Their story is a living testament to the success of Digi Pullampara, a digital literacy project that transformed their panchayat into India’s first fully digital village in 2022.
Published Sep 24, 2025 | 6:56 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 24, 2025 | 6:56 PM
Digi Pullampara: 103-year-old father goes smart. (Supplied)
Synopsis: The centenarian from Pullampara in Thiruvananthapuram now checks his pension online, chats with loved ones over video calls, and even tunes into his favourite old melodies — all thanks to his 73-year-old son, Rajan, who turned his teacher late in life.
At an age when most people’s worlds shrink to the size of their armchair, 103-year-old Karunakara Panicker’s world has expanded to the size of a smartphone screen.
The centenarian from Pullampara in Thiruvananthapuram now checks his pension online, chats with loved ones over video calls, and even tunes into his favourite old melodies — all thanks to his 73-year-old son, Rajan, who turned his teacher late in life.
For Rajan, a lifelong farmer, technology was nothing but alien. But curiosity and necessity pushed him to explore the digital world — and today, his smartphone is as vital to his fields as water and sunlight.
“One touch is enough, and the rest is all good,” he says, swiping through videos on YouTube that teach him new farming techniques, fertiliser applications, and ways to tackle unpredictable weather.
Their story is a living testament to the success of Digi Pullampara, a digital literacy project that transformed their panchayat into India’s first fully digital village in 2022.
Under the initiative, 3,300 residents aged 14 to 65 — including Rajan — learned how to use smartphones, make UPI payments, access social media, and even check bank details online.
Rajan now pays his bills from home and connects with the world on Facebook and WhatsApp.
But the moment that fills him with the most pride is when his father, born before India’s independence, asks: “Can I listen to my favourite songs on this?”
As Karunakara Panicker navigates the digital world with trembling but eager hands, his son watches with pride.
“My father is still learning — and I’m the one teaching him. That’s my greatest joy,” says Rajan, proof that it’s never too late to go smart.
