For a teenager who once had to literally run for his life to save himself from the barbarity of the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, going on to become a legendary Olympic runner was an extraordinary feat. That is what ‘Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh, possibly India's best-known athlete, achieved and went on to become an inspiration for people across generations.

Having been a soldier in the Indian Army, Milkha Singh fought till the very end. At 91 years of age, he passed away in Chandigarh on Friday night (June 18), after battling Covid-19 infection for almost a month. His death was preceded by five days by his wife and life partner, Nirmal Kaur, a former Indian volleyball captain, who Milkha had described as his most "cherished trophy". 

While Milkha saw his days of sporting glory in the 1950s and 60s, and the sobriquet ‘Flying Sikh’ remained attached to his name since that time, he continued to be an inspiration to scores of budding athletes over the decades. His fourth-place finish at the 1960 summer Olympics in Rome in the 400-metre race in 45.73 seconds remained a national record for over four decades.

He may not have won any Olympics medal for the country but his performances at that level and the scores of medals that he won at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and other international events made him a fabled achiever for the country and the subcontinent.

It is a little known fact that it was Pakistan president, Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who had nicknamed him "Flying Sikh" after he sprinted past Pakistan's ace runner Abdul Khaliq at an international meet in Lahore. 

The 2013 Hindi film ‘Bhag Milkha Bhag’ (Run Milkha Run), a biopic on Milkha Singh's life, struggles and achievements brought him close to the millennial generation who had only heard about his exploits only from their parents and grandparents. Actor Farhan Akhtar, who played the role of Milkha Singh in the film, had described him (Milkha) as a “rare person” and an inspiration. The film won accolades and was a blockbuster.

"We all grew up with the folklore of Milkha, he's a larger-than-life figure for us (Indians)," said the film's director Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra in 2013. "He's like what Pele meant to football, or what Jesse Owens meant for track and field for the West."

Born in Govindpura village in Punjab province (now in Pakistan) on undivided India on November 20, 1929 in a poverty-stricken family - "seven of my 14 siblings died and the family did not have money to afford medical care" - young Milkha was told by his elders to run for his life even as his family members were slaughtered by mobs during the bloody phase of partition. Living the life of a refugee after he came to India, Milkha Singh never gave up, even polishing the boots of soldiers to earn money and steal food rations from government rations, before he could join the Indian Army, which shaped his destiny. 

Milkha Singh and wife Nirmal Kaur were not the only known sporting names in his family. Their son, Jeev Milkha Singh, is a professional golfer who won international fame and had said that his father never forced him to follow his track. He is also survived by three daughters. 

Though a track and field athlete, Milkha was never far removed from the playing field. A highly disciplined man, he was an active golfer in Chandigarh almost into his nineties and was a guru to generations of Indian sportspersons. Tennis star Sania Mirza said in her tribute that "the world will miss a legend like you".  

They say legends never die. The passing away of Milkha Singh may have taken him away from us mortally, but he will continue to rule the hearts and minds of millions of his admirers. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his tribute: "In the passing away of Mllkha Singh ji, we have lost a colossal sportsperson, who captured the nation's imagination and had a special place in the hearts of countless Indians."

(The writer is a senior journalist based in Chandigarh. He can be contacted at jdsarin@gmail.com)