May 24, 2003	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 21,1424

JAIPUR, May 23: An Indian man who claims to be 125 years old said on Friday he was vying for a place in the Guinness Book of World records.

Habib Miyan, who lives in Jaipur, also the capital of western desert state of Rajasthan, has been drawing a pension for more than 65 years.

On the basis of the pension record, a Jaipur magistrate has certified the man was indeed born on May 20, 1878, says an official of the bank which gives Miyan his pension.

“We deliver the pension at his home as a human gesture as there is no other person in our record book who has been drawing pension for over 65 years now,” said Parithosh Thripati, branch manager of the State Bank of India.

“He is very special customer for us.”

Miyan, who lost his eyesight 50 years ago, has been getting a pension since 1938. The pension amount has now increased to 2,300 rupees (49 dollars) a month from a paltry two rupees.

He says he doesn’t know how he has survived so long. Several of his grandchildren and great grandchildren have already died. —AFP