Remembering ‘The Flying Sikh’ Milkha Singh

Legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh passed away on 18th June at the age of 91 after battling with COVID-19 for over a month. Milkha Singh was the first Indian male to reach the final of an Olympic athletics event where he was placed fourth in the 400-metre race at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Across his sporting career, Milkha Singh won 4 Gold Medals in Asian Games, 1 in the 1958 Commonwealth Games and 3 in Cuttack National Games. He was also awarded the prestigious Padma Shri in the year 1959. He acquired the nickname of The Flying Sikh, in a post -race comment by the then Pakistan General Ayub Khan.