Milkha Singh Olympics - The Man Who Never Stopped Running

Flying Sikh of India – Milkha Singh

Milkha Singh is undoubtedly one of the most well-known Indian athletes. For him running wasn't just about medals and recognition, it was about time. He wanted to chase timings and excel with each run. This continuous thirst for betterment is the true catalyst for his success. However, his professional running pursuits came much later. Ever since he was a little boy, Milkha was a runner. First, he used to run to school every day.

When his parents were killed in the violence that started due to the partition, his father told him to run away. "Bhaag, Milkha, Bhaag,” he said. Ever since Milkha has been running. First, he ran away from all the violence. Then he ran towards a better life. And eventually, he ran for success.

| Story of Toor Tejinder Singh Pal: Asia's No 1. shot-putter from India

Milkha Singh Family

Milkha Singh with his family

Singh was born in a Rajput Sikh family from Govindpura village in Punjab (present Pakistan). He had fourteen siblings. However, eight out of them died soon. Singh has had a very tragic childhood. He witnessed the murders of his parents, a brother, and two sisters. It is absolutely unfathomable how this violence must have affected little Milkha. All this happened at the time of the partition.

The next few years were very difficult for Singh. He tried to live with a married sister in Delhi, but couldn't settle down properly. He got into legal trouble and spent some days in refugee camps. A breakthrough finally came when he cleared the Army entrance. Though it took Milkha Singh four attempts, it finally changed his life for the better.

Milkha Singh Wife

Mr. and Mrs. Singh

Milkha Singh met his wife, Nirmal Saini, in Colombo in the year 1956. Nirmal Saini was the captain of the Indian women's volleyball team. There was an instant connection between the two. Unfortunately, they couldn't stay in touch later. Destiny played a major role in their reunion. Singh visited the Patiala to present a lecture in a physical education college. To his utter delight, Saini was present in the audience. After a courtship of around two years, they decided to get married. Initially, there was resistance from their families due to religious differences, but eventually, things worked out.

Nirmal passed away on June 13, 2021, at the age of 85 after battling COVID-19. She was admitted to a hospital in Mohali, Punjab, where her condition worsened despite treatment. At the time of her death, Milkha was also hospitalized with COVID-19 and was in the ICC when his wife was cremated. Sadly, he also passed away just five days later due to post-COVID complications.

Jeev Milkha Singh: Milkha Singh Son

Image Source

Milkha Singh's son, Jeev Milkha Singh, is a professional golfer. In October 2006, he entered the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking. He became the first Indian to achieve this feat. He is a recipient of the prestigious Padma Shri award.

|Neeraj Chopra Biography: The Man Who Is Conquering Dream Distances

• Milkha Singh, who has inspired hundreds, is himself a big fan of American athlete Charles Jenkins.
• He is a recipient of the illustrious Padma Shri Award. The government offered it to him after his excellent performance in the 1958 Asian Games. He was also offered the Arjuna Award in 2001. He politely declined the award, as it celebrates the achievements of the youth in sports.
• General Ayub Khan of Pakistan bequeathed him the title ‘Flying Sikh of India’ after his spectacular performance at the Asian Games.

• Singh was inclined to become a dacoit! He was so scarred by the violence he witnessed as a child, being a dacoit seemed the only way. Fortunately, for him, his life changed for the better after joining the Army.
• There were days when Singh used to pass out on the track due to exhaustion. He has vomited blood also during training, but he never gave up.
• After joining the army as a technical jawan, his first salary was Rs 39 and 8 anna.
• Milkha Singh has donated all his medals to the Indian government.
• The movie Bhaag Milkha Bhaag made Singh very popular among the youth. It portrayed his life very beautifully on the big screen. Actor Farhan Akhtar played his character onscreen.

Milkha Singh: Bhaag Milkha Bhaag Movie

Milkha Singh (extreme right) during a race

Singh's first race was at the army's Electrical Mechanical Engineering Centre in Secunderabad. He finished sixth in the event. It was a cross-country race, and Singh was used to running long distances. He became a 400-meter sprinter purely by destiny. His Army unit needed a runner at an inter-services meet, and his commander asked him to fill in. At that point, Milkha wasn't even sure of how much distance 400 meters was. Though he finished sixth, it was the start of greater things.

He was a part of the Indian squad for the 1956 Olympics. He crashed out of the tournaments in the heats themselves. That defeat ignited a fire of passion in him. Running became the sole purpose of his life.

The year 1958 is truly a golden year of Milka Singh’s life. Firstly, he made the entire nation proud by winning the gold in 440 yards race at the Commonwealth Games. He became the first Indian male to win a Commonwealth individual medal.

His dream run continued in the Asian Games as well. He came home with the 200 meters as well as the 400 meters gold medal. The atmosphere back home was euphoric because of his win.

1960 Rome Olympics

At the 1960 Rome Olympics, he made the national record of covering 400 meters in 45.60 seconds. This record stayed unbeaten for 38 years. However, his Olympics journey was heartbreaking for him as well as all Indians. He lost out on a podium finish because of 0.1 seconds. Otis Davis won the race with superb timing 0f 45.07, while Germany’s Carl Kaufmann won the silver with 45.08 seconds. It was an extremely close contested race. Milkha lost out to South African sprinter Malcolm Spence, who clocked 45.50 seconds.

"My last wish is to see an Indian athlete winning an Olympic medal," he told the First Post in an interview. We do hope that his wish comes true soon enough.

The Asian Games 1962 once again brought a lot of cheer for all Indians. This Milkha Singh won individual gold in the 400 meters event and another gold in the 4 x 400 m relay team event.

|Hima Das Biography: The Story of India's Golden Girl

Who Broke Milkha Singh's National Record?

Milkha Singh set a national record of 45.70 seconds in the 1960 Olympics 400m final. The record remained unbeaten for the next 38 years! Paramjeet Singh finally broke it on November 4, 1998. He achieved this stellar feat at the Indian National Open Athletics Meet. However, there was a lot of confusion about this record. When Milkha Singh set the record, it was hand-timed as 45.60. However, once the electronic timers were installed, 0.14 seconds were added to all previous records. This was done to compensate for the advantage of a slower reaction time. Therefore, as per this, Paramjeet broke Milkha Singh’s record, but Singh wasn’t ready to accept the fact.

Milkha Singh Achievements

Asian Games

National Games of India

Also Read | Top 11 best Running shoes under 5000: High-Performance shoes for you

Milkha Singh Social Media

Milkha Singh, also known as “The Flying Sikh,” was a legendary Indian track and field athlete.

Milkha Singh excelled in track and field, particularly in sprinting events like the 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles.

Milkha Singh’s nickname was “The Flying Sikh.” He earned this title for his remarkable speed and achievements in track events, particularly his impressive running style.

Milkha Singh received several honors and awards, including the Padma Shri in 1959, Padma Bhushan in 2001, and Padma Vibhushan in 2014. He also received National Sports Awards like the Arjuna Award and Dronacharya Award.

Milkha Singh’s inspiring journey and achievements inspired generations of athletes in India. He played a significant role in promoting sports and encouraging young talents to pursue their dreams in track and field.