Part 5
Finding redemption as a soldier

Remembering 'Flying Sikh' Milkha Singh 

From the archives of Milkha's little-known autobiography: Flying Sikh, Milkha Singh, which was published first in Punjabi in 1970 and later translated into Hindi in 1977 and in English in early 80s, we are bringing you the life of legendary athlete from witnessing tragedy, deprivation, survival against all odds and victory in the face of loss. The pre-partition and post-partition era.

Flashback - Part 5

Finding redemption as a soldier

When Makhan came to India from Pakistan, his unit was posted at the Red Fort. The return of his brother gave a new lease of hope to Milkha’s life. “In Pakistan, I had been a student of Class five. Since there had been a gap in studies, I was admitted to Class seven in India. But, I couldn’t cope with the studies of a higher class and once again, I was in the company of rogues,” Milkha writes.

In 1949, Milkha and some of his friends thought of joining the army and went for recruitment to the Red Fort. However, he was rejected. He gave the army a second shot in 1950 but was rejected yet again. “After being rejected twice from the army, I worked as a mechanic for a few days. Later, I got a job in a rubber factory, where my salary was R15 a month and most of which I would give at my sister-in-law’s place,” he mentions. But, Milkha goes on to write, he continued working for only four months. “My health suffered because of heat stroke and I remained bed-ridden for two whole months,” he writes.

Finally, Milkha had had enough. “One day, I told my brother to either get me a job in the army or not blame me if I bring a bad name to the family. Three rejections later, in the November of 1952, my brother finally got me a job in the army and I was posted in Srinagar.” 

Next: Milkha’s introduction to athletics