Old Man and the Track

Hundred-year-old Fauja Singh started running marathons at the age of 89. His biography is available now

Hundred-year-old Fauja Singh started running marathons at the age of 89 and went on to create a world record in his age bracket. Now you can read more about his incredible journey in a biography titled The Turbaned Tornado: The Life and Times of Fauja Singh. It is written by Khushwant Singh, but not the one you are thinking about. “You know I am not ‘that’ Khushwant Singh na,” says the Chandigarh-based author. “Often people call me an impostor after they get to know it’s not him.” Singh first met Fauja in 2005 while researching his book Sikhs Unlimited. “I had been travelling across the US and UK, compiling stories of interesting people in a travelogue of sorts. That’s when I met Fauja. He is originally from Punjab’s Jalandhar district, but shifted to the UK in the 1990s to stay with his son,” says Khushwant. Since then, he has tracked Fauja’s performance in various marathons and written about them in his weekly column in a news daily. “Last year, when he became one of the oldest marathoners in the world, his coach gave me a call and asked if I was willing to write a book about him. I immediately agreed. I have always believed that extraordinary people deserve to have their stories told. And there is no one like Fauja!” says Singh, who will be travelling to the UK to be part of the book reception at the House of Lords on 7 July. All proceeds from the sales will be donated to charity.

About The Author

Avantika Bhuyan