India’s Flying Sikh no more; Milkha Singh passes away aged 91.

Milkha Singh, fondly known as ‘The Flying Singh’ and one of India’s greatest athletes passed away on Friday due to post-Covid complications.

He was being treated at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research. The 91-year-old had tested positive for COVID-19 on May 19. But was in home isolation at his Chandigarh residence after revealing that he was asymptomatic.

However, a few days later on May 24, the legendary athlete was admitted to the ICU of Mohali’s Fortis hospital due to “COVID pneumonia”. He was then moved to PGIMER in Chandigarh on June 3.

His death came five days after his wife Nirmal also died due to post-Covid complications.

Singh’s exploits on track and field are a stuff of great heroism in India. He won five golds in international athletic championships and was awarded the Helms World Trophy in 1959 for winning 77 of his 80 international races. He also won India’s first Commonwealth gold in 1958.

Born in a small village in Pakistan in the pre partition era, Singh went back to his place of birth to participate in the 200m event at an International Athletic competition in Lahore. There he won the race against his Pakistani rival, Abdul Khaliq.

After the event, Pakistan’s President General Ayub Khan gave medals to the competitors. And he would confer the ‘Flying Singh’ nickname to Milkha. One that would stick with him for the rest of his life.

Milkha Singh had also taken part in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics. He was conferred the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, in 1959.