MALAPPURAM: A great grandma from Valanchery is the oldest living person in the world. But not many seem to know this fact. Her name is Kunheettumma, the wife of the late Kalamban Saidali. She resides at Pookkattiri, near Valanchery in Malappuram.
According to her Aadhaar card details, Kunheettumma was born on June 2, 1903, making her 120 years and 97 days old as of Tuesday. In contrast, the Guinness World Records website recogniaes Maria Branyas Morera from Spain as the oldest living woman and person globally. Morera, born on March 4, 1907, completed 116 years and 219 days on Tuesday, making her four years and 122 days younger than Kunheettumma. It seems that the Guinness World Records officials are unaware of Kunheettumma’s existence. Remarkably, Kunheettumma can communicate with others much like anyone else. She has been using a wheelchair to move around since a fall at the age of 115.
She doesn’t need any medications as she is free from health issues including diabetes, BP and cholesterol. About her diet, Kunheettumma said, “I usually have kanji (rice porridge). When someone offers biryani, I eat a very small quantity to make those who offer it happy.” Kunheettumma received religious education from a madrasa. About her education, she said, “I did not have the chance to attend school. Now, at this age I do not possess the ability to learn.” At the age of 17, Kunheettumma was married to Saidali. They had 13 children. Currently, only four of them are alive. Moidhu, the 11th child, said that his mother’s greatest wish is to see her children every day. “Mother lives with my younger brother, but she wants to see me every day. So I meet her daily,” Moidhu said. Mohammad, Kunheettumma’s younger son, said his mother still recalls events from her youth.
“She used to tell us that she was scared hearing gunshots from nearby areas during the 1921 Malabar Rebellion. She was grazing goats in the fields near her house. She also once recounted how her grandfather was captured by the British soldiers during the Khilafat Movement and released after four months,” Mohammad recollected.