How has the life of Milkha Singh inspired you
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Answer:
Milkha Singh taught us throughout his life. Always believe in yourself: Milkha Singh showed us that it's very important to become the person we always wish for. We should never doubt our dreams and shall work hard to make them a reality. It was Milkha Ji's dream to serve in the Indian Army.
India has been a home to several historic sports personalities. However, one whose story struck an emotional cord with people is Milkha Singh, an army aspirant turned track and field sprinter who famously broke the 400m world record back in 1960. The youth of today knew of his achievements on a superficial level, but it was through Bhaag Milkha Bhaag that we understood what it took for him to reach the top. Renowned filmmaker Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra considered the Indian athlete his greatest role model growing up. Making a biopic about his life, so to say, had been on the rim of his bucket list.
The film gave us a glimpse into the harsh realities of his life, from watching his parents being beheaded during the India-Pakistan partition and living off scraps at a refugee camp to eventually joining the Indian army and earning the title of the ‘Flying Sikh of India’ for his extraordinary sporting victories. A recount of the now-retired athlete’s life is enough to give anyone an adrenaline rush. It’s a story of strength, courage, hope and the limitlessness of human potential which we must celebrate today and everyday.
It takes courage to get through grief
Born and brought up in Govindpura (now in Pakistan) during the British rule, Milkha Singh experienced the cruelties of life at a very young age. Some of the incidents from his childhood were scarring to say the least. Not only did he witness his country being torn apart overnight, but also watched his parents being beheaded in the riots that followed. He was left with no option but to flee his village and fend for himself through unethical means. Nevertheless, Singh was sensible enough to escape bad company, let go of grief and work hard towards a respectable future. It took a whole lot of courage and resilience to do this.
No one will believe in you if you do not believe in yourself
For a long time, Milkha Singh was living with his sister and brother-in-law in a refugee camp set up in Delhi by the government of India. He moved out of that place in order to make something of himself. Destiny led him in the direction of the Indian army - a dream that he hoped to achieve since a very young age. It was here that he landed his first opportunity as an athlete: a cross-country race among all the cadets, whose winners would compete at the state-level. Not only did Milkha Singh clear all the rounds, but also challenged the toughest of competitors. He believed he could and so he did.
There is no substitute for hardwork
Milkha Singh wished to join the Indian army from a very young age. However, success did not come to him in the first shot. His application was rejected thrice in a row before he finally got through. When he was selected to compete at the state-level, he had to balance army training with running practice. He would pull all-nighters trying to improve his strength, speed and stamina. Eventually, he went on to represent India at international sporting events. He gave his blood, sweat and tears to prepare for these competitive races and won as many as 77 out of the 80 he took part in.
Do not forget who was there for you when no one else was
When Milkha Singh was selected to compete at the state-level during his army days, he was assigned a mentor who taught him everything from scratch. It was from him that he learned how to run wearing spiked shoes and keep a tab on his time while training. Besides being a coach, he was his cheerleader and confidante. Singh was super attached to him and saddened that he had to take the first flight of his life without him. It was, after all, under his guidance that he could participate in international tournaments. After breaking the 400m world record, he came back to his coach and handed over his medal to him as a mark of gratitude.
Success means more than awards and accolades
With so many victories to his credit - from the Commonwealth Games to the Asian Games, Milkha was bestowed with countless medals during his career as an Indian athlete. However, he does have a single of them with him today. Instead of decking up his home with trophies, he decided to give them away to Jawaharlal Nehru University. Things like his name being printed in school textbooks, having a renowned filmmaker such as Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra have so much respect for his story that he decided to make a biopic about him, mean much more to him than anything else.