Milkha Singh, nicknamed The Flying Sikh, passed away on Friday after a month of battling COVID. His wife, former India volleyball captain, Nirmal Kaur, had succumbed to Coronavirus just days before. The legendary athlete was a four-time Asian Games gold medallist and the 1958 Commonwealth Games champion, but his greatest performance was not a podium finish — fourth place in the 400m final of the 1960 Rome Olympics. However, his timing at the Italian capital remained the national record for 38 years. Prasoon Joshi, who wrote Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, and the film’s lead Farhan Akhtar remember the legend:

Charaiveti Charaiveti — keep walking, keep walking and keep inspiring, this seemed to be the mantra of Milkha Singh.

I knew little about athletics before I started writing Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Milkha ji knew this early in our interactions that I am more interested in exploring a side and those dimensions, which probably a very few knew. After our many conversations over weeks and months, he did tell me that such intense discussions about his own life he hadn’t had with anyone before we interacted.

I know I made him visit painful alleys of this past and recall some best-forgotten incidents, and it was gracious of him to allow a writer to do his job and peel off layers. Some parts of his journey resonated with mine, and I could find my pen flow more smoothly — the fight to withstand adversity, endure unsavoury incidents and yet be up against all odds. And that the significant hurdle is placed not by strangers but by those familiar, claiming to be well-wishers but not indeed so. This is the hardest one to cross, and it must be.

My interpretation of his life and struggles is there to see on the screen; it has universally struck a chord. But recently, what moved me was when his family mentioned that in the last days of his life, he was watching Bhaag Milkha Bhaag repeatedly and was remembering me. I had met him and dear Nimmi ji just a month ago but spoke to him on the phone again recently — his voice frail but his spirit strong.

We have much to learn from Milkha ji , no matter what our pursuit is.

First, be good at what you do — hone your craft. Milkha Singh used to run so hard during his races, even during some practice ones, that he would often faint after completing them; this is what you call giving your 100%. Then, believe in yourself and the force above at the same time. More importantly, as I have written in the climax, the bigger battle in life is to face your demons. When you do, you realise that they are not as big as they were in your mind.

Whilst meeting him in Delhi sometime in April, I happened to ask him how he felt now that he is running his 92nd year, especially about life and death. Without a second of hesitation, he responded, “I look at the positive side of things, I look at Fauja Singh who, at the age of 110, is still running. Life and death are not in our hands but staying optimistic is.”

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag encapsulated his journey. Life had thrown enough at him for anyone to run away. But Milkha ji bhaage nahi. Woh daude.

Daudna ek decision hai, a determined endeavour. Mushkilon se bhagna nahi hai — daud lagani hai unke saath.

Milkha Singh ji will continue to inspire all and especially us — Rakesh, Farhan and all the team of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

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