KIZHAKKAMBALAM: 103-year-old Velayudhan has been running ration shop number 103 in West Vengola for the past 66 years.

This shop has been in West Vengola since 1957 when the public distribution system started in the state. Velayudhan says that there is no other ration seller as old as him in the state.

Until a few years ago, he also ran a grocery shop next to the ration shop. It was later stopped. He educated and married off his five children using the earnings from the business. Velayudhan has already received many awards.

Velayudhan recollects memories of opening the ration shop even on Sundays for those who did not buy their rations before Sundays. As the ration shops became computerized, the shop was carried forward by appointing a neighbour as a helper. Those close to him testify that even if they looked at all the calculations in the shop, they could not beat Velayudhan's mental calculation, who studied only up to the 4th standard.

Velayudhan says that the secret to his health is never wearing shoes and walking to the shop. His wife is the late Subhadra. Chandran, Sathi, Savitri, Shantha, Shyamala and Saani are children. He lives with his elder son, Rt. CI Chandran. Velayudhan, the senior ration trader in the district, was honoured by Public Distribution Consumer Affairs Commissioner Dr Sajith Babu. District Supply Officer T. Zaheer, Taluk Supply Officer P.A. Riaz, Nitin Mathew Kurian, and A.N. Ajith Kumar were also present.