India's legendary “Flying Sikh” Milkha Singh, who died at the PGIMER late on Friday night after a month-long battle with Covid-19, was cremated with full state honours at the Sector 25 cremation ground here today.
A police contingent accorded the 91-year-old legendary track and field athlete the guard of honour and his son Jeev Milkha Singh lit the pyre.
Milkha was bid a tearful adieu in the presence of his family members and several dignitaries, including sports minister Kiren Rijiju.
His son and ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh lit the funeral pyre.
Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator V P Singh Badnore, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Haryana’s Sports Minister Sandeep Singh were among the other dignitaries who attended the last rites.
Prof Jagat Ram, Director of PGIMER where Milkha was admitted, was also present.
A police contingent reversed arms and sounded the last post in the sprinter’s honour. Milkha was also given a gun salute.
The Punjab government had declared a one-day state mourning and a holiday as a mark of respect to the legend.
Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had earlier in the day said the Punjab government will accord state funeral to Milkha Singh.
Earlier, the funeral procession started from Milkha’s Sector 8 residence.
His body was carried in a bedecked vehicle, with common people turning up along the short route to the Sector 25 cremation ground to pay their last respects to the legend.
The Milkha died on Friday night after a month-long battle with Covid-19. He had lost his former national volleyball captain wife Nirmal Kaur to Covid on Sunday.
The Padma Shri awardee was nicknamed ‘The Flying Sikh’ for his achievements. He is survived by Jeev and three daughters.
The legendary athlete was a four-time Asian Games gold medallist and the 1958 Commonwealth Games champion but his greatest performance remained the fourth-place finish in the 400m final of the 1960 Rome Olympics.
His timing of 45.6 sec at the Italian capital remained the national record for 38 years before Paramjeet Singh broke it in 1998.
He also represented India in the 1956 and 1964 Olympics and was bestowed the Padma Shri in 1959.
Earlier, a number of VVIPs visited his family in Chandigarh to offer condolences.
Milkha Singh's son Jeev. Jeev Milkha Singh handovers a photo of late Milkha Singh with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday. Tribune photo: Pradeep TiwariPunjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal visited the Milkha family's residence around noon.Rajya Sabha member Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa at Milkha's residence.Security outside Milkha's residence.
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amrinder Singh, Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Sodhi, Health Minister Balbir Sidhu, Sports Director DPS Kharbanda along with other officials visited Milkha Singh's residence to pay tributes to the late legendary athlete.
Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal also visited the Milkha family's residence around noon on Saturday while Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VPS Badnore will pay tribute to the former international sprinter around 2 pm.
I'm leaving for Chandigarh to attend the funeral of #MilkhaSingh Ji. I'm carrying the message of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji for the family and will pay my tribute to the pride of India, the legendary #FlyingSikh 🙏 https://t.co/UX5ssnnLY8
"Have directed that Late Milkha Singh Ji will be given a State Funeral by our Government. Also Punjab will observe one day of State mourning as a mark of
Daljit Singh Cheema and Bikram Singh Majithia pay tributes to Milkha Singh.
