Last Updated: 12 Jun, 2023 | Views: 498
Age: 91
Profession: Sports Men
Other Profession(s): Athlete
Famous For: Indian Athlete, Known As "The Flying Sikh"
About (profile/biography)
During the Commonwealth Games, Milkha Singh became the first Indian male athlete ever to win an individual gold medal in athletics. As a sportsman, he is highly respected, having been given the title 'The Flying Sikh' by Pakistan's former president, General Ayub Khan. In international sporting events such as the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, he has won several gold medals for his motherland. In the 400m race at the 1960 Olympic Games, he had entered as one of the favorites and had even led the race till the 200m mark when he lost his speed.
Career:
1951: While stationed at the Electrical Mechanical Engineering Centre in Secunderabad, he began participating in athletics.
1956: Milkha Singh represented India in the 200 m and 400 m events at the Melbourne Olympics.
1958: Milkha Singh set national records for the 200 m and 400 m at the National Games of India in Cuttack. A gold medal was won by him over Pakistani runner Abdul Khaliq at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo.
1960: It was Milkha Singh's dream to compete in the Olympic Games, and it was a dream come true for him. The American Otis Davis eventually won the 400m final, which he finished fourth in.
Awards:
1958: Milkha Singh won a number of major events. During the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, he won gold medals in the 200m and 400m events.
1959: In recognition of his outstanding achievements in sports, he received the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award.
1962: At the Asian Games, he won gold medals in the 400m and 4x400m relay.
Unknown facts:
The medals Milkha Singh donated to the nation were displayed for the first time at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. With the aim of helping needy sportspeople, he established the Milkha Singh Charitable Trust in 2003.The 91-year-old Milkha Singh died of post-Covid complications on 18 June 2021.
Wait!
Here're some popular profiles for you.