Betul, Apr 24 (PTI) A centenarian in Betul in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday said he had beaten back coronavirus infection in the same doughty manner in which he took the British head on in his young days as a freedom fighter.

Birdichand Gothi, who is 103-year-old as per his Aadhaar card which states that he was born on November 2, 1917, had contracted the infection on April 5 and recovered on Friday.

"I did not panic or rush to a hospital. With the same zeal with which I fought the British, I took the virus head on. I remained happy and positive, took a simple vegetarian diet and defeated COVID-19," he told reporters here on Saturday.

"Stay positive, smile, exercise and have a balanced diet," he said when asked for tips to beat the infection.

He said a Chhindwara-based doctor helped him with medicines due to which he got recovered.

The doctor said Gothi tested positive on April 5 and recovered on Friday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)