Centurion with difference

Not surprising actually. The centenarian from Patiala, the sports-loving district of Punjab is not only a national champion but a world champion as well.

Known for liking a large peg8217;, Joginder donned Indian colours in the World Veteran Games at Helsinki Finland in 1991, picking up six gold medals.An ex-serviceman, Joginder battled bad luck plaguing him during his stay in in Mumbai.

He injured himself as he tried to board a moving local train at Thane. Fortunately a sympathetic bystander took him to hospital.

Another setback. Joginder reached the venue 8212; the Tikson Ground 8212; without his chest number but waspermitted to participate in the senior category by the organisers.

Born December 22 1891, Joginder joined the army as a sepoy in 1910. He earned selection after a cross country run of 48 miles.

Joginder8217;s passion for sport occupied his free time but his interest began to flag after he lost his only son in 1925.

A proud soldier, Joginder was an instructor at the Dehradun Army Academy. A keen pupil of his was General Ayub Khan of Pakistan.

But Joginder left the army in October 1945 for the Police force, which he joined on the very day.

But Joginder8217;s strong heart is pained by the treatment meted out by the State and Central governments.

He says,8220;I am a world champion but I have to think about my dinner everyday.8221;

He was denied financial help by the Punjab government for the 1987 Australian World Veteran Games, he came up a cropper to the tune of Rs 1,000 registration fee after lack of funds aborted the trip.

Joginder lost his wife Prem Kaur on 14th February 1993 and with her went much of hisresolve. 8220;She was my source of inspiration but since she has left, I have been not able to give my best,8221; added the old timer from Patiala. And tears flow when he thinks about his prizes. 8220;Medals have fetched me nothing so far in life. I have 20 Kilograms of metal but that cannot even earn me a meal.8221;

When asked about the decline of Indian athletics, he said,8220;There is no substitute for hard work. Athletes today want achievement in a short period. That is not possible.8221;

To make things tougher these days, Joginder laments the diminishing quality of food and its repercussion on performance.

Soldier, freedom fighter and sporting hero, Baba Joginder Singh is all that and more. At well past the three-figure-mark, the eternal athlete is still very much ignorant of the word defeat as he awaits a word of appreciation from the nation for whom he has sacrificed so much.