Legendary sprinter Milkha Singh  dies  aged 91

Milkha Singh popularly known as the flying Sikh, an Indian track and field sprinter  died due to Covid-19 on 18th June 2021 at Chandigarh’s PGIMER hospital. He was introduced to the sport while serving in the Indian Army, and the only athlete to win gold at 400 meters at the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth Games. He represented India, in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. 

He missed the bronze medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics by 1/100th of a second.His timing at Rome was a national record for 38 years in 1998.

Born on October 17, 1935, Lyallpur now Faisalabad, Pakistan, orphaned during the partition of India, Singh moved to India from Pakistan in 1947,  and started working in a roadside restaurant before joining the Indian Army.

He was 91 and is survived by his wife Nirmal Kaur and son Jeev Milkha Singh and three daughters.

India’s greatest Olympic runner, dominated athletics in the 60s with his competitive spirit despite limited facilities.