Mehta on the move

Holding a small dumbbell in each hand, 99-year-old Tehemten Mehta happily participated in the fifth edition of the Dubai Fitness Challenge (DFC) that commenced on October 29, 2021. "Exercise is a key part of my fitness regimen,” Mehta, who covers several kilometers on foot each day, told the Khaleej Times.
DFC, an annual celebration of fitness and wellness, requires participants to complete 30 minutes of activity each day for 30 days. "With a month-long calendar of free workouts, exciting fitness events and wellness centric entertainment, there’s plenty of inspiration to keep moving,” notes the DFC website. For the rest of the year, a variety of fitness hubs and fitness villages provide space for free workouts. Their online portal, Find Your 30, encourages Dubai residents to determine their fitness levels and follow virtual workouts from the comfort of their homes.

Although he has a UAE driving license valid until 2023, Mehta prefers to use public transport or walk to his destination. He attributes his longevity to his walks and staying away from excesses and vices. A late riser, his day usually starts at 1.30 p.m., making himself a cuppa. While he does all the household chores at his Dubai Marina home, the bachelor does not cook and prefers to go to a restaurant or pick up a ready-to-eat meal. His days usually end at 4 a.m. spending the night reading or watching television, his favorite program being World Wrestling Entertainment.
Born in Kenya in 1922, Mehta came to Dubai in 1980 and took up an accountancy job at a five star hotel where he worked until 2002 when a routine background check of employees revealed his age and he was asked to put in his papers. At the age of 80 years, he used his savings to buy himself a one-bedroom apartment in Dubai as he was not interested in relocating to London where his younger sister resides. Content to live by himself and enjoy his hobbies, he is not known to socialize with the Dubai Parsis although he values the support he gets from members of the law firm Al Midfa and Associates whom he contacted in 2004 to help draft a will.
Two years ago he was quoted on ndtv.com as stating, "If there were an old age home here, I would’ve happily sold my apartment and moved there to enjoy my remaining life to the hilt. Presently, I am living on a tight budget as I have had no income for 17 years. My finances are fast dwindling. The mandatory insurance cost also eats away my limited savings.”