India’s Flying Sikh Milkha Singh passes away

The Flying Sikh of India, Milkha Singh passes away on Friday 18^th June 2021 after fighting a persisting battle with Covid-19. He took his last breath on Friday in Chandigarh after he had been reportedly tested negative for covid-19 and was shifted out of the Covid – ICU.

Milkha Singh passes away at the age of 91, evidently due to complications caused after being infected by covid-19. He was tested positive for covid-19 on May 20^th and was admitted to a hospital in Mohali on 24^th of May. Subsequently he was discharged from the hospital on 30^th of May. But due to dipping and fluctuations in oxygen level, he was again admitted to the covid-19 ward at the Nehru Hospital Extension at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research hospital on June 3^rd. Milkha Singh passes away at PGIMER hospital itself as he took his breath for the final time on Friday night.

Milkha Singh’s son Jeev Milkha Singh who is a prominent golfer, confirmed his father’s demise through a text message that he had sent to various media company’s. The message read “Dad just passed away”.

Milkha Singh’s wife Nirmal Kaur who was a volleyball player and also the captain of the Indian volleyball team had also succumbed to covid-19 and met her demise on 13^th June 2021, 5 days prior to her husband’s demise. She died at the age of 85.

Milkha Singh, popularly known as the Flying Sikh was born on 20^th November 1929 in Govindpura which is now the present day Pakistan. Before being introduced to the sport, Singh was an Indian track and field sprinter.

Milkha Singh was the first Indian track and field athlete to win the gold medal in the then British Empire and Commonwealth games in Cardiff in 1958. This record stood for more than 50 years. He had also won four gold medals in the Asian games for 200m and 400m in the year 1958 and 400m and 4x400m relay in the year 1962, respectively. But his most astounding achievement took place at the Rome Olympics in 1962 where he came fourth in the 400m final.

After Milkha Singh passed away, various prominent faces of the country took it to social media to pay their condolences and respect to the now deceased athlete. The President of India Ram Nath Kovind and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their despair due to his death and offered their condolences through twitter. “We had lost a colossal sportsperson”, stated Modi in his tweet. Furthermore, the Indian cricket team wore black armbands in the WTC finals as a tribute to the late Milkha Singh.

Milkha Singh passes away, this news has managed to engulf the heart of every Indian with grief but his achievements and passion for sports will forever remain in everyone’s heart and will continue to be cherished in the years to come.