bangalore sitting in a computer lab in the basement of bharatiya vidya bhavan on race course road sn subbarao 75 is frantically typing on the alphanumeric keyboard the senior citizen has got a hang of basics like ms word and excel and cant wait for the internet sessions to begin i want to videochat with my grandkids and relatives settled abroad i want to create an email id too says subbarao a former administration manager with an aeronautical firm subbarao says he didnt feel the need to learn computers when he was working there were juniors for technical assistance only after retirement i realized that one needs to be techsavvy both for professional and everyday needs i assist educational institutions in preparing question papers learning computer skills will also go a long way in saving time and money he added subbarao is not alone bvbs gandhi institute of computer education and information technology which offers a free computer education programme has many seniors attending classes the course which was launched in october 2013 has become so popular that around 200 applicants are in the waiting list candidates have to attend twohour sessions thrice a week over three months prema thothadri 72 a homemaker and graduate in economics would operate the computer using the trialanderror method before joining the class the training has opened up many avenues now i can communicate with my usbased relatives via skype i cant wait to surprise my grandchildren prema beamed trainer shwetha b said the present batch has 32 candidates senior citizens want to make the maximum use of the technology so that they can connect with the modern world shwetha said he has an aim chandrappa shetty 78 an anthropologist and a former government employee aspires to become a computer expert after my death i want people to say that chandrappa mastered the skill even after retirement he said during government service i couldnt spare time for anything else i have discovered the internet is a powerhouse of knowledge he added hn suresh director bvb said the idea is to empower senior citizens apart from communicating with family they are taught how to pay bills online book tickets and claim pension suresh said times view in an age when kids hardly spend their childhood listening to bedtime stories on grandmas lap it is heartening that senior citizens are going the extra mile to connect with their loved ones their enthusiasm to learn computer skills reaffirms that age is just a number apart from their desire to communicate with family the move also speaks volumes about their longing to keep pace with the techsavvy world the knowledge of technology will also help the aged become independent and keep them occupied more seniors should take inspiration from their peers and follow suit