Sports legend Milkha Singh passes away at 91
India's prominent sporting legend, Milkha Singh died aged 91 on Friday due to Covid-19 complications in Chandigarh.
The Padma Shri awardee is survived by his golfer son Jeev Milkha Singh and three daughters.
Milkha Singh was admitted to a private hospital in Chandigarh after he contracted COVID-19 on May 19. After testing negative for the infection, he was discharged on May 30.
However, he was readmitted on June 3, after which his condition stabilised. On Thursday, he developed a fever, and his oxygen saturation level dipped before he lost the battle to the infection on the following day.
Milkha Singh passed away five days after his wife and former Indian volleyball captain, Nirmal Kaur, died of COVID-19.
Former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar condoled the death of Milkha Singh.
"It's really sad news, very very sad news. One of India's greatest sporting legends and he is no more. I know he was in his 90s with his fitness, I thought he was going to complete a century. I was really looking forward to him completing a century," Sunil Gavaskar said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the death of the legendary sprinter.
"In the passing away of Shri Milkha Singh Ji, we have lost a colossal sportsperson, who captured the nation's imagination and had a special place in the hearts of countless Indians. His inspiring personality endeared him to millions. Anguished by his passing away," PM Modi said in a social media post.
Various Bollywood stars and sports personalities took to their respective social media handles to express their grief over the demise of the 'Flying Sikh' Milkha Singh.
Milkha Singh was a four-time Asian Games gold medallist. He won India's first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1958.
He also represented India in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics and was bestowed the Padma Shri in 1959.
(Edited by Ridhika Joshi)
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