Tragedy struck the global running community on Monday after news spread that Fauja Singh, the legendary 114-year-old marathon runner, died in a road accident at his village, Beas Pin, in Jalandhar. He was hit by an unidentified vehicle while crossing the road at around 3:30 PM and later succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital.
Fauja Singh was born on April 1, 1911, and rose to international fame after he started running marathons at the age of 89, following his migration to England in 1993. Known as the ‘Turbaned Tornado’, Fauja Singh went on to become the oldest person to complete a full marathon in 2011 when he finished the Toronto Waterfront Marathon at the age of 100.
For a person who could not walk until he was five years old, running nine full marathons in his career spanning 14 years (2000 to 2013) was a stupendous feat. He was also the face of Adidas’ campaign ‘Impossible is Nothing’, which also included boxing legend Muhammad Ali and football legend David Beckham.
Symbol of resilience
He chose running to battle depression after a number of his family members passed away, including his wife Gian Kaur. While living in England, Fauja Singh started with long walks and running in public parks near his Ilford home. He first competed in the London Marathon in April 2000 at the age of 89 and completed the race in 6 hours and 54 minutes, bettering the previous world record in the senior age category by 58 minutes. He broke several age-group records while being the cynosure of all eyes wherever he competed. He continued running in competitive races until he was 101.
Eminent journalist and author Khushwant Singh, who had written his biography Turbaned Tornado, shared his memories of Fauja Singh in the book. “I first met him in 2005 when I was writing my book, Sikhs Unlimited. It was a huge thing at that time when he became the poster boy for the Adidas campaign. When we released the biography in 2011 at the House of Lords in London, Fauja Baba was excited that his story would reach the world. With his feats, he wrote his name in history. Once we were in Australia, people honoured him with dollars. He collected that money and put it in the Gurdwara ‘golak’ (offering box)."
Due to his achievements in marathons and charity, Fauja Singh was bestowed with the British Empire Medal in 2015. He was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honour by the National Ethnic Coalition in 2013 in the US, apart from being one of the torchbearers for the London Olympics.
At the age of 100, he ran the Toronto Marathon in 8 hours and 11 minutes. The next year, he ran his last marathon in London, clocking 7 hours, 49 minutes, and 21 seconds. Later, Fauja Singh competed in the 10-km category in marathons, with the Hong Kong event in 2012 being his last international participation.
Condoling his death, Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria expressed a heartfelt tribute to his soul, calling him a “symbol of resilience” whose loss leaves the state and the world "deeply saddened."
"Deeply saddened by the passing of Sardar Fauja Singh Ji, the legendary marathon runner and symbol of resilience. At 114, he joined me in the ‘Nasha Mukt – Rangla Punjab’ march with unmatched spirit. His legacy will continue to inspire a drug-free Punjab. Om Shanti Om," Punjab's Governor posted on X.
By running at a ripe old age, Fauja Singh became a symbol of unwavering spirit and determination. He also successfully broke the stereotypes around running and inspired millions across the world to take up the sport.