‘Turbaned Tornado’: The legacy of Fauja Singh

It’s truly and widely said that age is just a number. Well, India’s very own Fauja Singh from Punjab proved the saying right.

Widely known as the “Turbaned Tornedo,” Singh recently died at the age of 114 in a hit and run. Singh’s story as a marathon runner is an iconic perseverance, showcasing resilience and reinvention. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him “an exceptional athlete with incredible determination.”

His passion is not only the remarkable thing about him, but also the age he began his running career at. Most of us would probably have retired, given up, and rested at our houses at 89. But at an age when people slow down, Singh decided to lace up his first running shoes and start a whole new life.

Every day, he used to walk for nearly four hours a day and run up to 10 kilometres. He completed a 5-kilometre race within 40 minutes right here in Surrey in 2012.

Everyone was stunned by his performance at the 2011 Toronto Waterfront Marathon, where he completed the race at 100 years old. He was the first centenarian on record to complete a marathon, finishing in eight hours, 11 minutes, and six seconds. Singh would have been renowned in the Guinness World Book of Records as the world’s oldest marathon runner but wasn’t it because he didn’t have a birth certificate from 1911. He, however, did receive a letter from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth congratulating him on his 100th birthday.

“Running showed me kindness and brought me back to life by making me forget all my traumas and sorrows,” he told CNN in an interview when he was 102.

His last race was in Hong Kong, which was a 10-kilometre run in 2013, a year after he carried the torch for the 2012 London Olympics.

His accomplishments most definitely redefined what was possible in both sports and aging. He was all about breaking barriers, challenging himself, and finishing lines when and wherever he could after he started running. I’m pretty sure the whole community is truly inspired by him, his energy, and his humility. Singh wanted to do something new and be someone he was proud of even at that age. He left a legacy that will most likely be continued by all generations and motivating people. 

Beyond the medals and milestones, Singh’s legacy is deeply human and kind. He brought visibility to his community on the global stage as a proud Sikh. He did not worry about any sort of judgment but went on being his own strength and captured the nickname “Turbaned Tornado” with both his cultural pride and athletic spirit. 

It’s never too late to start anything new or nothing should stop you from trying new things that you have always dreamt of. Singh used to encourage people of all ages to embrace fitness, resilience, and give hope. Many people sit back and not even try because they’re too scared of society and what it may think of them. But Singh never let that stop him or affect him in any way. He went to chase his dream, which for me is really motivating. He is a role model for many, including myself. His stories and life will always remind us that motivation and determination are ageless.

He didn’t only run for himself, but he was also running against time, age, stereotypes, expectations, and judgment, showing all of us that it’s all within the human spirit to live our own lives.

Harmander Singh, Singh’s running coach, posted on Facebook that his running club and charity, the U.K.-based Sikhs in the City, will be devoting all of its events until the “Fauja Singh Birthday Challenge” on March 29, 2026 to celebrate his life of success and achievements.

“We will be doubling the efforts to raise funds to build the Fauja Singh Clubhouse on the route in Ilford where he used to train,” the announcement also noted.