103-Year-Old Shyam Saran Negi, India’s First & Oldest Voter, Gets Covid-19 Vaccine in Himachal’s Kinnaur

Shyam Saran Negi, who is believed to be India's oldest voter at 103 years of age, took his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday at a health centre in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district.

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Ever since India began itd mass COVID-19 vaccine programmes, it was decided that frontline healthcare staff and senior citizens will get the first doses. In line with the same, Shyam Saran Negi, who is believed to be India’s oldest voter at 103 years of age, took his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday at a health centre in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district. Negi was accorded a warm welcome by doctors at the vaccination centre set up in the Primary Health Centre, some 500 metres away from his home.

“Negi reached the vaccination centre along with his family members,” an official told IANS. After the vaccination, he was kept under observation for half-an-hour as per protocol, the official added. Post the vaccination, he also appealed all those who are eligible to get inoculated.

“I am appealing to all those who are eligible to get themselves vaccinated to fight the coronavirus,” Negi said.

India’s oldest voter at 103 years of age, took his first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday

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Notably, the centenarian, who is a staunch believer in democracy has never failed to cast his vote in any election, be it Lok Sabha, state assembly or panchayat. He had also participated in the 1951-52 general election which was the country’s first voting exercise.

A retired school teacher, Negi, as per his official records, was born on July 1, 1917. Negi still vividly remembers how he became India’s first voter.

In 1951, Negi, a retired schoolteacher, was on an election duty and exercised his franchise in Chini constituency — later renamed Kinnaur. At that time, voting in the snow-bound areas of the mountain state was held ahead of other places in the country.

“India’s first election was held in February 1952, but the voting for remote, tribal areas in Himachal was held five months in advance on October 23, 1952 owing to fears of inclement weather rendering the exercise impossible here during winter,” he had said.