has been pivotal, from ensuring our home is fully managed in our absence, to residents opening their international networks to help enroute should the need arise; it’s very rare to find the kind of community and support structures we have at Antara.”
Rajit Mehta, CEO of Antara Senior Care, said, “Sangeeta ji and Rajender ji embody what ageing in India today means: An empowered, adventurous, and purpose-driven stage of life. Their journey challenges outdated notions of life after 60. The flag they carry atop their car is one of empowered ageing. We are humbled that Antara could help build the community, camaraderie, and confidence that made it possible. We are proud to stand behind them as they carry this flag across continents.”
As the Singals set off with Antara’s colours on their car, they carry with them not just a community’s cheers, but a powerful idea: that life after 60 can be the most exciting chapter yet.
