Fauja Singh, a British-Indian man believed to be the world’s oldest marathon runner, has died at the age of 114 after being hit by a car in India.
Police say the accident happened while Singh was crossing a road in his birthplace, Beas Pind village in Punjab. He was taken to hospital by locals but sadly died from his injuries. The driver did not stop, and police are still looking for them.
Singh was famous for taking up running at the age of 89. He completed nine marathons between 2000 and 2013, before retiring. He set records in various age groups and became a global inspiration.
His running club, Sikhs In The City, based in Ilford, East London, said it would dedicate all upcoming events to his memory. They are also raising funds to build a clubhouse in his name on his old training route.
Singh had lived in Ilford since 1992 but was visiting India when the accident happened.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him “an exceptional athlete with incredible determination.”
Singh began running to deal with grief after losing his wife and later his younger son. Back in London, he joined a local Sikh running group and met his coach, Harmander Singh, who helped train him for marathons.
He ran his first London Marathon in 2000 at the age of 89, finishing in just under seven hours. He insisted on wearing his turban while running and later said this was one of his proudest achievements.
In 2011, he reportedly became the first person over 100 to finish a marathon. However, Guinness World Records didn’t officially recognise this, as he could not provide a birth certificate from 1911. His British passport showed his birthday as 1 April 1911, and he received a letter from the Queen on his 100th birthday.
Over the years, Singh gained international attention, including a role in Adidas’ 2004 “Impossible is Nothing” campaign. He also met Queen Elizabeth II and ran in events across the world, including Pakistan and Hong Kong.
He was known as the “Turbaned Tornado” and gave most of his sponsorship money to charity.
Singh credited his long life to a simple lifestyle, healthy eating, and regular exercise. “Eat less, run more, and stay happy, that’s my secret,” he once said.
In his later years, Singh divided his time between the UK and India, staying active and continuing to walk daily.
Tributes have poured in since news of his death. British MP Preet Kaur Gill called him “a truly inspiring man,” while MP Jas Athwal said Singh “inspired millions around the world.”
