My maternal grandmother, who passed away this year at 97, had moved to Kolkota from Lahore during the partition. She knew Milkha Singh for his golden triumph in the 1958 Commonwealth Games.

Milkha’s story – from the horrors of Partition, shattered childhood to excelling in athletics – became a part of folklore, especially for those who migrated from Pakistan and had seen the bloodbath during the Partition.

My father, 75, was then 11, when Milkha won the top honours in the 400m, then 440 yards race, in the Cardiff Games. He too grew up listening to Milkha’s brave tales on radio and reading through newspapers, how a young boy from Gobindpura village in Pakistan’s Punjab’s province witnessed pre-Partition riots and eventually rose to become the country’s celebrity athlete.

Our generation was introduced to the sporting legend through the Doordarshan’s effort in 1990 – A seven-part, half-an-hour each, documentary serial ‘Flying Sikh’ based on Milkha Singh’s life was made.

Before the satellite television revolution, Doordarshan was a great hit and every Sunday we used to eagerly wait for the ‘Flying Sikh’ serial. How a small boy, whose family, including parents and four siblings, were killed in riots during partition, came to India, did odd jobs for survival, and then joined the army and from there picked up athletics and became a legend. 

Missing the 1960 Rome Olympic medal from a hundredth of a second haunted him till his last. Neera Chopra dedicated his last year’s Tokyo Olympics gold to Milkha Singh was the befitting tribute to the legend.  

Being a sports journalist I got an opportunity to meet him on a number of occasions. I met him in April last year, a couple of months before he breathed his last.

It’s no surprise that my six year old son knows the legend. Thanks to FarhanAkhtar’s ‘Bhag Milkha Bhag’. The movie has introduced the current generation to the legendary athlete.

Apart from a handful of politicians and freedom fighters, Milkha Singh is one of few personalities, who are well known by the four-five generations, including the current one.

Though the legend passed away last year, his story of struggle and accomplishments lives on.