India's oldest man celebrates 137th birthday

May 20, 2006, 14:46 GMT

New Delhi - Habib Miyan, believed to be India's oldest man, celebrated his 137th birthday Saturday hoping to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.

Habib, a former clarinet player with the army band of the erstwhile Jaipur princely state, is already in India's Limca Book of Records as the oldest living Indian.

'People say there is some Guinness Book, I just hope to get my name in it,' the birthday boy was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.

According to his pension card, Habib was born on May 20, 1878. But he says he is much older, a claim that has been accepted by the Limca Book in its 2005 edition.

Habib celebrated his 137th birthday by cutting a cake surrounded by friends and relatives at his residence in the Rajasthan state capital Jaipur.

His 65-year-old grandson Chuttan Miyan said, 'We recently received an email from the publisher of the Guinness Book saying they will come here and authenticate his age.'

Habib lost his eyesight half a century ago, but claims he is otherwise fit for his age. 'I don't take medicines and I have lived so long because of people's prayers,' he said.

The centurion retired from the Jaipur State Forces Band in 1938 before India became independent and the princely states joined the new republic in 1947.