Veteran Athlete Milkha Singh passes away

Indian Athlete Milkha Singh passed away at the age of 91 due to Covid-19 related complications on June 18, 2021.

Who was Milkha Singh?

Captain Milkha Singh, known as The Flying Sikh, was an Indian track and field sprinter. He was introduced to sport while serving the Indian Army. He is the only athlete who won gold in 400 metres race at Asian Games & Commonwealth Games. He won gold medals in 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. He also represented India in 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He was conferred India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, Padma Shri for his sporting achievements.

Why Milkha Singh is called as Flying Sikh?

During the 1960 Olympic Games, he finished to fourth-place in 400 metres final. Several records were broken in race. He finished to fourth-place in 45.73 seconds which was an Indian national record for almost 40 years.

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2021