
Legendary marathon runner Fauja Singh dies at 114 in road accident
Heartfelt tributes have flooded in, honouring a man who defied age, broke records, and inspired generations with every stride he took.
Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Punjab, expressed his grief on the demise of the legendary marathoner.
'Deeply saddened by the passing of Sardar Fauja Singh Ji, the legendary marathon runner and an enduring symbol of resilience and hope. Even at the age of 114, he continued to inspire generations with his strength and commitment. I had the honour of walking alongside him during the two-day 'Nasha Mukt - Rangla Punjab' march from his village Beas, district Jalandhar in December 2024. Even then, his presence infused the movement with unparalleled energy and spirit,' the Governor said.
His legacy, however, will forever live on in the hearts of those fighting for a healthier, and drug-free Punjab, he added.
Former Punjab CM and BJP leader Captain Amarinder Singh also expressed condolences on the demise of Fauja Singh.
He took to X to express his condolences, saying that Singh's extraordinary life and unwavering spirit will continue to inspire generations.
'Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Fauja Singh Ji, the legendary marathon runner, at the age of 114 in a tragic road accident. His extraordinary life and unwavering spirit will continue to inspire generations,' the former Punjab CM said.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) member, Daljit S Cheema, also expressed his condolences.
'Saddened to learn about the passing away of legendary athlete Sardar Fauja Singh at the age of 114 in an accident today. A global icon of endurance and inspiration, he proved that age is no barrier. His life and legacy will continue to motivate generations,' he said.
Fauja Singh, popularly known as the 'Sikh Superman', stunned the world by shattering several records as a marathon runner in multiple age brackets. Since making his debut at the London Marathon in 2000 at the age of 89, Singh has completed it six more times and has also finished marathons in Toronto, New York, and several more cities. (ANI)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India.com
17 minutes ago
- India.com
WATCH: King Charles III meets Shubman Gill and Harmanpreet Kaur's Team India members, talks about Siraj..., video goes viral
WATCH: King Charles III meets Shubman Gill and Harmanpreet Kaur's Team India members, talks about Siraj..., video goes viral New Delhi: The Indian cricket team was on its way to beating England in the Lord's Test match. That's when fate played such a game that Mohammed Siraj went bold and India lost. Whoever saw the wicket has described Siraj's dismissal as unfortunate. It was so unlucky that even the royal family of England discussed it and King Charles III spoke to Captain Shubman Gill about it. Team India was close to winning India needed 193 runs to win. England had lost eight wickets to India for 112 runs. Ravindra Jadeja then teamed up with Jasprit Bumrah to take India closer to victory. Bumrah was dismissed for a total of 147. He was followed by Jadeja, along with Mohammed Siraj who took the team close to victory. Luck, however, did not favor Siraj and a ball from Shoaib Bashir went to the back of the leg stumps even after hitting the middle of his bat. #WATCH | The United Kingdom: King Charles III met the Indian Men's Cricket team at St. James's Palace in London. — ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2025 Team India meets King Charles Team India players met King Charles-3 after suffering defeat at Lord's. Team India had arrived to meet him at his home. Meanwhile, Charles spoke to captain Gill and also discussed about Siraj's dismissal to which Gill said that it was a game of cricket. Apart from this, Charles also had a long discussion with vice-captain Rishabh Pant and even had a laugh with him. Something similar was the case with Jasprit Bumrah. King Charles talked to every Indian team player and had a laugh. #WATCH | The United Kingdom: King Charles III pose with the players of the Indian Men's and Women's Cricket team, the coach, staff members and BCCI officials, at St. James's Palace in London. — ANI (@ANI) July 15, 2025 Also talked to the women's team Apart from the men's team of India, the women's team is also in England at the moment. India's women's team recently defeated England in the T20 series. The women's team was also met by Charles. Women players also spoke to King and asked him about his game. BCCI officials were also present BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia and Vice President Rajiv Shukla were also present with the team on the occasion. Shukla said King Charles spoke about the Lord's Test. 'King and I talked about the Lord's Test match. King said it was unfortunate that Siraj was dismissed otherwise India would have won the match. The team has proved that he is a fighter. We will win the series,' he said.
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
18 minutes ago
- First Post
The life and legacy of 'Turbaned Tornado' Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathoner
Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner, died at the age of 114 after being hit by a car in Punjab's Jalandhar. The man, who began his marathon journey at 89, had shattered records and inspired many with his resilience. Here's a closer look at his story read more Widely believed to be the world's oldest marathon runner, Fauja Singh was a British-Indian icon who shattered records across age categories, most notably, continuing to run marathons well past the age of 100. Fauja Singh, fondly called the 'Turbaned Tornado', died at the age of 114 on July 14 after being struck by a car near his home in Beas Pind, Jalandhar. Widely believed to be the world's oldest marathon runner, Singh was an icon who shattered records across age categories, most notably, continuing to run marathons well past the age of 100. The frail man, who weathered many a personal storms with grit and perseverance, had spent a better part of his running career in the UK and returned to his roots just about three years ago after retiring. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'We would always tell him that someone his age running in India would always run the risk of being hit, given how reckless the driving here is. This is what ultimately happened, unfortunately,' said his biographer Khushwant Singh, who chronicled the legendary athlete's journey in The Turbaned Tornado. As the world mourns the tragic end of an extraordinary life, here's a look back at the man, his journey, and the legacy he left behind. 'In my youth, I didn't know 'marathons' existed' Fauja Singh was born on April 1, 1911, in Beas Pind, a small village in pre-Partition British India. The youngest of four siblings, Singh had a frail frame as a child. Locals in his village even nicknamed him 'Stick' because his legs were too weak to support him, and he couldn't walk properly until he was five. Instead of going to school, he spent most of his early years helping out on the family farm, feeding cattle and growing crops like corn and wheat. 'I was very weak as a child. I had faced trouble walking till the age of five years but then as I spent time at the farm and with the support of my family and Waheguru, I started walking,' he told The Indian Express in an interview. Fauja Singh. Image courtesy: X Before turning 40, Singh had already lived through both World Wars and the horrors of the Partition. Despite everything, he had never thought of running in his youth. 'In my youth, I didn't even know the word 'marathon' existed,' he once told the BBC. 'I never went to school, nor was I involved in any kind of sports. I was a farmer and spent most of my life in the fields.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Singh later married and had six children. Life took a turn in 1993 when he moved to England after the death of his wife, Gian Kaur. He settled in Ilford, London, to live with his eldest son, Sukhjinder. However, another tragedy soon followed. While visiting India, Singh witnessed the accidental death of his younger son, Kuldeep. The loss left him shattered. He returned to London and began to find solace in long walks and eventually running, often frequenting parks near his home. On one of his visits to the local gurdwara, he met a group of elderly men who ran together. It was here that he met Harmander Singh, who would become his coach and one of his closest companions. 'Had I not met Harmander Singh, I wouldn't have got into marathon running,' Singh had told The Indian Express. Becoming the 'Turbaned tornado' Fauja Singh ran his first marathon—the London Marathon—in 2000, at the age of 89. He completed it in six hours and 54 minutes, kicking off a remarkable journey that would make him a global icon. 'Running gave him a new focus in life, made it worth living,' his coach Harmander Singh told The New York Times in 2010. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With each race, Singh grew stronger and faster. By his third London Marathon, he had shaved nine minutes off his previous time. In 2003, he amazed the world again at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon by clocking in at five hours and 40 minutes, improving his personal best by over an hour. He credited his health and longevity to a simple lifestyle and disciplined vegetarian diet. 'Eating less, running more, and staying happy - that is the secret behind my longevity. This is my message to everyone,' he had told BBC. 'Running gave him a new focus in life, made it worth living,' Fauja Singh's coach Harmander Singh said in 2010. PTI His dedication caught international attention. Adidas featured him in their Nothing Is Impossible campaign alongside Muhammad Ali in 2003. The Pakistani Prime Minister Pervez Musharraf invited him to the inaugural Lahore Marathon in 2005, and Queen Elizabeth II welcomed him to Buckingham Palace in 2006. Then came 2011—the year he turned 100. At a Toronto invitational meet named in his honour, Singh broke several world records in his age category. However, Guinness World Records did not recognise any of them, as he did not have a birth certificate from 1911 to prove his age. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Singh shows off his medal from the Edinburgh Marathon in 2005. 'He was not bothered by any of that. He just enjoyed the attention that he got. I once asked him 'Baba, maran ton darr lagda? (Baba, are you afraid of death?). He said 'haan, bilkul lagda. Haje te mele shuru hoye ne (Yes, of course. The fun has only started for me),' recalled his biographer Khuswant Singh. In 2012, Singh proudly served as a torchbearer at the London Olympics. His final competitive race came a year later in Hong Kong, a 10-kilometre event, after which he announced his retirement. Legacy beyond the finish line By 2016, Singh had hung up his marathon shoes, but that didn't mean slowing down. Even in his later years, he would walk up to 16 km a day around Ilford in East London, his coach Harmander Singh said. In 2015, he was honoured with the British Empire Medal for his services to sport and charity. His story reached new audiences in 2020 when writer Simran Jeet Singh published Fauja Singh Keeps Going—the first children's picture book by a major publisher centred on a Sikh protagonist. 'I'm now 108 years old, which means I'm probably more than 100 years older than you,' Singh wrote in the book's foreword to young readers. 'Can you believe that?' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Fauja Singh setting a world record for the fastest centenarian in an 800m race in 2011. File image/ AP. Following his death, tributes poured in from all corners of the world. PM Narendra Modi called him 'an exceptional athlete with incredible determination' and praised how he inspired India's youth to embrace fitness. Fauja Singh Ji was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness. He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2025 Back in Ilford, Harmander Singh has launched a campaign to raise funds for a memorial clubhouse in Singh's name, reports The Indian Express. 'We're collecting £114 from close to 9,000 people around the world,' he said, 'to build something that keeps the Fauja Singh legacy alive.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even at 114, Singh was actively participating in causes he believed in. He joined the 'Nasha Mukt – Rangla Punjab' march to promote a drug-free Punjab. As the world bids farewell to Singh, his remarkable legacy will live in every marathon run, every story of resilience, and in the millions of lives he inspired. With input from agencies


Mint
37 minutes ago
- Mint
King Charles tells Shubman Gill about Siraj's dismissal in ENG vs IND 3rd Test; check his reply
On July 15, the Indian men's and women's cricket teams met King Charles at Clarence House, London. The king warmly greeted players like Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill and others. The 76-year-old monarch mentioned watching highlights of the 3rd Test match, which India narrowly lost to England by 22 runs. Gill shared that the King had called the last wicket very unlucky. Mohammed Siraj got bowled by Shoaib Bashir's ball rolling onto the stumps. "It's a game of cricket," Gill told King Charles. "It was amazing. I think he was very kind and generous to be able to call us here, and it was a pleasure meeting the king, and we had some really good conversations," ANI quoted Gill as talking about the meeting with King Charles. King Charles also met Indian cricket stars Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, sharing a light-hearted moment with them. He then greeted other team members like Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and coach Gautam Gambhir. Later, he met the Indian women's team and spoke briefly with some players. India Women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur said it was a lovely experience meeting King Charles during their England tour. The monarch asked about their travel and made them feel welcome. 'We came to England so many times, but this was our first time when we met him, and he was very friendly. He asked us, like, how the travel was and all. And, it was really nice to meet him," Kaur said. "Definitely, we have been playing good cricket, and I think with that we are getting a lot of opportunity to express ourselves, so really happy the way things are moving on," she added. Before this, the team also met British actor Idris Elba. During a short chat with Gill, Bumrah and Pant, the Avengers actor admitted he said he used to be a small-time bowler. "I'd say I'm a fan, but I don't follow cricket as well as I should. I was just a little bowler, that's all," he said.