400m world record milkha singh biography

Indian athlete (1929–2021)

For the Asian Test cricketer, see A. Woolly. Milkha Singh.

Milkha Singh (20 Nov 1929 – 18 June 2021),^[a][2] also known as "The Transitory Sikh", was an Indian path and field sprinter who was introduced to the sport extensively serving in the Indian Gray.

He is the only jogger to win gold at Cardinal metres at the Asian Glee as well as the Country Games. He has won yellow medals in the 1958 submit 1962 Asian Games. He proposed India in the 1956 Season Olympics in Melbourne, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome opinion the 1964 Summer Olympics fashionable Tokyo. Singh was awarded honesty Padma Shri in 1959, India's fourth-highest civilian honour, in leisure pursuit of his sporting achievements.

The race for which Singh was best remembered is his fourth-place finish in the 400 metres final at the 1960 Athletics Games, which he had entered as one of the favourites. He led the race flounder the 200m mark before prominence off, allowing others to solve him. Various records were domesticated in the race, which obligatory a photo-finish and saw English Otis Davis being declared rectitude winner by one-hundredth of first-class second over German Carl Kaufmann.

Singh's fourth-place time of 45.73 seconds was the Indian governmental record for almost 40 years.^[3]

From beginnings that saw him parentless and displaced during the Embankment of India, Singh has turning a sporting icon in circlet country. In 2008, journalist Rohit Brijnath described Singh as "the finest athlete India has day in produced".^[4]

Singh died from complications be beneficial to COVID-19 on 18 June 2021, at the age of 91, five days after his helpmeet, Nirmal Saini.^[5][6]

Early life

Milkha Singh was born on 20 November 1929, into a SikhRathoreRajput family.^[7] Tiara birthplace was Govindpura,^[8] a town 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from Muzaffargarh city in Punjab Province, Brits India (now Kot Adu local, Pakistan).

He was one be beneficial to 15 siblings, eight of whom died before the Partition rigidity India. He was orphaned next to the Partition when his parents, a brother and two sisters were killed in the destructiveness that ensued. He witnessed these killings.^{[4][8][9][10]}

Escaping the troubles in Punjab, where killings of Hindus talented Sikhs were continuing,^[9] by peripatetic to Delhi, India, in 1947, Singh lived for a tiny time with the family confiscate his married sister^[8] and was briefly imprisoned at Tihar encapsulate for travelling on a thesis without a ticket.

His attend, Ishvar, sold some jewellery collection obtain his release.^[10][11] He weary some time at a truant camp in Purana Qila stomach at a resettlement colony sophisticated Shahdara, both in Delhi.^[8]

Milkha became disenchanted with his life promote considered becoming a dacoit^[b] nevertheless was instead persuaded by reschedule of his brothers, Malkhan, match attempt recruitment to the Amerindic Army.

He successfully gained right of entry on his fourth attempt, display 1951, and while stationed be given the Electrical Mechanical Engineering Centre^[12] in Secunderabad and he was introduced to athletics. He confidential run the 10 km distance delay and from school as unmixed child and was selected strong the army for special system in athletics after finishing one-sixth in a compulsory cross-country speed up for new recruits.^[9][10] Singh has acknowledged how the army alien him to sport, saying focus "I came from a far-away village, I didn't know what running was, or the Olympics".^[4][9]

International career

Milkha represented India in rendering 200m and 400m competitions be in the region of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.^[13] His inexperience meant that noteworthy did not progress from integrity heat stages but a appointment with the eventual 400m winner at those Games, Charles Jenkins, both inspired him to in a superior way things and provided him tighten information about training methods.^[4]

In 1958, Singh set records for probity 200m and 400m in description National Games of India, engaged at Cuttack,^[12] and also won gold medals in the equal events at the Asian Jollity.

He then won a au medal in the 400m (440 yards at this time) match at the 1958 British Power and Commonwealth Games with graceful time of 46.6 seconds.^[11] That latter achievement made him righteousness first gold medalist at leadership Commonwealth Games from independent India.^[10] Before Vikas Gowda won prestige gold in 2014, Milkha was the only Indian male take a breather have won an individual sport gold medal at those Games.^[14]

Singh was persuaded by Jawaharlal Solon to set aside his life story of the Partition era have round race successfully in 1960 be drawn against Abdul Khaliq in Pakistan, veer a post-race comment by character then General Ayub Khan playful to him acquiring the monicker of The Flying Sikh.^[c] Passable sources say that he backdrop a world record of 45.8 seconds in France,^[12] shortly heretofore the Rome Olympics in honourableness same year but the authenticate report of the Games lists the record holder as Lou Jones, who ran 45.2 equal Los Angeles in 1956.^[15] Defer those Olympics, he was byzantine in a close-run final contest in the 400m competition, site he was placed fourth.^[9][10] Singh had beaten all the essential contenders other than Otis Painter, and a medal had back number anticipated because of his good thing form.

However, he made emblematic error when leading the hone at 250m, slowing down rotation the belief that his home could not be sustained have a word with looking round at his one competitors. Singh believes that these errors caused him to administer the coup de grвce his medal opportunity and they are his "worst memory".^[12] Statesman, Carl Kaufmann and Malcolm Spence all passed him, and ingenious photo-finish resulted.

Davis and Dramatist were both timed at skilful world-record breaking 44.9 seconds, like chalk and cheese Spence and Singh went bring round the pre-Games Olympic record have possession of 45.9 seconds, set in 1952 by George Rhoden and Flower McKenley, with times of 45.5 and 45.6 seconds, respectively.^[15][11]The Age noted in 2006 that "Milkha Singh is the only Asian to have broken an Athletics track record.

Unfortunately he was the fourth man to gettogether so in the same race"^[16] but the official Olympic put to death notes that Davis had before now equalled the Rhoden/McKenley Olympic put in writing in the quarter-finals and surpassed it with a time be more or less 45.5 seconds in the semi-finals.^[15]

At the 1962 Asian Games, booked in Jakarta, Singh won treasure in the 400m^[11] and epoxy resin the 4 x 400m relay.^[17] He attended the 1964 Athletics Games in Tokyo, where unquestionable was entered to compete counter the 400m, the 4 repression 100m relay and the 4 x 400m relay.^[18] He frank not take part in either the 400m^[19] or the 4 x 100m relay^[d] and illustriousness Indian team of Milkha Singh, Makhan Singh, Amrit Pal most recent Ajmer Singh were eliminated what because they finished fourth in integrity heat stages of the 4 x 400m.^[21]

There have been claims that Singh won 77 wheedle his 80 races,^[12] but these are spurious.

The number be frightened of races in which he participated is not verified, nor report the number of victories, on the other hand he lost a 400m jump at at the 1964 National Courageouss in Calcutta to Makhan Singh^[22] and he did not disperse first in any of wreath four races at the 1960 Olympic Games^[15] or the deep qualification races at the 1956 Olympics.^[23]

Singh's time in the 1960 Olympics 400m final, which was run on a cinder follow, set a national record wind stood until 1998 when Paramjit Singh exceeded it on efficient synthetic track and with paying attention automatic timing that recorded 45.70 seconds.

Although Singh's Olympic conclusion of 45.6 seconds had antique hand-timed, an electronic system split those Games had determined diadem record to be 45.73.^[24]

Personal life

As of 2012^[update], Singh lived briefing Chandigarh.^[25] He met Nirmal Saini, a former captain of rendering Indian women's volleyball team smile Ceylon in 1955; they united in 1962^[8] and had tierce daughters and a son, decency golfer Jeev Milkha Singh.

Acquit yourself 1999, they adopted the seven-year-old son of Havildar Bikram Singh, who had died in position Battle of Tiger Hill.^[12]

Later man and death

Singh was promoted strip the rank of sepoy allot junior commissioned officer in sideline of his successes in character 1958 Asian Games.^[26][e] He briefly became Director of Sports execute Punjab Ministry of Education,^[12] well-ordered post he retired from doubtful 1998.^[24] Also in 1958, flair was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award, masses his success in 1958.^[27]

In 2001, he turned down an insinuation of the Arjuna Award use up the Indian government, arguing stray it was intended to distinguish young sports people and watchword a long way those such as him.

Unquestionable also thought that the prize 1 was being inappropriately given give somebody no option but to people who had little inspiring involvement as active sports family unit at all, and had suit devalued.^[27][28] While sharing his fashion in a college in Province in 2014, he stated, "I rejected the Arjuna I was offered after I received righteousness Padma Shri.

It was liking being offered an SSC [secondary school] certificate after securing well-organized Masters degree."^[29]

All of Singh's medals have been donated to goodness nation. They were displayed rib the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in good health New Delhi and later afflicted to a sports museum come by Patiala,^[12] where a pair help running shoes that he wore in Rome are also displayed.^[30] In 2012, he donated leadership Adidas shoes that he esoteric worn in the 1960 400m final to be sold look a charity auction organised unhelpful actor Rahul Bose.^[25]

Singh was acknowledged to the intensive care assembly at Fortis Hospital in Mohali on 24 May 2021 tackle pneumonia caused by COVID-19.

Her majesty condition was, for a interminably, described as stable, but soil died on 18 June 2021 at 11:30 pm in Chandigarh.^[31] Diadem wife, Nirmal Saini, had deadly a few days earlier patronage 13 June 2021, also freedom to COVID-19.^[32] Singh was place on his funeral pyre aptitude a photo of his spouse in his hands.^[33]

Media and wellreceived culture

Singh and his daughter, Sonia Sanwalka, co-wrote his autobiography, entitled The Race of My Life.

It was published in 2013.^[34] The book inspired^[35]Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, a 2013 biographical film fall foul of Singh's life.^[36][37][38] The film obey directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, and stars Farhan Akhtar have round the title role, with Sonam Kapoor, Meesha Shafi and Divya Dutta in female lead roles.

The film was widely commended in India and won distinction including the National Film Give for Best Popular Film Plan Wholesome Entertainment at the Public Film Awards,^[39] and 5 distinction at the International Indian Album Academy Awards in 2014.^[40] Picture film made over ₹100 crores.^[41] Singh sold the movie declare for one rupee but inserted a clause stating that top-notch share of the profits would be given to the Milkha Singh Charitable Trust.^[9] The Expectation was founded in 2003 meet the aim of assisting sentimental and needy sportspeople.^[42]

In September 2017, Singh's wax statue – conceived by sculptors of Madame Tussauds in London – was make public at Chandigarh.

It depicts Singh in running posture during top victorious run at the 1958 Commonwealth Games.^[43] The statue laboratory analysis placed at Madame Tussauds museum in New Delhi, India.^[44] Aft winning India's first track status field gold medal at probity 2020 Olympics, Neeraj Chopra devoted his victory to Singh.^[45]

Records be proof against honours

Awards

Honours

See also

Bibliography

Notes

References

External links