PhD at 81 and DLitt at 91

Dr NS Dhanam’s life is a remarkable testament to lifelong learning, resilience, and intellectual curiosity. From humble beginnings in Pithapuram in undivided East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh to global leadership role in the petroleum and energy sectors, his journey is defined by an unwavering pursuit of knowledge.

What distinguishes him is not only a successful professional career but also his extraordinary academic achievements post-retirement, including a PhD at 81 and a D.Litt. at 91--a considered a rare feat for anyone in the world. Driven by a deep passion for philosophy and scripture, Dr. Dhanam embodies the ideal of holistic living—balancing intellectual, physical, and spiritual well-being—proving that age is no barrier to growth, purpose, or scholarly excellence.

After 62 years of marriage, his wife Lakshmi passed away in 2018. His elder son, Subbi (67), is a marine engineering specialist based in Norway, while his second son, Krish Dhanam (63), is a renowned motivational speaker and author settled in the USA. Dr Dhanam now stays in Bengaluru in a senior citizen home.

The accolades that have poured in from the four corners of this world to congratulate me on a second doctorate and celebrate with me on this achievement have been humbling and honoring. When I look back to the early years of struggle brought about by lack of opportunity and too many mouths to feed, I don't have to go far to remind myself of the battle and the strife at many, if not every, part of these last nine decades. Sitting under a streetlight to fulfill the requirements of a degree because there was no electricity in the home was one bookend to this journey. Completing the academic requirements of a PhD at 81 and fulfilling the rigorous stipulations of a D. Litt at 91 from a foreign university was the other bookend of life’s library. In between were the hopes of a family to earn, the responsibility of a brother to his widowed sisters, and the competition in an oil refinery where I was the only non-engineer in a cohort. One thing I have learned from life is in the words of Robert Schuller, who often said, “Tough times never last, but tough people do.” I am grateful for the constant encouragement of my late wife Lakshmi, whose patience seemed to dissipate immediate problems and whose persistence produced partnering solutions. My two sons provided then and continue to give now the added fuel that faithfully fortifies me. The performance pyramid of my career has at its base the title of lower division clerk in the collectors office and at the apex joint managing director of a private limited company.

The pages of my career are dotted with memories and milestones of countries visited and recognitions bestowed. An unwavering faith in the goodness of humanity and the benevolence of my mentors and benefactors provided many highs and some lows. The challenge of life is not to rewrite the rules when the game gets difficult but to study how those playing the game are succeeding and then emulating those efforts.

At ninety-one, I live by myself in a retirement community and still adhere to healthy living. I remain grateful. The daily game of pool with the younger ones here who are still in their eighties keeps me on my aging toes. The barriers broken for a corporate position or an academic placement were all conquered by first proving myself ready and then taking the exam or challenge posed by the authorities qualifying me. To the reader, I would say, as old poets, turn your scars into stars and your hurts into halos. The poster in my office in the early days had an image of coins stacked on each other, and a caption that read “hard work pays.”Hard work and persistence remain the best explanation for all that is done and all that remains to be done.