BEAS PIND, Punjab, India — Fauja Singh, affectionately known as the “Turbaned Tornado,” passed away on July 14, 2025, at the age of 114, after being struck by a vehicle in a hit‑and‑run near his native village Beas Pind in Punjab, India. He succumbed to severe head injuries at a local hospital after emergency responders rushed him in following the accident. The Jalandhar Rural Police confirmed they have arrested a Canada‑based NRI driver, 26‑year‑old Amritpal Singh Dhillon, in connection with the fatal crash .
A Late‑Blooming Legend of Marathon Running
Singh’s extraordinary marathon journey began in 2000, just one month shy of his 89th birthday, when he completed the London Marathon. Over the next thirteen years, he completed a total of nine full marathons, including notable appearances at Toronto, New York City, and Hong Kong, even continuing into his centenarian years. At age 100, he became the first man of that age to complete a full marathon in Toronto in 2011, earning global admiration though Guinness World Records could not officially ratify it due to lack of a birth certificate.
His personal best at Toronto in 2003 was an impressive 5:40, and his final competitive race came in 2013 in Hong Kong, a 10 km event finished in 1:32:28.
Triumph Over Tragedy
Born on April 1, 1911, in Beas Pind, British‑India, Singh endured early hardship, including weak legs that delayed his walking until age five . He married and became a farmer, until the deaths of his wife, daughter, and particularly his son Kuldip in a farming accident in 1994, plunged him into grief. Seeking solace, he moved to London to live with his youngest son and discovered running—turning personal tragedy into a platform of healing, hope, and extraordinary athletic achievement.
National and Global Recognition
Singh’s story captured the world’s imagination. The Adidas “Impossible is Nothing” campaign featured him in 2004, alongside sporting icons like Muhammad Ali. He carried the Olympic torch at the 2012 London Games and was honored by Queen Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who lauded him as “an exceptional athlete with incredible determination” and “extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness”.
Public figures including UK MPs Preet Kaur Gill and Jas Athwal also expressed deep sorrow, calling him a global Sikh icon whose “spirit and legacy of resilience will run on forever”.
Legacy of Endurance, Discipline, and Inspiration
Despite his extraordinary athletic feats, Singh lived humbly. He practiced a simple vegetarian diet—dal, phulka, yogurt, milk—and abstained from smoking and alcohol. He credited daily walks and disciplined lifestyle, often stating, “The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for the last six miles, I run while talking to God”.
His running club in East London, Sikhs in the City, confirmed his passing and pledged to honor him through future events through March 2026, marking his next birthday in memoriam.
Final Moments and Ongoing Investigation
On July 14, 2025, Singh was out on his habitual walk—still keeping his legs strong and stride measured—when the accident occurred around 3 pm on Jalandhar‑Pathankot Highway. The suspected driver, Amritpal Singh Dhillon, reportedly sped off, prompting searches and CCTV reviews that ultimately led to his arrest under sections of rash driving and culpable homicide.
Conclusion: A Life That Rewrote Age and Endurance
Fauja Singh’s life story shatters expectations about age, grief, and the potential for late-in-life reinvention. From a frail child to a legendary centenarian marathoner, his journey was marked by personal tragedy transformed into global inspiration. His death in a hit‑and‑run is a sobering loss, but his legacy—endurance, grit, discipline, humility—continues to resonate across continents. As news and social media platforms circulate his portrait: an elderly Sikh in running gear, turban alight with purpose, racing toward a horizon he never stopped chasing.