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Observer
a day ago
- Sport
- Observer
Marathon runner Fauja Singh dies aged 114
LONDON: British marathon runner Fauja Singh has died in a road accident in Punjab, India, aged 114. The athlete — believed to be the oldest runner to complete a marathon- was hit by a car and suffered fatal injuries while trying to cross a road in his birth village Beas Pind, near Jalandhar in Punjab, on Monday, according to reports in India. His London-based running club and charity, Sikhs In The City,confirmed his death and said their upcoming events in Ilford, east London, will be a celebration of his life and achievements. Singh — who lived in Ilford from 1992 — made his name by beating a number of records for marathon times in multiple age brackets. The centenarian became an inspiration for countless athletes by running marathons past the age of 100. A profile on the Olympics website said Singh was born in Punjab, then under British rule, on April 1, 1911 and was the youngest of four children in a farming family. He was said to have suffered from thin and weak legs, and was unable to walk until he was five years old. He moved to England and settled in east London with his son after the death of his wife Gian Kaur in Jalandhar. It was not until 2000, aged 89, that he took up running, quickly rising to fame by completing his maiden marathon in London in six hours and 54 minutes. This time knocked 58 minutes off the previous world's best in the 90-plus age bracket. Singh ran numerous marathons, completing the 2003 Toronto Water front Marathon in five hours and 40 minutes, his personal October 16, 2011, in Toronto, the runner is thought to have become the first centenarian to run a marathon. Guinness World Records described it as an "inspirational achievement" but said it was unable to recognise the feat without the necessary proof of his date of birth. Singh did not have a birth certificate, as official birth records were not kept in India in 1911, although the date of birth on his passport was April 1, 1911 and he received a personal letter from Queen Elizabeth II on his 100th birthday. He was a torchbearer for the London 2012 Olympics and retired at the age of 101. Harmander Singh, Fauja Singh's coach at Sikhs In The City, confirmed his death in a statement posted to the running club. "Dearest runners. It is with great sadness that we can confirm our icon of humanity and powerhouse of positivity Fauja Singh has passed away in India. Aged 114 years old. He succumbed to injuries caused by a vehicle accident while crossing the road close to his home. His running club and charity Sikhs In The City will be devoting all of its events until the Fauja Singh Birthday Challenge on Sunday March 29, 2026 to celebrate his life of success and achievements. We will be doubling the efforts to raise funds to building the Fauja Singh Clubhouse on the route in Ilford where he used to train. In lieu of flowers please donate to his Clubhouse Appeal so we can carry on his legacy to encourage the world to keep fit and stay positive." Preet Kaur Gill MP said on X: "Saddened to hear about the passing of Fauja Singh. "I had the honour of meeting him. A truly inspiring man. His discipline, simple living, and deep humility left a lasting mark on me. "A reminder that age is just a number, but attitude is everything. Rest in power, legend." Jas Athwal MP said on X: "Deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Sardar Fauja Singh Ji. "He was legendary — a man who continued running until he was 101. He was a global Sikh icon, that inspired millions across the world. "His spirit and legacy of resilience will run on forever. My heartfelt condolences to all his family and friends. We will miss him. — dpa


Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
Oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh dies at 114 in hit-and-run
July 15 (Reuters) - Fauja Singh, regarded as the oldest person and the first centenarian to complete a full marathon, has died at the age of 114 after he was struck by a vehicle near his village in Punjab, India, media reports said. Singh, who claimed to be born in 1911, completed the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2011, when he was 100. He had registered his best time in a full marathon at the same event in 2003, finishing the race in five hours and 40 minutes. He was not inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records due to the lack of a birth certificate, as birth records were not kept in India in 1911, media reports said in 2011. "My 'Turbaned Tornado' is no more," Singh's biographer Khushwant Singh posted on X on Monday. "He was struck by an unidentified vehicle around 3:30 PM today in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja." Efforts were underway to identify the vehicle, which fled the scene, police told local media. An amateur runner in his youth, Singh later settled in London, where he began running competitively at 89. He ran several full marathons and also competed in 10 km races before retiring in 2013. "He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world," India's prime minister Narendra Modi posted on X on Tuesday.

USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
World's oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh dies at 114 in a hit-and-run
The world's oldest marathon runner and first centenarian to complete a marathon was killed in a hit-and-run after being struck by a vehicle. "My 'Turbaned Tornado' is no more," Khushwant Singh, Fauja Singh's biographer, who wrote "Turbaned Tornado," posted on X on Monday. "It is with great sadness that I share the passing of my most revered S. Fauja Singh." On Monday, July 14, at around 3:30 p.m. local time, Singh, 114, was struck by a vehicle near his village, Bias, in India while crossing a road, according to the biographer. Singh's village was located near Punjab, India, in the northern part of the country, near its border with Pakistan. According to the BBC, Hindustan Times, and Indian Express, an arrest has been made in connection to the case. The reports state that the man is Amritpal Singh Dhillon, a Canadian national. Singh competed in Toronto Waterfront Marathon at 100 Singh competed in the marathon, which takes place annually, multiple times. He competed in 2011 at the age of 100, according to Reuters. He competed eight years prior, in 2003, and recorded his best time at five hours and 40 minutes. The Toronto Waterfront Marathon is nearly 25 miles long, 40 kilometers, according to the marathon's website. Singh was an amateur runner in his youth, according to Reuters. He began running competitively at 89, ran multiple full marathons and competed in 10 km races, which span 6.21 miles, before he retired in 2013. Singh not in the Guinness Book of World Records While Singh claimed he was born in 1911, he did not receive a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records because he lacked a birth certificate, as India did not keep birth records in 1911, according to Reuters. Contributing: Reuters Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@


Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- Indian Express
Fauja Singh: Granddad who didn't ‘feel like dying'
Written by Khushwant Singh I always knew I'd be asked to write Fauja Singh's obituary one day, but I believed that day was still far away. Never did I imagine that a man who single-handedly redefined the meaning of living with dignity would meet such a tragic end on the same highway that had once claimed one of his sons' lives. The highway had been a backdrop to his life's most crucial experiences: It had set in motion his running career as he sought solace after his son's death. It became the place where his own was taken away, prematurely, as it feels. True to his name — Fauja, meaning 'army' and Singh, meaning 'lion'– Fauja Singh was an extraordinary man. I often told people he was the romanticised prototype of a Sikh and a peasant, embodying sabr (patience), courage, wit, resilience, and above all, decency. He embodied the original meaning of the word Sikh: A seeker. On this foundation, he built his kirdar (character), becoming a global symbol of human resilience and inspiration, especially when he completed the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2011 at the age of 100. The first time I met him was in 2005 in the UK, while I was writing Sikhs Unlimited: A Travelogue from Delhi to Los Angeles via London (Rupa & Co.), a book that chronicled the lives of some extraordinary Sikhs in the UK and the US. Fauja had shot into the limelight after the sportswear company Adidas signed him for their 'Running 2004' campaign, and his billboards appeared all over the UK. It's a separate story altogether that Fauja could never quite pronounce the brand name and always referred to it as 'kompany'. It was only after they signed him that Adidas realised how difficult it was to get him to say 'Adidas' correctly for the advertisement. Nor did they know that Fauja told me he preferred the 'sher waley jutey (the pair with the feline on them)' over 'kompany waley jutey'. He had asked me to meet him at a gurdwara in Seven Kings, Ilford. He had moved in with his eldest son after the tragic death of his middle son. What followed was a friendship that lasted two decades. He looked frail at that first meeting, very unlike a marathon runner. He was wearing a blue turban, had a flowing beard, and was dressed in a blue suit. However, the giveaways were the matching tie, which had marathon runners printed on it, and the sports shoes, which had 'Fauja' and 'Singh' inscribed on them. After introducing me to some fellow devotees as 'Likhari India toe aaya (the writer who has come from India)', he told me that he could either sleep or walk, and the interview would have to be done while walking. 'We will walk eight to 10 miles, I have to pick up my shoes from the cobbler, and then we'll have tea at the Singh Sabha Gurdwara,' he said. 'Yes, Babaji,' I replied, and off we went. About a kilometre into the interview, I realised I would need to find someone else to provide accurate information. For Fauja, everything had happened paroo, meaning 'some time back'. Thank God for Harmander Singh, his coach, from whom I eventually got the necessary details. Harmander told me how he had to virtually get Fauja out of his suit and into a vest and track pants to make him running ready. Once set, though, there was no looking back. London, New York, Toronto, Nairobi, Lahore, name a city, he conquered them all. Mumbai, twice, where he was the star attraction both times. Like Adidas, he could never pronounce Mumbai and called it Bumba. His short biography in Sikhs Unlimited soon turned into a full-fledged book. Titled Turbaned Tornado: The Oldest Marathon Runner Fauja Singh, it was released at the House of Lords, London, in July 2011. During the 100-odd kilometres I walked alongside him through the streets of London for both books, I was finally able to piece together his life. He was born in Bias Pind, in Jalandhar district, on April 1, 1911, to Mehr Singh and Bhago Kaur. Ironically, the legs on which he clocked endless miles of running were spindly, and his friends used to call him Danda. He was adopted by his aunt, Rai Kaur, and was nicknamed Gallari (talkative), a tag he carried till his last breath. Fauja Singh could entertain you endlessly with his stories and wit, albeit frequently punctuated with the choicest of Punjabi expletives. I can hear his favourite one as I write this. But Fauja was not all talk. He was an indefatigable farmer. Village folklore has it that the oxen would get tired, but Fauja wouldn't. This relentless work ethic eventually found expression on the track. Yet, what many don't know is how deeply charitable Fauja was. He donated his entire endorsement fee from Adidas to a UK-based charity called Bliss. During the 2016 Mumbai Marathon, Nestlé agreed with his request to send its endorsement money directly to the Pingalwara Trust in Amritsar. During a book tour to Australia in 2013, he was invited by many gurdwaras and showered with dollars. He would simply pick up the dollars and put them in the golak, and I would watch in awe, admiring the man that he was. Fauja was sharp and observant. At the celebrity chef cookout, part of the Mumbai Marathon carnival, he was paired with Gul Panag. They had to cook pasta. When Gul was trying to explain what pasta was, he surprised her by asking, 'Bal waala (fusilli) je, ke nali waala (penne)?' The last time I met him was in December 2024 at his home in Bias Pind, from where I had started the fourth day of my People's Walk Against Drugs, and he had walked half a kilometre in solidarity. But even before that, I had asked him, 'Do you fear death?' 'Yes,' he admitted. 'Hunn tey mela laggya, mehmaan 'Granddad, Granddad' karde ne. Maran da ji nahi karda (Now that it feels like a fair, with everyone calling me Granddad. I don't feel like dying),' he said in chaste Punjabi. Bye, Granddad. And as one of your admirers wrote on social media, at 114, you are still not out. Life cheated on you. The writer, former state information commissioner of Punjab, wrote Turbaned Tornado: The Oldest Marathon Runner Fauja Singh, the biography of the runner


NDTV
a day ago
- Health
- NDTV
When Fauja Singh Revealed His Diet And Said Vegetarian Food Was The Secret To His Fitness
Fauja Singh, often celebrated as the "Turbaned Tornado", died on July 14 at the age of 114 after being hit by a vehicle in Jalandhar, Punjab while taking a walk outside his home in Beas village. Considered as one of the "oldest marathons in the world", Fauja Singh was born in 1911, and he defied age and expectations by running marathons even after turning 100. His impressive stamina and longevity have fascinated both athletes and scientists. One of the key factors he attributed to his endurance was a simple vegetarian diet. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dr. Rajwant Singh (@ Fauja Singh Followed A Vegetarian Diet To Stay Fit Fauja Singh began his marathon journey at 89 and completed 9 full marathons between 2000 and 2013. "I'm the oldest marathon runner in the world. Just three weeks after my 101st birthday, I ran the London Marathon in seven hours and 49 minutes. I've completed eight other marathons in the past 12 years, including the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, which I ran when I was 100 years old. How do I do it? Simple: firstly, I eat only vegetarian foods," Fauja Singh wrote in a blog for He also believed that vegetarians tend to live 6-10 years longer than meat-eaters do. Well, studies have also found that vegetarians may live longer than non-vegetarians. Along with eating vegetarian foods such as chapati, dal, sabji, and saag, he also said, "I also walk or jog every day. Age may bring wisdom, but if you want stamina, endurance, and a lifetime of good health, turn to nutritious vegetarian foods." He also shared, "I've been predominantly vegetarian my whole life. In the Sikh religion, we eat to live, not live to eat. In Punjab, the green belt of India where I'm originally from, most people eat what they grow – I attribute my longevity to simple Punjabi vegetarian foods".