Indian sprinter Milkha Singh has passed away after battling against Covid-19. He was 91 at the time of his death. Singh was tested positive for COVID-19 on May 20 and was in isolation at his Chandigarh residence. At the age of 91, popularly known as Flying Sikh finally succumbed to the disease after a month-long battle.5 days ago Milkha Singh’s wife passed away due to a COVID-19 complication. Milkha Singh was a 1958 commonwealth Games Champion and 1960 Rome Olympic, had contracted the virus on May 20. Milkha Singh was a four-time Asian Game gold medalist.After 30 days he contracted the Covid-19 virus and five days after the demise of his wife 85-year-old Nirmal Milkha Singh, Flying Sikh 91-year-old Milkha Singh breathed his last at PGIMER on Friday night.
Milkha Singh battling against Coronavirus:The 1958 Commonwealth Games champion and 1960 Rome Olympian had contracted the virus on May 20 after one of their family cooks tested positive and was admitted to a private Mohali hospital on May 24. Milkha Singh had been discharged on May 30 before he was admitted to the Covid ward in the Nehru Hospital Extension at PGIMER on June 3 due to dipping oxygen levels. The former Indian athlete had tested negative for Covid-19 on Thursday. Earlier this week he was shifted from the Covid ICU to the medical ICU at PGIMER.Life and awards:Milkha Singh was born in Gobindpura now in present-day Pakistan on November 30, 1928, as per school records, had become the first Indian athlete to win gold in the then British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff in 1958, a record which stood for more than 50 years when Krishna Poonia won the gold in discus throw event in 2010 CWG at Delhi. Milkha Singh had emerged as the winner in the 400m final at Cardiff edging out Malcolm Spence of South Africa with a timing of 46.6 seconds. While he had also won four Asian Games gold medals including the 200m and 400m wins in the 1956 Asian Games and 400m and 4X400m relay in the 1962 Asian Games.
Milkha Singh’s enormous moment of glory or miss came in the 1960 Rome Olympics where he finished fourth in the 400m final at the Rome Olympic Stadium to miss out on the bronze medal in a photo-finish to Spence. Milkha Singh’s then-national record timing of 45.6 seconds at Rome was broken by Paramjeet Singh later in 1998. About Milkha Singh family:Milkha Singh is survived by three daughters Dr. Mona Singh, Aleeza Grover, Sonia Sanwalka, and son Jeev Milkha Singh. His son, also a 14-time international winner too is a Padma Shri awardee like his father and had been coordinating with the medical staff at PGIMER along with his elder sister Dr. Mona Singh since last month.