Jalandhar, July 20: World’s oldest marathoner Fauja Singh, known by the nickname ‘Turbaned Tornado’, was cremated on Sunday with full state honours here in Beas, his native village.
Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Minister Mohinder Bhagat and several other politicians attended the funeral.
Fauja Singh’s son Harvinder Singh lit the funeral pyre. Punjab Police gave a gun salute before the pyre was lit.
Fauja Singh was 114 when he was hit by an SUV being driven by Canada-based Amritpal Singh Dhillon on July 14.
He was crossing the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway when the incident occurred. Fauja Singh later succumbed to injuries. Governor Kataria recalled how Fauja Singh walked with him during a Nasha Mukt yatra – an anti-drug campaign – last year. He said that after walking for 1 km, he asked him to stop, but to his surprise, Fauja Singh insisted that they continue to walk. Fauja Singh was a source of inspiration for everyone, said Kataria, while speaking to reporters, after paying floral tributes to him at his house.Mann said Fauja Singh participated in many marathon races and made the country proud with his achievements. The presence of several dignitaries and other personalities here showed how popular he was, said Mann while speaking to reporters.
He said the state government will rename the village school after Fauja Singh and statues in his honour will be erected at the village stadium and the sports college in Jalandhar.
Mann said his hard work, dedication and perseverance will always inspire the young generation.
He hailed Fauja Singh as a global symbol of endurance and healthy aging and said that the sports fraternity will ever remain indebted to him for his enormous contribution in taking the athletics to new heights, despite his age. (PTI)
