Midway through his political career Sahu had got himself admitted to a law course and Masters in Education course but dropped out of both. This time he has promised himself he will not do the same.

'I am obediently attending classes. In fact I am enjoying them,' he said.

His fellow students are a quarter his age and many of his teachers about half. All are curious about him.

'Of course teachers and students are curious when a dhoti-clad septuagenarian attends class. For the first few days I attracted curious glances from students but now it is ok and they have started accepting me as a classmate. And I don't mind learning from people half of my age,' Sahu said.

'It is a new experiment for me. It is an experiment to bridge the generation gap as I have often seen in my political life that youngsters don't gel with me.

'I am trying to understand the young people here and interestingly all the youngsters are happy to get me as a classmate,' he said, while the crowd of college students around him nodded.

Sahu was once a member of the Utkal University senate and could recommend a student get a hostel room. Now he is seeking one for himself.

'It is like a rebirth for me. I am trying to forget my past life and am starting anew and counting my birth from the day I took my admission in the university though I was born way back in 1938,' he said.

The father of two sons and four daughters is getting every cooperation from his family members to pursue his studies.

'All my family members are quite supportive of my decision. Especially my grandchildren are pretty encouraging,' he said.

(Byomakesh Biswal can be contacted at byomakesh.b@ians.in mailto:byomakesh.b@ians.in)