Padma Shri Milkha Singh - Sikhs The Supreme

Before wishing to pen on this legend of international sports track, who won four gold medals in two Asian games: a gold in the commonwealth games—the FIRST and the LAST till date; ran 80 races all over the world winning 77—a world record in itself; was awarded the Helms World Trophy in 1959 by USA by virtue of being the best 400-metre runner in the world and broke Olympic record in the 1960 Rome Olympics, I would like to mention here a few lines of S. Harbans Singh Virdi, a notable journalist - historian and an international expert on sports events, from his book "Sikh Olympians and Internationals : "Milkha Singh can be described as one of the most extraordinary athletes of our times. Milkha Singh was a genius and the genius is never trained. Without any formal training, without any financial reward and without any emotional support (he lost his parents during Partition and he had only an elder brother and a sister to look for help). Milkha Singh took on the greatest athletes of his time and proved himself as good if not better. The burst of speed with which he broke the previous Olympic Games record of 45.9 seconds in 400 metres is now a part of folklore in Punjab. The fairy tale is repeated as part of Punjabi's rich heritage. Milkha is no less popular than Pele in Brazil and Maradona in Argentina. Generation after generation in India will remember fondly his exploits with which he set the tracks ablaze whenever and wherever he ran...... Twenty eight years have passed since Milkha hung his spikes yet no athlete has ever gone nearer Milkha's magical timing. He was a product of that time when no facilities existed, no coach available, no reward offered and no job secured, yet armed only with an iron will and the will to draw his own course, Milkha reversed the movement of the wheels of destiny."

He came to limelight during the national games at Patiala in 1956. But his story of success began in 1957 in Cuttack National games, when he established new records in 200 and 400 metre race. In the third Asian games held in Tokyo in 1958 he won two GOLD MEDALS in 200 and 400 metre race. After this success he was acknowledged as one of the TOP SIX athletes in the world.

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