Milkha Singh has been one of the best athletes produced by India. Unfortunately, the former Indian sprinter succumbed to COVID -19 and dies last night. He was 91 and no sooner the news of his demise came in the likes of PM Narendra Modi, Kiren Rijiju, Sania Mirza, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Chhetri, Virender Sehwag, Ritu Phogat and others paid tributes.  The legendary athlete was hospitalised to the ICU of Mohali's Fortis hospital due to "COVID pneumonia" on May 24, 2021. Twitterati Mourn Milkha Singh’s Demise, PM Narendra Modi, Kiren Rijiju, Sania Mirza and Others Pay Tributes. 

He was then moved to PGIMER in Chandigarh on June 3. he was touted to be stable. The news of his death comes in just five days after his wife Nirmal's death. She was an Indian volleyball player and captain of the India women's national volleyball team. The family had released a statement about Milkha Singh's death last night which read, "It is with extreme sadness that we would like to inform you that Milkha Singh Ji passed away at 11.30 pm. on the 18th of June 2021." He was shifted to another hospital due to post-COVID-19 complications and the medical team could not revive him from the state the former sprinter was in.

Tweets:

Virender Sehwag 

Anil Kumble

Ritu Phogat

Sachin Tendulkar

Gautam Gambhir:

VVS Laxman 

Venkatesh Prasad

Milkha Singh made his name in the track by winning four gold medals at the Asian Games. The former Indian sprinter also won a gold medal  at the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 19, 2021 08:44 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).