Fauja Singh Ji was extraordinary. He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination.
Fauja Singh, 114, revered as the world’s oldest marathon runner, died on July 14 after being struck by a vehicle while crossing a road in his native village of Beas Pind, near Jalandhar, Punjab. He sustained severe head injuries and later passed away in a local hospital, confirmed by his London-based running club, Sikhs in the City. Authorities have identified a white Toyota Fortuner in the incident and arrested 26‑year‑old Amritpal Singh Dhillon, an NRI from Canada.
Known as the “Turbaned Tornado”, Singh began running marathons at age 89 to cope with grief after his wife and son died. He completed nine marathons, including the London, Toronto, and New York marathons—famously finishing the Toronto Waterfront Marathon at age 100 in 2011. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised him as “extraordinary, inspiring the youth of India on fitness”.