Legendary marathoner Fauja Singh dies at 114 after being hit by unidentified vehicle
Singh began his marathon journey at the remarkable age of 89. He rose to international fame in 2011 when he participated in the Toronto Marathon, earning widespread acclaim as the world's oldest marathon runner. In 2012, he again amazed the world by completing a 20-kilometre run in the London Marathon. His final professional race came in 2013, when he ran in the Hong Kong Marathon at the age of 101.
Fauja Singh took up long-distance running after suffering a personal tragedy — the loss of his wife and son in an accident when he was 89. The heartbreak left him battling depression, but he turned to running as a means of healing. His incredible journey of resilience, discipline, and perseverance went on to inspire millions across the globe. However, his name was never officially entered in the Guinness World Records due to the absence of a birth certificate.
Long before the world turned to protein bars and gym memberships, Fauja Singh (114) of Jalandhar's Beas village had already found his own timeless recipe for strength, stamina, and longevity. At 114, he remained active, alert, and remarkably fit—all thanks to a life built around discipline, simplicity, and nature.
His day began before sunrise with a slow, mindful walk to his farmland—something he never skipped. And in the evening, he would go again. Twice a day, every day. 'He said the open air and soil kept his body alive,' recalls his son, Harvinder Singh, his son, who took him hospital immediately after the accident and was still at the hospital to complete the formalities.
But it wasn't just the walking. Central to his daily routine was a pinni—not the usual festive sweet, but a homemade daal-based laddu, packed with dry fruits, herbs, and desi ghee. 'It had moong/ Maash and urad dal, almonds, gum (gond), turmeric, ajwain, and other traditional herbs. He believed this one laddoo a day kept weakness and illness at bay,' said Harvinder.
Fauja Singh drank only fresh milk and homemade curd, and his meals were always vegetarian—rotis made from home-ground flour, seasonal vegetables, and no processed food. 'He never even touched market-made snacks or sweets,' Harvinder adds.
He never relied on supplements or tonics. No medicines, no tonics—just simple, nutritious food and steady physical movement. Even at 114, he didn't need support to walk or move around the house.
Locals often saw him as a walking lesson in natural living. 'In an age where people talk about superfoods, he quietly lived on real food, close to the earth. He was never sick. No BP, no sugar, no joint pain,' said a neighbour who often accompanied his son to hospital.
But on Monday morning, Fauja Singh's routine was suddenly disrupted when an unidentified vehicle hit him while he was on his usual pre-evening walk to the farm. He sustained a serious head injury and rushed to a local hospital in critical condition . His family has urged police to trace the vehicle responsible.
As villagers hope and pray for his recovery, they continue to speak of him as an example of how a life rooted in tradition, food wisdom, and physical movement can not only extend life—but fill it with energy and dignity.
'The first time I met Fauja Singh was in 2005 when I was writing, Sikhs Unlimited. He had just been a poster boy for Adidas. I had the privelege of writing his biography, Turbaned Tornado, which was released at House of Lords, London in 2011. Fauja Singh was a true inspiration, and a man with a very earthy sense of humour and wisdom. He donated all his endorsement money to charities. He was not only Punjab's icon, he was an inspiration for millions all across the globe,' said Khushwanti Singh, who has written his Biography .
Nitin Sharma is an Assistant Editor with the sports team of The Indian Express. Based out of Chandigarh, Nitin works with the print sports desk while also breaking news stories for the online sports team. A Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award recipient for the year 2017 for his story 'Harmans of Moga', Nitin has also been a two-time recipient of the UNFPA-supported Laadli Media Awards for Gender Sensitivity for the years 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Nitin mainly covers Olympics sports disciplines with his main interests in shooting, boxing, wrestling, athletics and much more. The last 17 years with The Indian Express has seen him unearthing stories across India from as far as Andaman and Nicobar to the North East. Nitin also covers cricket apart from women's cricket with a keen interest. Nitin has covered events like the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the 2011 ODI World Cup, 2016 T20 World Cup and the 2017 AIBA World Youth Boxing Championships.
An alumnus of School of Communication Studies, Panjab University, from where he completed his Masters in Mass Communications degree, Nitin has been an avid quizzer too. A Guru Nanak Dev University Colour holder, Nitin's interest in quizzing began in the town of Talwara Township, a small town near the Punjab-Himachal Pradesh border. When not reporting, Nitin's interests lie in discovering new treks in the mountains or spending time near the river Beas at his hometown. ... Read More
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Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
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Jalandhar: Mohali-based Deep Shergill, who has been participating in and organising runs for social and health causes, attended the cremation of marathoner Fauja Singh with a dozen sports enthusiasts. She says around 2016, when she was sinking into depression, Fauja Singh's stories and a phone call from him changed the trajectory of her life. Deep, who would invariably call him "Bapu Ji" (a respectful address for a fatherly figure), said that she lost her 22-year-old brother, Karandeep Singh Shergill, in a hit-and-run case in Mohali in 2011. "When that deep wound was still fresh, due to some other personal reasons, I started sinking into depression due to a prolonged traumatic experience. In 2016, my parents asked me to take up running, and I also read Bapu Fauja Singh's story about how he took to running to overcome grief and became an icon. I wore running shoes for the first time in 2016," she said. One day, her father, Mohanbir Singh Shergill, asked her to take a phone call without telling her who was on the other side. When she picked up the phone, the voice from the other side said: "Mein Bapu Fauja Singh bol rihan (this is Fauja Singh speaking)." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo "It was such a big surprise for me that I was speaking to the icon whom I adored. During the conversation, I requested him to come to Mohali to motivate people for running. He promised that whenever he next came to India, he would come straight to us. A few weeks later, he landed at our family's school in Mohali. It did not seem to be a first-time meeting, and then started such a strong association that every year we would celebrate his birthday here in Mohali on April 1, and he would come to attend. He stayed with us on some occasions," said Deep, who was accompanied by her father, uncle, and her 18-year-old niece, Ibadat Kaur, from the UK. "His granddaughters and I were planning how we should organise his 115th birthday to make it a memorable affair," she said. "As I am part of the running community, I know how much he was an inspiration for runners across the globe and how deeply they are grieving the loss, that too in an accident," she said.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
‘Void that can never be filled': PM Narendra Modi on loss; writes to marathoner's son
Jalandhar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi , in his letter addressed to Fauja Singh's son Harvinder Singh, said his loss left behind a void that could never be filled. The letter was brought to Jalandhar by Mohali-based Deep Shergill. The letter addressed to Fauja Singh's son, Harvinder Singh, was sent by the PM's office to Deep's brother, Harshdeep Singh Shergill. In his letter, the PM wrote: "An extraordinary personality, Shri Fauja Singh Ji inspired one and all, particularly India's youth, to make fitness an integral part of their daily life. His unwavering determination and remarkable achievements as an athlete truly set him apart." "Widely known as the oldest marathon runner, Fauja Singh Ji became the first centenarian to complete the marathon successfully. That he took up long-distance running at a very advanced age speaks volumes not only for his physical fitness but, more importantly, his mental strength and resilience," added the letter. The PM concluded the letter by expressing his "deepest condolences": "May Waheguru grant you the strength and fortitude to endure the grievous loss."
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Fauja Singh, the ‘Turbaned Tornado', taught us age is no limit
Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti is an MD in geriatric medicine from AIIMS, New Delhi, and is currently a consultant at the Sitaram Bhartia Institute of Science and Research, New Delhi The life and legacy of the world's oldest marathoner, Fauja Singh, who died at 114 in a road accident a few days ago, will continue to motivate geriatricians across the globe. Fauja Singh was not only an inspiration for millions of people but also a strong motivation for geriatricians around the world. In a world obsessed with youth and speed, Fauja Singh stood as a defiant streak of silver — not just breaking records, but breaking stereotypes with every stride. As geriatricians, we are trained to understand the vulnerabilities of aging; yet, occasionally, someone like Fauja Singh comes along and teaches us about its untapped potential. He was the living example of the science of ageing, which proves that improvement is possible at any age and that lifestyle modification is the best path toward longevity — or in other words, lifestyle decides longevity. He didn't just run marathons. He ran into history — not despite his age, but because of it. Born in 1911 in British India, Fauja Singh didn't lace up his first pair of running shoes until he was in his 80s. In my clinical practice, I often hear patients complain, 'We were athletes in our youth' or 'We used to ride bicycles' — but now we couldn't even think of doing that again. This is a common finding: most people, as they age, tend to slow down, settle in, and shrink their worlds. Fauja, instead, expanded his. He ran his first marathon at 89. At 100, he became the world's oldest marathoner, completing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon — not just a runner in the race but a symbol of what ageing can look like: vibrant, determined, and full of grace. As physicians who serve the elderly, we often encounter the quiet fears of our patients — of decline, dependence, and disappearing relevance. Fauja Singh turned those fears into fuel and proved his mettle. The life of Fauja (which was chronicled in the biography Turbaned Tornado by Khushwant Singh) testifies that age is not a barrier — rather, it is an opportunity. He once said, 'The first 100 years are a test. The real fun begins after that.' His life echoes the belief that chronological age is only a number — not a sentence. Nowadays, there is an emerging discussion about biological age, which is more important to understand than chronological age. Chronological age is fixed and unidirectional, whereas a person can age toward younger years biologically with lifestyle modifications. So don't fall into the trap of chronological age. It might be possible that your age is 75 years, but with a good lifestyle, your biological age can be 50 or 60. It is possible to bloom in late life, to grow stronger in purpose even as the body wears down. For the elderly, purpose often serves as the best medicine, which in turn fuels physical, social, and cognitive health. Fauja's consistency and commitment to running gave him that purpose, which is very important for healthy ageing. This shaped his daily routine. Even in his later years, it included waking early, a light diet, prayer, and disciplined training. His story is a lesson in resilience, underlining the importance of maintaining mental health along with physical well-being. Poor physical health, chronic diseases, social isolation, or the loss of loved ones can often push elders into depression. But it is also true that life experience and emotional stability make elders more competent to overcome these challenges strongly and efficiently. In Fauja's case, he overcame profound grief — losing his son and wife — through running. Often, society views the elderly through a lens of pity or irrelevance. Fauja Singh flipped the narrative. He inspired generations to rethink what elders are for. In this generation, where young supermodels with six-pack abs are idolised, Fauja Singh proved that elders can also inspire through their physical fitness — and that being athletic is not the exclusive joy of youth. One can maintain athleticism for life. Fauja's philosophy of aging wasn't rooted in denial of age but in acceptance and transcendence of its limits. He never competed for money, fame, or medals. He ran for joy, remembrance, and peace, emphasizing the need to enjoy and nurture the gift of nature inbuilt in our own bodies. As geriatricians, we strive to add life to years, not just years to life. In Fauja Singh, we see the living embodiment of that mission. His legs may have carried him across marathons, but it is his spirit that carried him into our hearts — and into the annals of possibility. Let this tribute not end as a eulogy but begin as a call to action: to advocate for elder health with renewed faith, to challenge ageism, and to remind our patients — and ourselves — that it's never too late to be extraordinary. 'Baba bohat vadhia daudeya — hun saari duniya tuhade piche bhaj rahi hai.' (Baba, you ran so well — now the whole world runs behind you.) Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
