Not a run but a walk with the legendary Milkha Singh in Dubai

 By K.R. Nayar

Milkha Singh, who passed away on Friday, was not just a legendary runner but a shrewd thinker too. Twenty years ago, I was fortunate to have a chat with him. He asked me to walk with him while we chatted. His observations and remarks on what any sportsperson must follow to be successful were so enlivening that those golden words remain etched in my memory even today.

Milkha Singh 

The name of legendary Milkha Singh, who passed away on the night of Friday, June 18, 2021, is often associated with the word ‘run’. It was his spectacular run in the 1960 Rome Olympics that got him the nickname 'Flying Sikh' and got India noticed in the world of athletics. I always feel proud when I mention that I have had the honour of spending nearly an hour walking with this legend at the Emirates Golf Club in 2001 during the Dubai Desert Classic Golf tournament.

My column during this tournament called ‘Whole in One’  was about some of the great golfers and their unknown facets. As soon as a golfer would finish his round, I would try and grab a small chat with him.  That was when I heard that the great Milkha Singh had accompanied his son and golfer Jeev Milkha Singh.


I rushed to the clubhouse and saw the tall turban-clad Milkha seated on a sofa. When I approached him and requested an interview, he said, “Why not my friend?”, and asked me to sit beside him. I was taken aback by his warmth and simplicity despite being a legend and an inspiration for all sportsmen.

Milkha Singh's rise to fame had seen him battling the toughest of odds. But as soon as we started talking, he asked me, “Can we have a short walk and talk?” pointing to the picturesque golf course. That walk turned out to be a special experience and one that lasted more than an hour. My initial idea was to have a short talk with him just enough for my column, but by the end of our chat, I had so much information that I wrote it as a separate interview for Gulf News.


Very rarely do top sportsmen ask personal questions to journalists, but Milkha, even before I could commence our chat, asked me about my time in the UAE and my job. After I mentioned to him that I was more of a cricket journalist, I was a little concerned whether he would have any apprehensions talking to me. Once again he took me by surprise with his response. “Do you know Jeev would have become a cricketer?  He was good in cricket and once Kapil Dev's coach, D.P. Azad even remarked that Jeev could play for India in one year if he stuck to the game. He was a good fast bowler and even captained his school. But Jeev loved golf more than cricket.”

Jeev Milkha Singh 

What followed during the walk was a lesson for all parents whose children happen to play sports. “We wanted Jeev to do engineering or medicine, but he wanted to play golf. Since I used to play a lot of golf, Jeev, as a five-year-old boy, would accompany me to the course, and he thus got interested. My suggestion to him was to take up golf only as a hobby, and not seriously, but he was adamant. Very soon he got a scholarship for golf in the U.S. That's where he polished his golf skills. While at the Christian University in Texas, Jeev won the American championship as an amateur. People there were surprised to see an Indian win. I felt delighted.”

Our walk slowed down a bit when he began to narrate what it takes for a sportsperson to be successful. Though it has been 20 years since that walk, I often recall his words and even mention them to youngsters whenever I address them.

Milkha would first ask a question before making a statement. “Do you know what is the most important quality that a sportsperson needs to be successful? And even before I could answer any of his questions, he would answer them himself. “Sincerity to your sport can take you anywhere. I used to run bare feet and never knew anything about tracksuits. In the fifties, we had no coaches. If I could achieve world standards without any facilities, why can't sportsmen today? It was sheer hard work that took me to the Olympics.” The superhit Bollywood movie 'Bhaag (run) Milkha Bhaag' was made based on Milkha's path to success. 

Poster of the Bollywood movie 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' 

During the walk, he talked about many different sports, why India struggles to produce world-class athletes, notable qualities in many sportsmen, and even fitness. When we returned to the clubhouse, I was a little tired after the long walk, but Milkha seemed absolutely fine. Just before leaving, I asked him if he would like to give a message to all sportsmen. “Don’t complain. Work hard with sincerity, add determination to it and you will succeed,” were his parting words.