Track and subject legend Milkha Singh, who handed away on Friday, was the aged statesman of Indian sport. His light and charismatic persona was so infectious that any athlete, blessed with even a quick interplay (or cellphone name), was left with an indelible feeling of awe and admiration.
His phrases impressed, motivated, and even comforted heartbroken athletes.
Jugraj Singh, a proficient worldwide hockey participant whose profession was lower brief in a automotive accident – just some months after his twentieth birthday – is only one such athlete who discovered a renewed enthusiasm in the direction of life after assembly the ‘Flying Sikh.’
“When I had that accident in 2003, Milkha Sir came to meet me and had one simple piece of advice: ‘Don’t give up on life, whatever ups and downs,’” remembers Jugraj, who was left with a number of fractures in the appropriate pelvic, thigh and proper elbow after the accident. Just a few years later the drag-flicker bumped into Milkha at a golf course and the quarter-mile legend had just one phrase of recommendation for him: “Lage Raho (be relentless).”
Fourth-Placed Club
The nice PT Usha and shooter Joydeep Karmakar discovered solace in Milkha’s recommendation. Just like Milkha, they completed a detailed fourth of their respective Olympic occasions, brief by only a whisker.
“He used to just call me ‘PT’,” says Usha, who completed fourth within the 400m hurdles on the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. “He said, ‘PT you are hard-working and dedicated like me. But the reason I could win medals at international competitions in my career was because I could travel abroad and participate in many competitions.’ His advice really helped me,” says Usha who went on to win a record-breaking 5 golds on the Asian Championships the very subsequent 12 months.
For Karmakar, who completed fourth within the 50m rifle susceptible occasion on the 2012 London Olympics, Milkha didn’t sugar-coat his phrases. Over the cellphone he informed Karmakar to “live with that pain” but additionally ensured him that the ache wouldn’t cripple him for all times.
“He said, ‘you don’t have to carry it with you at the front of your mind all the time. Eventually, it’ll go away. You can’t forget it, just don’t let it dominate you,’” says Karmakar. “He was jovial. I got from him that whatever problems you have as an athlete, you must laugh it off. Laugh at your own problems. That was a great takeaway,” he provides.
‘He thanked me’
When discus thrower Krishna Poonia ended India’s five-decade monitor and subject gold-medal drought on the Commonwealth Games in 2010, Milkha was elated past measure. His 440 yard race in Cardiff in 1958 was India’s first gold within the competitors then often known as ‘Empire and Commonwealth Games.’ When Poonia stood on the rostrum, Milkha sprinted down the steps to succeed in her and pat her again.
“He was overjoyed,” she remembers. “He said, ‘I was waiting for this day for such a long time. I wanted to see another Indian win a track and field gold at the Commonwealth. Thank you for fulfilling my dreams.’ “That was a surreal feeling. Later we met many times and he would often share stories about his struggles during the Partition,” provides the two-time Asian Games bronze medallist.
Just a few years later he’d meet India’s star 100m sprinter Dutee Chand, and discuss in regards to the widespread elements they each shared.
“He said he had read about me and watched my race. He said he also came from a very humble background and faced a lot of struggles like me. ‘You are very talented and have the potential to make it big on the athletics circuit’ he told me,” says the 25-year-old.
Athletics – each monitor and subject – wasn’t the one sport Milkha saved tabs on.
Post-retirement he loved enjoying golf – an avenue even his son Jeev pursued. Though not knowledgeable himself, Milkha by no means shied away from giving technical recommendation to golfers.
Harmeet Kahlon, an Arjuna Awardee golfer was one such particular person. There was a interval in his profession when he determined to take a break from the course to re-work his swing motion.“He told me not to change my natural style and that was his mantra in his career,” he says.
Push for better targets
For a person who achieved a few of the largest accolades sport needed to provide, he remained true to his roots. And that was a perspective he wished no different athlete would lose. Even his son.
Seven-time worldwide golf champion Shiv Kapur remembers visiting Milkha’s residence in Chandigarh alongside along with his buddy Jeev. “Milkha sir used to tell both of us that we were born with a silver spoon and we don’t understand what the struggles of life are,” he says, asserting it was by no means with the intentionto all the time push them to attempt for better targets. “Once Jeev lost a title by one shot in Europe, Milkha sir told Jeev that this will teach him to work more and better and results can wait.”
That form of push even elevated 2017-18 I-League champions Minerva Punjab.“When we were close to winning the I-league title, I would show the players, including foreign players, the speeches by Milkha sir and his video of winning the gold medal in Cardiff. Everybody felt motivated by hislife story,” says crew proprietor Ranjit Bajaj.“When we won the I-League title, he met the players and told them ‘Chak de phatte.’”