Who Was Milkha Singh?
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Introduction
Milkha Singh was an Indian track and field sprinter. He is the only athlete to have won a gold medal in the 400 meters at the Asian Games as well as the Commonwealth Games.
Milkha Singh popularly known as “The Flying Sikh”-A title bestowed upon him by the former President of Pakistan, General Ayub Khan – He is highly respected for his sporting achievements.
He was born on 20 November 1929 in a Sikh family in Govindpura village (6 miles from Muzaffargarh city) in the Punjab province of British India (now located in Pakistan).
He was one of India’s greatest athletes, bringing four Asian gold medals for India and finishing fourth in the 400 m final at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
He won five golds at the International Athletic Championships and was awarded the Helms World Trophy in 1959 for winning 77 out of 80 international races. He also won India’s first Commonwealth gold in the year 1958.
Milkha Singh was awarded the Padma Shri (One of India’s highest civilian honors) in 1959. After retirement, he served as the Director of Sports in Punjab.
Milkha Singh retired with the Honorary Captain rank from the Indian army. After retirement from the Indian army, he was employed with the government of Punjab.
All the medals of Milkha Singh have been donated to the country.
His Medals was exhibited at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi but was later shifted to a sports museum in Patiala, where a pair of running shoes he wore in the Rome Olympics are also on display.
In 2012, he donated the Adidas shoes worn in 1960 400m final to a charity auction organized by actor Rahul Bose.
Milkha Singh was introduced to sports while serving the Indian army.
Milkha Singh’s story is one of hope and inspiration for youths all over the world. As a teenager, he witnessed the massacre of his entire family before his eyes. Orphaned and heartbroken he worked his way up all his life, seeking solace in the race. He has become a sporting icon in his country. In 2008, journalist Rohit Brijnath described Singh as “the best athlete India has ever produced”.
Milkha Singh’s wife’s name was Nirmal Saini (Former Volleyball Captain). The couple had three daughters and a son.
Milkha Singh was a man of golden heart, he had adopted the seven-year-old son of Kargil War Hero Havildar Bikram Singh who died in Tiger Hill Battle in 1999.
He passed away on 18 June 2021 at the age of 91 in Chandigarh due to COVID-related complications.
Early Life
Milkha Singh was born on 20 November 1929 in Govindpura village in Kot Addu (6 miles from Muzaffargarh city) in the Punjab province of British India (now located in Pakistan).
He was born in a Sikh Rathore Family. His father was a farmer by profession and holds a small piece of land for farming.
His forefathers were Ironsmits by profession and originally from the Rajasthan.
Milkha Singh was one of the 15 siblings, Eight of whom died before the partition of India and Pakistan.
Milkha Singh was about 15 years old at the time of the India-Pakistan partition. His village Kot Addu was located in a remote area near Multan. No newspaper reached the village, and the villagers were unaware of the political events leading to India- Pakistan Partition. The only way they could get the news was when someone traveled to the nearest city to buy household stuff.
But inter-community ties were very strong in his village. People lived together happily. Milkha Singh used to study in a mosque.
During Partitaion :-
When a large angry mob arrived on the outskirts of Milkha’s Village, the mob puts the condition in front of the village which comprises mostly the Sikh and Hindu population to accept Islam and start eating beef and the other condition they put was to leave the village and go to India. The village members mostly Hindu and Sikh family didn’t agree with their condition. And as they didn’t accept the condition they were attacked by the frenzied mob. His family members stuck together in order to protect one another. A local leader of his village tried negotiating with the mob, but the mob was not ready to listen to anything and the mob killed the leader which created panic in the hearts of village members.
In the early morning, the mob entered Milkha’s village Govindpura. There was very heavy gunfire that killed many people including most of his family members. Milkha tried hiding from the mob in order to save his life. He remembered seeing his father fight very bravely until he was struck by a sword. When Milkha Singh’s father fell down, he pleaded with his son to run for his safety and said “Bhaag Milkha, Bhaag.”
Milkha Singh ran away from his village and he escaped from his village to a forest nearby, where he spent the entire night hiding in the forest.
He understood that he had lost his whole family and in order to save his own life he has to escape from there without coming into the eyes of the mob. Then the next morning, he learned that his brother Malkhan and her wife Jeet Kaur were alive. Then Milkha somehow managed to meet them. Malkhan Milkha’s elder brother along with Milkha and her wife boarded an army truck headed for India. They were dropped at the Ferozepur-Hussaniwala area. From there Milkha along with his brother and sister-in-law Jeet Kaur boarded a train to Delhi, and the train was overpopulated.
They arrived at the Old Delhi station platform. When they learn that Cholera disease was rumored to be spreading. Milkha Singh his brother Malkhan and her wife Jeet Kaur, along with lakhs of refugees, lived in the station for nearly a month. Milkha and his brother Malkhan and her wife Jeet Kaur they moved to the refugee camp in Purana Qila, Delhi. At Delhi station, Milkha reunites with her sister Ishvar and they moved to the refugee camp.
Milkha started finding a job so that he can manage to earn his bread. He scouted around for petty jobs and started working as a cleaner at a shop for a monthly salary of 10 rupees. During that time Malkhan was admitted to the Army.
Milkha again started his studies and enrolled in the seventh class at a school by his brother Malkhan, but Milkha didn’t pay attention to his studies so he was not able to continue. During that time Milkha fell into the bad company he used to gambling and other bad works. Milkha Singh was arrested for traveling without a railway ticket. His sister Ishvar had to sell her jewelry to pay for his bail.
Selection to Indian Army :-
- After few days the Indian army released a recruitment rally in order to recruit young boys in the army. Milkha learned that the army was recruiting and had set up an office in Old Delhi. He applied and was rejected three times. During that time Milkha works at a rubber factory and earns around 15 rupees a month. But at the rubber factory, he was not able to continue for long as he suffered a heat stroke and remained bedridden for around 2 and half months. Finally, with some help from his brother Malkhan who was already in the army and was posted at Red fort at that time, Milkha got selected in November month of 1952 and he was stationed at Srinagar from there he was sent to the Electrical Mechanical Engineering (EME) Centre in Secundrabad.
- It was in the army when Milkha was stationed in Secundrabad Army Centre that he was first introduced to athletics. He used to run 10 km distance every day from his home to school (when he was in 5th grade) as a child and from a child, he had good stamina and due to this, he was selected by the army for special training in athletics after finishing sixth in a compulsory cross country run for new recruits. After selection, Milkha started his career as an athlete and he used to represent the army. He would go on to participate in 80 international races and win 77 out of them. But it was his victory at the Commonwealth Games in 1958 that catapulted him to fame.
When he was invited to an Indo-Pak Sports Meet, he was reluctant to attend because in Pakistan his family members massacred. He was worried that memories of Partition would make the visit painful and affects his game because he was chosen to represent India at that time. However, he was finally convinced to participate by the then Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Returning to Govind Pura village in the Punjab province of Pakistan, visiting his village and meeting his childhood friend were tumultuous experiences and he was very happy seeing his childhood friend alive. But it was at this race when Milkha Singh was given the title, ‘The Flying Sikh’- A title bestowed upon him by the former President of Pakistan, General Ayub Khan – he is highly respected for his sporting achievements and especially due to the moment he witnessed during Indo-Pak championship. And general Ayub Khan was so impressed by Milkha he said to Milkha in Hindi “ Beta aaj to daura nahi uda hai”.
International Carrier
1953
- In January 1953, Milkha finished 6th in a six-mile cross country race running a distance of 10 km.
- He ran his first-ever 400-meter race in Brigade meet at finished in just 63 seconds and he stood 4th in that race.
Do you know:-
When Milkha Singh was asked if he would be able to run a 400-meter race. Then, his reaction was- how long is 400 meters. Then he was informed by a former athlete, Gurudev Singh that 400 meters are equal to one round of the track.
1956
- He represented India in the 200m and 400m competitions of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.
1958
- In 1958, Milkha set records for 200 and 400-meter races in the National Games of India, Cuttack.
- In the year 1958, Milkha bagged India’s first gold medal at the commonwealth games in Cardiff. For this victory, Milkha sigh gave credit to his American coach Dr. Aurther.
- Milkha also won gold medals in the same events at the Asian Games in 1958.
- After his success in the 1958 Asian games, Milkha was promoted to the rank of Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) from the rank of sepoy in the Indian Army. And in the same year, he was honored with the Padam Shree award.
1960
- In March 1960, Pakistan invites the Indian athletics team for an Indo-Pak championship at Lahore. Milkha was not ready to participate but then PM Nehru insisted Milkha participate for the pride of India so Milkha agreed to participate in the championship. At there Milkha defeated Pakistan champion athlete Abdul Khalik in the 200meter race and earned the name “the Flying Sikh” by the then president-general Ayub Khan.
- In the year 1960, Milkha participated in Rome Olympics.
Do you know:-
- Milkha Singh was very popular during Rome Olympics due to his long hair and beard. By looking at him Romans amazed they thought that Milkha is a saint and how a saint is managed to run so fast.
- In the same year 1960, Milkha was persuaded by the then chief minister of Punjab to leave the army and joined the department of sports as deputy director.
- Milkha Singh’s time in the 1960 Olympic 400 m final, which was run on a cinder track, set a national record that remained untouched until 1998 when Paramjit Singh surpassed it on a synthetic track with a fully automatic timing Recorded 45.70 seconds.
Do you know:-
- Milkha Singh’s Olympic result of 45.6 seconds was determined by hand, an electronic system at those Games set his record at 45.73.
1962
- At the 1962 Asian Games, held in Jakarta, Singh won gold medals in the 400 m and 4 x 400 m relay.
1964
- Milkha participated in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
- Milkha Singh lost a 400m race at the 1964 National Games in Calcutta to Makhan Singh.
Personal Life
- Milkha Singh’s spouse’s name was Nirmal Saini.
- Nirmal Saini was a former Indian women’s volleyball team captain.
- Milkha met Nirmal in Ceylon in 1955 and they get married in 1962.
- The couple had three daughters and a son. His son’s name is Jeev Milkha Singh and He is a renowned golf player.
- Milkha Singh was a man of golden heart, he had adopted the seven-year-old son of Kargil War Hero Havildar Bikram Singh who died in Tiger Hill Battle in 1999.
Recent News
- Milkha Singh was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at Fortis Hospital, Mohali on 24 May 2021 due to pneumonia caused by COVID-19.
- His condition was said to be stable for some time, but he died on 18 June 2021 at 11:30 pm in Chandigarh.
- Milkha’s wife Nirmal Saini had also died due to COVID-19 a few days back on 13 June 2021. Milkha Singh was placed on his funeral pyre with a picture of his wife in his hands.
Awards and Recognitions
YEAR | MEDALS | EVENTS | CATEGORIES |
1958 | GOLD | ASIAN GAMES | 200M |
1958 | GOLD | ASIAN GAMES | 400M |
1958 | GOLD | CUTTACK NATIONAL GAMES | 400M |
1958 | GOLD | CUTTACK NATIONAL GAMES | 200M |
1958 | GOLD | COMMONWEALTH GAMES | 440M |
1962 | GOLD | ASIAN GAMES | 4X400M RELAY |
1962 | GOLD | ASIAN GAMES | 400M |
1964 | SILVER | CALCUTTA NATIONAL GAMES | 400M |
Honours
- Milkha Singh was awarded the Padma Shri (one of India’s highest civilian honors) in 1959.
- Mikha Singh was honored by the name “The Flying Sikh”-A title bestowed upon him by the former President of Pakistan, General Ayub Khan – he is highly respected for his sporting achievements.
Controversies
In the year 2001, Milkha Singh turned down an offer of the Arjuna award. He rejected the offer stating-” it’s like being offered an SSC certificate after securing a master’s degree” because in 1958 he was awarded Padma Shree.
Donations
- Milkha Singh donated all his medals to the country.
- All Medals was exhibited at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi but was later shifted to a sports museum in Patiala, where a pair of running shoes he wore in the Rome Olympics are also on display.
- He donated the Adidas shoes that he won in the 1960s 400meter final to a charity auction organized by film actor Rahul Bose in 2012.
- The book “The Race of My Life” which was co-written by Milkha’s daughter is inspired by Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, a 2013 biographical movie based on the life of Milkha Singh.
- Milkha Singh sold the film rights for 1 rupee but also mentions a clause stating that “a portion of the profit would be given to the Milkha Singh Charitable Trust”.
- Milkha Singh Charitable Trust was established in the year 2003 with the aim of helping the poor and needy sportspersons in the country.
Autobiography
- Milkha Singh’s autobiography: The Race of My Life (co-written with his daughter Sonia Sanwalka), was published in 2013.
- Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, a 2013 biographical movie based on the life of Milkha Singh which was directed by Rakesh Mehra, and actor Farhan Actor was in the lead role of Milkha Singh.
