Milkha Singh, "The Flying Sikh", Dies at 91 Due to Covid Complications

India's ace sprinter Milkha Singh passed away on Friday at the age of 91 after a month-long battle with Covid-19. Milkha Singh's wife Nirmal Kaur had passed away just five days ago due to the same illness.

Milkha Singh is survived by three daughters Dr Mona Singh, Aleeza Grover, Sonia Sanwalka, and son Jeev Milkha, who is an ace golfer. 

Early Life of Milkha Singh

Singh grew up in a small village in what, during his childhood, was still British India.

As a young boy who lived in a remote village in Multan province, he saw his parents and seven siblings murdered during the Partition of India and the creation of Pakistan in 1947.

As his father fell, his last words were "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag", exhorting his son to run for his life. The boy ran - first to save his life, and then to win medals.

Arriving in India as an orphan in 1947, he took to petty crime and did odd jobs for survival until he found a place in the army. It was there that he discovered his athletic abilities.

"I would not stop till I had filled up a bucket with my sweat. I would push myself so much that in the end I would collapse and I would have to be admitted to hospital. I would pray to God to save me, and promise that I would be more careful in future. And then I would do it all over again."

When the biographic film was released in 2013, Singh told the BBC that it would "inspire the next generation". 

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. 

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag

Milkha Singh was a four-time Asian Games gold medallist and 1958 Commonwealth Games champion but his greatest performance was the fourth-place finish in the 400m final at the 1960 Rome. He also represented India in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics and was bestowed the Padma Shri in 1959.