The Fauja Way
It was on December 1 last year that I saw the frail, tall centenarian for the last time — he actually was beautifully young at heart.
Fauja Singh fooled not just old age but even the Almighty, because at the age of 114 years, he was fit enough to run, and live without any ailment.
The superman literally enjoyed the glory, the glamour, the attention and the food — yes, the food. He was a frugal eater and owed his fitness to eating the bare minimum. But ask Gurpreet, the organiser of ‘One Race’ marathons, where he and I would often meet. If Bapuji (as we called him) used to ask for anything, it just had to be arranged. Of course, there was a discipline about the quantity (minimum with increasing age), quality (no junk) and timing (no late evenings) of food.
Ironically, as a kid, he was rather weak, and started walking only at the age of five. He was treated to improve the strength of his legs. In his own words, perhaps that strength was saved by the Almighty for the later years of life. He started running marathons at the age of 89.
When Doaba region of Punjab saw mass migration, his family also shifted to the United Kingdom. He was never interested in going abroad but then destiny has its own powerful ways to put you in a place that defines your purpose in life. When he lost his wife, son and daughter in quick succession, he felt alone and was taken by his family to the UK.
It was difficult for him to adjust there and he seemed unhappy, till a friend suggested taking part in a charity run. It was a 20-km run but he felt that he ran 20 miles. He thought that just 6 more miles and it will be marathon distance, 26 miles (42 km). He soon realised the mistake that for a marathon, he would need to run double the distance. The spirited Khalsa didn’t give up.
It was decided to hire a coach and try even harder. On the first day of his coaching lessons, he turned up in a three-piece suit. He got attuned to the running attire, but refused to give up on his pagri. The marathon organisers had to relent, and thus was born the Turbaned Tornado. Fauja Singh, at 89, finished the London Marathon in 2000, his first.
On other days, such was his love for colours that the suit, tie and pagri used to be a perfect match.
As a fit centenarian, he used to feel sad at the fitness level of Indian oldies, especially females. “Aithey di buddiyaan vekho, unfit, jama ni apna khyal rakhdiyaan. Aa soniyaan memaan nu dekho, kinni fit hondiyaan ne (Indian elderly ladies don’t care about fitness and figure. Look at the English ladies, how fit and beautiful they are),” he would say.
Once, an octogenarian runner was invited for an event, but he didn’t stand with her for a picture. “Main ni khada hona buddi kol (I will not stand next to this old lady),” he muttered. But he was always ready for selfies with fit young ladies.
He inspired millions around the world but could not save himself in a hit-and-run mishap — an abrupt end to a beautiful journey. Whatever begins does come to an end but his life encourages us to live it fully. The Fauja way.
— The writer, known as the ‘Blade Runner’, is a Kargil veteran
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