Daniel Koh at 71 years – still a mountaineer, diver and shuttler

Story by Dawn Yip

Daniel Koh Active Ager

Daniel Koh made a trip to Antarctica. (Photo courtesy of Daniel Koh)

At an age that most would deem more than acceptable for retirement, Mr Daniel Koh is more active than he has ever been. The 71-year-old grandfather of five and former corporate bigwig now runs an adventure company, is heavily involved in social and community work, and continues to be an active sportsman.

For his exemplary lifestyle, Mr Koh was named the winner of the Active Ager-Prudential Prime Award, which honours seniors who pursue sports and other activities not typically associated with older persons. Selected from a pool of almost 450 nominees, the award was jointly presented last Saturday by Prudential Singapore and the Council for Third Age, an independent body that promotes active ageing.

Speaking to Red Sports at the award ceremony, the lean and tanned Mr Koh said that his motto is that “life depends on the liver,” pun fully intended.

Indeed, we were thoroughly impressed by just how much life Mr Koh has lived. His adventures have taken him to destinations as far as the Antarctic, Machu Picchu and Patagonia, and he has climbed mountains like Mount Kinabalu (4,100m) in Sabah, and Mount Kilimanjaro (5,700m) in Tanzania.

Mr Koh is also an avid sportsman. "I've been doing court sports for over 60 years," he revealed. He continues to play badminton three to four times a week, for about two hours per session. And if that isn't enough to put younger folk to shame, he also swims, cycles and dives.

At the award ceremony, Mr Philip Seah, CEO of Prudential Singapore hailed Mr Koh as an "iconic individual" who exemplified what active ageing should be all about. “We’re very proud of him,” said Mr Seah.

Hear, hear. If everyone attained Mr Koh's level of fitness and involvement in their silver years, health care policy makers in Singapore might view our ageing population with less trepidation.

Daniel Koh Active Ager