Latest news with #TurbanedTornado
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
NRI from Canada arrested for running over veteran marathon runner Fauja Singh
The Punjab Police Wednesday arrested the driver, a non-resident Indian (NRI) who recently returned from Canada, for running over veteran marathon runner Fauja Singh earlier this week. Senior Superintendent of Police, Jalandhar, Harvinder Singh Virk, said that the accused has been identified as Amritpal Singh Dhillon and is a resident of Dasupur village in Kartarpur. The vehicle had been identified on Tuesday and the police had said that the driver would be arrested soon. 'We have identified the vehicle from a CCTV footage. It is a Punjab registered Toyota Fortuner. From the accident spot, we recovered some fragments of the vehicle's headlight. After that, we have tracked down the vehicle. In the CCTV footage, the part of vehicle, which was found at the accident spot, was missing. It was a left side's headlight fragment. The registration number was readable which we tracked,' Harvinder Singh had told news agency PTI. After the incident, an FIR was registered against the driver under BNS sections 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), the police informed. Fauja Singh, who had completed a full marathon at the age of 100 thus becoming the oldest person to be doing so, had died on Monday after being hit by the vehicle at his native Beas village in Punjab's Jalandhar district. Fauja Singh, aka 'Turbaned Tornado', had turned 114 on April 1 this year and had run a total of nine full marathons in his career spanning 14 years (2000 to 2013). He became the face of Adidas campaign 'Impossible is Nothing' which also included boxing legend Muhammad Ali and football legend David Beckham. Born in Beas village on April 1, 1911, Fauja Singh was the youngest of four children in a farming family. It was in 1993 that he immigrated to England to be with one of his sons after his wife Gian Kaur's death. During his time in England, Singh started long walks and running in public parks near his Ilford home. After coming in contact with marathon coach Harmander Singh, Fauja Singh competed in the London Marathon in April 2000 at the age of 89 and completed it in 6 hours and 54 minutes, bettering the earlier world record in the senior age category by 58 minutes. From 2000 to 2012, Fauja Singh ran London Marathon six times, Toronto Marathon twice and New York Marathon once. Author Khushwant Singh, who had written his biography 'Turbaned Tornado', shared his memories of Fauja Singh. 'Babe ne hamesha duniya nu dita hi hai (Baba always gave something to this world). He always used to support charities across the world. 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 Adidas campaign. When we released the biography in 2011 at 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),' Khushwant said.
Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
‘World's oldest marathon runner' dies aged 114 in road accident
NEW DELHI: India's Fauja Singh, believed to be the world's oldest distance runner, has died in a road accident aged 114, his biographer said Tuesday. Singh, an Indian-born British national, nicknamed the 'Turbaned Tornado', died after being hit by a vehicle in Punjab state's Jalandhar district on Monday. 'My Turbaned Tornado is no more,' Fauja's biographer Khushwant Singh wrote on X. 'He was struck by an unidentified vehicle... in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja.' Singh did not have a birth certificate but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911.
NDTV
11 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Fortuner That Hit And Killed Marathoner Fauja Singh Identified: Cops
The car which hit 114-year-old marathon runner Fauja Singh on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway and sped away has been identified almost 24 hours after the incident, cops said. The world's oldest marathoner died in the accident. The cops, using CCTV footage, have identified a Punjab-registered white Toyota Fortuner, which was allegedly involved in the hit-and-run, but a search is still on for the driver. Multiple teams have been formed to identify the accused who rammed Fauja Singh. The legendary runner suffered head injuries in the incident and died in the hospital. Mr Singh, popularly known as 'Turbaned Tornado', was a global icon. He was born on April 1, 1911 and lived through history, witnessing two world wars, two global pandemics, and India's partition in 1947. In the 90s, he moved to England to live with one of his sons. The death of his son Kuldip and his wife forced him to search for a worthwhile alternative in life. Age was never a barrier for him. In 2000, at the age of 89, he made his debut at the iconic London marathon, which grabbed the world's attention. He went on to participate in Toronto, New York, and other cities within his age group. He was a torchbearer for the 2004 Athens Games and 2012 London Olympics, and appeared in an advertisement for a major sports brand alongside legends like David Beckham and Muhammad Ali. In 2012, Malaysia organised the 2nd Annual Chardikala Run with the theme of "101 and running". The event was a tribute to Fauja Singh's achievements, and he was honoured with the BrandLaureate Award. In 2013, Fauja participated in the Hong Kong marathon, where he completed the race in 1 hour, 32 minutes, and 28 seconds. Following this, he announced his retirement from running at the age of 102. However, he continued running for his well-being and charitable causes. People from the sporting community and political leaders mourned Fauja Singh's death. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Fauja Singh Ji was extraordinary due to his unique personality and his approach to inspiring India's youth on the crucial topic of fitness. He was a remarkable athlete with unwavering determination. His passing has caused great sorrow. My condolences are with his family and his countless admirers around the world." Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said, "I am deeply saddened by the passing of centenarian marathon legend, the globally celebrated 'Turbaned Tornado,' Fauja Singh ji. His life, a testament to unwavering determination and unbridled resilience, serves as a profound inspiration for fitness enthusiasts, aspiring athletes and the young and old alike." "My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and admirers," he added.
Al Jazeera
14 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
‘Turbaned Tornado': World's oldest marathon runner dies in hit-and-run
'Turbaned Tornado': World's oldest marathon runner dies in hit-and-run NewsFeed Fauja Singh, the world's oldest marathon runner, has died at the age of 114 from a hit-and-run accident in northern India. Video Duration 02 minutes 56 seconds 02:56 Video Duration 01 minutes 27 seconds 01:27 Video Duration 01 minutes 58 seconds 01:58 Video Duration 00 minutes 54 seconds 00:54 Video Duration 02 minutes 20 seconds 02:20 Video Duration 01 minutes 10 seconds 01:10 Video Duration 01 minutes 34 seconds 01:34
eNCA
18 hours ago
- Sport
- eNCA
'World's oldest marathon runner' dies aged 114 in road accident
MUMBAI - India's Fauja Singh, believed to be the world's oldest distance runner, has died in a road accident aged 114, his biographer said. Singh, an Indian-born British national, nicknamed the "Turbaned Tornado", died after being hit by a vehicle in Punjab state's Jalandhar district on Monday. "My Turbaned Tornado is no more," Fauja's biographer Khushwant Singh wrote on X. "He was struck by an unidentified vehicle... in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja." Singh did not have a birth certificate but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911. He ran full marathons (42 kilometres) till the age of 100. His last race was a 10-kilometre event at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon when 101, where he finished in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds. He became an international sensation after taking up distance running at the ripe old age of 89, after the death of his wife and one of his sons, inspired by seeing marathons on television. Although widely regarded as the world's oldest marathon runner, he was not certified by Guinness World Records as he could not prove his age, saying that birth certificates did not exist when he was born under British colonial rule in 2011. Singh was a torchbearer for the Olympics at Athens 2004 and London 2012, and appeared in advertisements with sports stars such as David Beckham and Muhammad Ali. His strength and vitality were credited to a routine of farm walks and a diet including Indian sweet "laddu" packed with dry fruits and home-churned curd. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute on social media. "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."
