Updated June 21st, 2021 at 18:50 IST
Jeev Milkha Singh pays touching tribute to deceased father; fans lend support
Golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, son of Indian athlete Milkha Singh, penned an emotional tribute to his parents on the occasion of Father's Day.
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Jeev Milkha Singh, son of Indian athlete Milkha Singh, penned an emotional tribute to his parents on the occasion of Father's Day. The golfer took to Twitter just days after the news of Milkha Singh's death shook the world, writing a heartwrenching note in memory of the great sprinter and his wife, drawing an outpouring of support from fans and admirers of the legend. While he had always been in the nation's memory as the 'Flying Sikh', it was after the release of the movie 'Milkha Singh' by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra that the legend shot to fame in recent years.
Today is Father's Day - another sad reminder of what I've lost. Dad was much more than my father - he was my best friend, my guide, my mentor.
— Jeev Milkha Singh (@JeevMilkhaSingh)
I hope I've the same resilience & inner strength to overcome all odds.
I really need it now. And I will need it for the rest of my life.
Milkha Singh death: Jeev Milkha Singh's emotional tribute to parents
Even as the second wave of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic shows signs of slowing down in India, the whole country was left shaken up as the unfortunate news of Milkha Singh's death was announced on June 18. Singh and his wife contracted COVID-19 in May 2021 and was admitted to PGIMER on June 3 after his oxygen levels dipped at home following treatment at the Fortis hospital in Mohali. While he tested negative for the virus on Wednesday, June 16 and was shifted to general ICU, his wife did not respond well to treatment and remained admitted in the ICU where she passed away.
Talking about his loss on Father's Day, Jeev Milkha Singh posted several emotional notes to Singh, giving an insight into his close relationship with his parents. He also took to the microblogging site to thank fans for the outpouring of love he has received in the last couple of days. The four-time Asian Games gold medallist and the 1958 Commonwealth Games champion closely missed out on an Olympic medal when he ended his 400m final in the 1960 Rome Olympics in 4th place. While he participated in two more Olympics games, in 1956 and 1964, Milkha Singh could not grasp the elusive medal for himself.
I lost my mom and dad. But what has been even more emotional is the thousands of messages we have been getting from people as if they have lost someone of their own. Thank you to all dad's fans and well wishers for supporting us at this time.
— Jeev Milkha Singh (@JeevMilkhaSingh)
Your parents belonged to all of India. In their loss, we have lost a member of our family. You and your sister are indeed fortunate and blessed. Never for moment must you feel that you are alone. Stay strong, stay brave and take care.
— Suresh Moorthy 🇳🇪 (@sureshmoorthy09)
It’s been a colossal loss Jeev, for you as well as the sporting world. Kindly accept my heartfelt condolences. May the pious souls of your parents rest in peace! Om Shanti!
— Sanjiv Paul (@paul_sanjiv)
Milkha Singh wife
Milkha Singh met his wife, Nirmal Saini, a former captain of the Indian women's volleyball team in Sri Lanka in 1955. The pair tied the knot in a traditional ceremony in 1962. Kaur and Milkha Singh both contracted the virus sometime in May 2021. While her husband's condition seemed to improve for some time after treatment, Kaur's treatment continued. She succumbed to the virus on 13 June, at the age of 85, while hospitalised in a private hospital in Mohali. She and Singh are survived by three daughters, their son Jeev Milkha Singh and an adoptive son.
Image Credits: AP & Jeev Milkha Singh Twitter
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Published June 21st, 2021 at 18:50 IST