Anand Mahindra bids final farewell to Milkha Singh in an emotional post

Industrialist Anand Mahindra has paid a special homage to great sprinter Milkha Singh, who died on Friday, after a month-long battle with COVID-19.

Mourning the loss of the Flying Sikh, on Saturday, taking to the micro-blogging site, Anand Mahindra tweeted: ‘How can my generation explain what Milkha Singh meant to us? He wasn’t just an athlete. To a society still suffering the insecurities of post-colonialism, he was a sign that we could be the best in the world. Thank you, Milkha Singhji, for giving us that confidence. Om Shanti.’

How can my generation explain what Milkha Singh meant to us?
He wasn’t just an athlete. To a society still suffering the insecurities of post-colonialism he was a sign that we could be the best in the world. Thank you, Milkha Singhji, for giving us that confidence. Om Shanti ??

— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) June 18, 2021

Messages for Milkha Singh flooded the comments section of Anand Mahindra’s post.

An era comes to an end. Milkhaji rose aspirations and hope for a nation facing so much turmoil . Inspired and continued to inspire an entire generation of sportspersons. Was very fortunate to have interacted with him on occasion.May he rest in peace

— Ashwini Nachappa (@AshwiniNachappa) June 19, 2021

https://twitter.com/pooja_chetri/status/1405978676009725956?s=20

Flying Sikh is no more.
What a life what a journey.

Your life, your story, your struggle will continue to inspire millions of Indians for the decades to come.

Rest in power, ?. #MilkhaSingh

— Surendra Indian (@Surinde28873667) June 18, 2021

The Flying Sikh was a sporting icon for every Indian of all generations… ? ????? ?

— Dr Charuhas (@charuhasmujumd1) June 19, 2021

‘Discipline, hard work, will power…. My experience made me so hard that I wasn't even scared of death.’
~ #MilkhaSingh

Legends never die #FlyingSikh ??

— Abhinav Srivastava ?? (@ABHINAVsr) June 18, 2021

Milkha Singh’s success was testimony to the saying that “hard work, perseverance and faith are key elements to success” and that there is no substitute for sheer hard work.
Coming generations will draw inspiration from his life??

— ????? ??? ??? ?? ?????! (@rishavshukla22) June 18, 2021

Milkha Singh was a four-time Asian Games gold medallist and 1958 Commonwealth Games champion. He also represented India in the Olympics in 1956 and 1964 and was awarded the Padma Shri in 1959. He had tested positive for Covid-19 in May.

After fighting COVID-19, on May 30, the 91-year old sprinter was discharged from Fortis Hospital in Mohali in a stable condition. His family had requested that he be returned home, but his 85-year old wife, Nirmal Kaur, had to be admitted to the ICU the same day, due to increased oxygen demand. His health, however, deteriorated throughout his post-COVID recuperation phase and had to be admitted to Chandigarh’s Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER) on June 3. On Friday, around 11.30 pm, he breathed his last in the hospital.

Milkha Singh is survived by three daughters, Dr. Mona Singh, Aleeza Grover, Sonia Sanwalka, and son Jeev Milkha, who is an ace golfer. Milkha Singh’s wife Nirmal Kaur died just five days ago due to the same illness.