A 112-year-old woman has credited her old age to chain smoking 30 cigarettes a day – for 95 years.

Batuli Lamichhane was born in March 1903 – and took up smoking when she was 17. She claims it’s her daily habit that has helped her outlive almost everyone else in her village – and her own children. She said: ‘I dont really care how old I am. But I am old nonetheless. I have seen a lot of things change during my lifetime.’

But despite her age, Batuli continues to be a chain smoker. She smokes as many as 30 cigarettes a day. ‘I have been smoking for over 95 years. There is nothing wrong with smoking,’ she says.

Batuli’s added advice on smoking is to avoid ‘commercially made’ cigarettes. Instead, she recommends locally made ‘beedis’ – tobacco wrapped in tendu leaf.

Batuli’s husband deserted her eight decades ago after he migrated to India in search of a job. Her eldest son is 85-years-old and has great grand kids. The other four have passed away since. Batuli’s speech is mostly incoherent, but the great grandmother manages to do her chores all by herself.

Following the devastating earthquake that hit Nepal earlier this year, the roof of her house caved in. Since then, Batuli has refused to be relocated to a relative’s.

She lives off donations made by a local Hindu temple.

The strong woman believes that there is a secret to living a long life. ‘People of this modern age have too much stress. And those who do not work or are idle in their old age won’t live long. So you have to be active and stress free,’ she professes.

‘You should always be happy, then you will live a long life.’