Flying Sikh end of an era

Anupama Nair

www.mediaeyenews.com

Covid claimed yet another life – this time of the famous Milka Singh or the “Flying Sikh” as he was called, passed away on 18^th June, which was a great loss to the world of sports. For him, the field was "the sanctum sanctorum, where the deity resided". Milkha Singh, became famous, when he represented India in 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics. The race for which Singh was best remembered is his fourth-place finish in the 400 meters final at the 1960 Olympic Games, which he had entered as one of the favorites. He is the only athlete to win gold in 400 meters race at the Asian Games as well the Commonwealth Games. Singh won Gold at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. He also won gold medals in the Asian Games in 1958 and 1962. He represented India in the 1960 and 1964 Olympics as well. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. Even though he never won an Olympic medal, his dream was that "someone else should win that medal for India".

Milkha Singh was born on 20 November 1929. He was born in a Sikh family in Govind Pura in Punjab, British India (now Muzaffargarh in Pakistan). He had fourteen siblings, eight of whom died before the Partition of India. He was orphaned during the Partition when his parents, and siblings were butchered by the mobs during the Partition. He was traumatized as he witnessed these killings. His father last words were "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", urging his son to run for his life and reach safety in India. The boy ran — first to save his life, and then to win medals for the country. He soon reached India as an orphan in 1947, unfortunately took to petty crime and did odd jobs for survival until he found a place in the army. It was in the Army that he discovered his athletic abilities.

In 1960, he was invited to take part in the 200-meter event at an International Athletic competition in Lahore, Pakistan. He hadn't been back to Pakistan after 1947 and initially refused to go. Singh was persuaded by Mr. Nehru to set aside his memories of the Partition era and to race successfully in 1960. Singh eventually went to Pakistan. Despite, the huge support for his main rival, Abdul Khaliq, in the stadium, Singh went on to win that race, while Khaliq had to be satisfied with the bronze medal. General Ayub Khan, Pakistan's second president, awarded the competitors their medals, and he received the nickname that would stick with him for the rest of his life. Gen Ayub said, 'Milkha, you came to Pakistan and did not run. You actually flew in Pakistan. Pakistan bestows upon you the title of the Flying Sikh”, said Milkha in an interview with BBC. All of Singh's medals have been donated to the nation. In 2012, he donated the Adidas shoes that he had worn in the 1960 Olympic final to be sold in a charity auction organized by actor Rahul Bose.

He met Nirmal Saini, a former captain of the Indian women's volleyball team in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1955, and  they married in 1962. They had three daughters and a son — the golfer Jeev Milkha Singh. In 1999, they adopted the seven-year-old son of Havildar Bikram Singh, who had died in the Battle of Tiger Hill during the Kargil War. He was living in Chandigarh.

He lost his beloved wife a week ago to Covid, and now he the ever-dutiful husband joined her. May their souls rest in peace. Om Shanti.