Last walk to dhaba: Fauja Singh ran to heal after son's death; died on way to eatery built in his memory

NEW DELHI: Fauja Singh, the world’s oldest marathon runner, died in a tragic echo of his past - much like his fifth son, who lost his life in a road accident. On Monday, the 113-year-old was struck by a speeding vehicle near his home in Beas Pind, Jalandhar. He was walking across the Jalandhar-Pathankot national highway to visit Kuldeep Dhaba, the family eatery named in memory of his son Kuldeep, who had died in 1994 during the dhaba's construction at another location. That loss had once broken Fauja, later running became his way of healing and in a tragic twist, his final steps were toward the very place built to remember the son he never stopped mourning. “He would visit us every 4-5 days and have one chapati with a small bowl of vegetables or dal and a cup of tea.

He would chat with us and those who were around. The last time he visited us was 4-5 days ago. When other visitors spotted him sitting here, he was always a great attraction, and they would take selfies with him. We always took pride in his presence and that his photo adorned the dhaba,” said Gurdeep Singh, who looks after the eatery.

“I knew him for 40 years and sometimes accompanied him to events. I could not sleep last night.

I believed we were earning our bread and butter with his blessings,” Gurdeep added, breaking down. “He was very alert and witty. Always unassuming in his interaction with people.” Beas Pind resident Gurpreet Singh was among the first to reach the spot. “We rushed towards him. He lay face down. It was only after we lifted him that we saw it was Fauja Singh, the pride of our village. It was a brutal shock. He was badly injured but conscious.

We rushed him to a hospital on the same highway” he said. Police have since arrested the accused, identified as Amritpal Dhillon, who was detained on Tuesday night from a village in Jalandhar district. He told police he was returning from Bhogpur when the accident occurred. The FIR states that the vehicle was speeding and that the driver fled without offering any assistance—had he stopped and taken Fauja Singh to the hospital immediately, the legend might still be alive today. The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday paid heartfelt tributes to the global icon. Parliamentary affairs minister Dr Ravjot Singh, who moved a condolence motion, called Fauja Singh “the world’s oldest runner” and praised him for bringing immense pride to the Sikh community through his marathon achievements. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan remembered him as a spirited soul who, despite his age, inspired generations with his strength, humility, and discipline.