Fauja Singh Once Said Punjab Felt Unsafe. Here's Where He Wished To Spend His Last Days

Last Updated:July 16, 2025, 20:10 IST

In 2015, Fauja Singh spoke candidly to PTI at his home in Beas. At the time, he expressed deep concerns about safety in his homeland

World's oldest marathon runner Fauja Singh. (AFP file photo)

Fauja Singh, the world’s oldest marathon runner and a global symbol of strength and spirit, had always hoped to spend his final days in Britain — a wish that, sadly, went unfulfilled.

In 2015, during a visit to Punjab for a sports event, Fauja Singh spoke candidly to PTI at his home in Beas. At the time, he expressed deep concerns about safety in his homeland.

“Here (Punjab), there are bad elements everywhere. Police cannot do anything. No one knows when they will stab, rob and hit someone and run away. This is not the case in London. That is why I want to spend my last time there," he had said.

Tragically, his words proved prophetic. On Monday afternoon, while out for a walk near his village, Fauja Singh was hit by a vehicle on the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway. He later died from his injuries. He was 114.

Known as the ‘Turbaned Tornado’, Fauja Singh only began running marathons at the age of 89. Over the next two decades, he became a legend in the athletics world, known not just for his stamina but for his positivity and humble lifestyle.

‘Wish I Could Win A Medal For My Country’

During that same 2015 interview, dressed in a simple Pathani kurta-pyjama, he had reflected on his life with both pride and a hint of regret.

“I will always regret that none of my medals were won for India. People kept calling me a British runner. I didn’t like that. But what could I do? I had become a British citizen," he had said, showing his medals quietly. “I wish I could have won just one for my country."

Showing his medals with a sigh, Fauja said, “I wish I could win a medal for my country. I have won all these, but it is of no use to me because not a single medal is for India."

His secret to good health? “Pinni and dil ki khushi," he smiled. “I eat pinni every day, drink warm water, have a glass of milk before bed, and eat curd in every season. Whether I’m in India or Britain. I eat these things and am always happy. This is the biggest secret of my health."

(With inputs from PTI)

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