India's Oldest Man turns 138

Jaipur: Habib Miyan, acknowledged as the oldest person of India in the Limca Book of Records, celebrated his 138th birthday on Sunday, with people from all walks of life thronging his residence here to greet him.

Miyan cut a cake, firecrackers were burst and 139 balloons released to mark the celebrations, joined in by people from as far as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, as also chairman of Rajasthan Minority Com mission Sardar Jasbir Singh.

"Kisi raees ki mehfil ka jikra kya hai amir, khuda ke ghar bhi na jayenge bin bulawe ke (May you discuss a party of a rich man, I will not even go to god's house without invitation)," Miyan quipped at his house.

Asked about his eating habits, he said, "I am open to any kind of food," but added that he is a great fan of meat preparations, even if these are considered too oily for his age. "Gosht roti khao, Allah ke gun gao," Miyan said. Habib Miyan is a very optimistic person, said Dr R.K. Verma, an orthopaedic surgeon who had treated him.