Journalism of Courage
Milkha Singh is a four-time Asian Games gold medallist and 1958 Commonwealth Games champion. (olympics.com)
Milkha put his career record at 77 wins out of 80 races. He also claimed to have bettered the 'Olympics record' of that time in a race in France, but with sketchy records available, it is difficult to confirm just like his actual date of birth which is officially November 20, 1929. (Express Archive)
Milkha Singh's greatest performance remains the fourth-place finish in the 400m final of the 1960 Rome Olympics. (olympics.com)
Milkha Singh also represented India in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics. (Express Archive)
Milkha Singh paying his respects at a gurudwara. (Express Archive)
Milkha Singh had contracted COVID-19 last month and his 85-year-old wife Nirmal Kaur passed away on Sunday. (Express Archive)
Milkha Singh posing with his Madame Tussauds wax figure in 2017. (File)
Milkha Singh celebrating his birthday with his family. He is survived by his golfer son Jeev Milkha Singh and three daughters. (Express Photo)
Milkha Singh, who was bestowed the Padma Shri in 1959, with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (File)
Milkha Singh with actor Farhan Akhar during a promotional event of his biographical film "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" in 2013. (File)
Milkha Singh, the Flying Sikh, breathed his last in Chandigarh in June this year. The 91-year-old had contracted Covid-19 a month back and lost his wife Nirmal Kaur to the virus earlier this week. Singh, born in Gobindpura – in present day Pakistan – was the first Indian track and field athlete to win gold in the then British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff in 1958. (Express file photo)
Minister for sports Margaret Alva receiving the Sport Aid India Torch from Milkha Singh and PT Usha. Express archive photo *** Local Caption *** Minister for sports Margaret Alva receiving the Sport Aid India Torch from Milkha Singh and PT Usha. (Express archive)
Milkha Singh with his son Chiranjeev Milkha Singh. (Express archive)
Milkha retired from athletics after the 1964 Olympics, two years after winning the gold in 400m and 4x400m relay events at the Asian Games held at Jakarta. (Express Archive)
A self-proclaimed village 'bumpkin' from the undivided Punjab's Govindpura, Milkha's run for a better life started as a 15-year-old when he escaped from Pakistan to Delhi after witnessing a bloodbath that claimed his parents during the partition. (Express Archive)
Before that he had already taken up the job of deputy director of sports in the Punjab government in 1961 on the insistence of then chief minister Pratap Singh Kairon. He quit Indian Army and also shifted his residence to Chandigarh from Delhi. (Express Archive)
Hard to believe but he had slowed down in a colossal error of judgement as he wanted to preserve himself for the final 150m. (Express Archive)
He got married to Nirmal Kaur, captain of the Indian volleyball team, in 1963. They met for the first time in 1956 in Sri Lanka when they were there for their respective national duties. (Express Archive)
