JAMMU: The Central Government Pensioners’ Welfare Association, Jammu (CGPWA), observed the 36th International Day of Older Persons with an inter-school painting competition and a health awareness session on dental care for senior citizens.
Twenty-five students from 13 Jammu schools participated in the painting competition on the theme “Lifestyle of Grandparents”, aimed at promoting inter-generational bonding and highlighting the importance of respecting and caring for the elderly.
Joys Mooman of Government Hari Singh Higher Secondary School won the first prize, followed by Roshni of Arya Public High School in second place and Kajal Ahirwar of Government Higher Secondary School, Channi Himmat, in third place. The paintings were evaluated by artist K.K. Gandhi and Rohit Verma of the Institute of Fine Art and Music.
CGPWA President Kuldeep Khoda and Chief Guest Ashok Angurana, along with Dr Ashok Bhan, distributed prizes to the winners, while certificates of appreciation were presented to all participants.
The organisers said the initiative sought to revive inter-generational connections at a time when children increasingly spend time on mobile games and social media, leaving less room for interaction with grandparents and traditional family storytelling.
A health talk titled “Geriatric Dental Needs: Towards Healthy Aging” was delivered by Dr Reecha Gupta, HoD, and Dr Shivani Jandial of the Department of Prosthodontics, Indira Gandhi Government Dental College, Jammu.
Dr Gupta highlighted the link between oral and overall health among older persons, noting that ageing brings increasing dental care needs that can affect nutrition, speech, communication, social interaction and quality of life. She discussed preventive care, early detection and treatment, restoration of oral function and prosthetic rehabilitation.
She also suggested measures such as adequate water intake, sugar-free gum, using a humidifier at night, consuming moist and water-rich fruits and using saliva substitutes where required.
Dr Jandial spoke about dental caries and other oral health conditions, including periodontal disease, oral ulcers and tooth attrition. She highlighted several systemic health conditions associated with periodontal disease among older adults.
The awareness session was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session.
In his presidential address, Kuldeep Khoda stressed the importance of healthy and active ageing, urging senior citizens to avoid isolation and remain engaged with their communities. He also called for greater societal efforts to address the challenges faced by older persons.
Chief Guest Ashok Angurana shared his experiences from his tenure in the Social Empowerment and Tribal Ministries and suggested that CGPWA organise seminars on the problems faced by neglected and voiceless sections of society. He also raised issues relating to social security, support facilities and affordable old-age homes.
Dr Ashok Bhan appreciated the painting competition and stressed the need to strengthen links between younger and older generations. He suggested extending the initiative through short-reel competitions focusing on grandparents’ achievements, relationships with grandparents and memories of them.
Earlier, CGPWA General Secretary K.B. Jandial explained the purpose of the programme, while Vice President Dr Sudarshan Kumar presented the vote of thanks. Nisar Ahmad conducted the proceedings, interspersing them with Urdu couplets.
