Image Courtesy- NewsBytes
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday announced that a chair will be established after Milkha Singh’s name at the Sports University, Patiala. “We are going to have a Milkha Singh Chair in Sports University, Patiala,” the Chief Minister told reporters outside Milkha’s Sector 8 residence.
The legendary track and field athlete and Padma Shri awarded Milkha Singh died of COVID-19 related complications on Friday night, who was cremated on Saturday evening.
CM Amarinder Singh, along with state Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, had gone to meet Milkha’s son, Jeev and other family members to offer condolences. Milkha Singh is the first Indian athlete to win an individual gold in a Commonwealth Games.
During CM’s visit to the Milkha residence, Singh carried a picture of the sprinter with Nehru. “…this was the picture taken with Pandit Ji (Nehru) when he had declared a national holiday in 1960. I wish I could have made it a national holiday, but I cannot do that,” Amarinder Singh said.
“We (Punjab govt) have declared state mourning and the flag (tricolour) will fly half-mast. We are according a state funeral,” CM added.