5 months and three days after his accident in Sector 28, worldwide masters medallist athlete Gurdev Singh, 85, breathed his final in Sector 40 on December 22. He was the son and coach of a number of World Masters champion athlete, the late Man Kaur.
Gurdev, who performed a pioneer function in encouraging his mom Man Kaur to pursue athletics in her nineties, had been supporting athletes run a wheat-and-juice store at Kansal village early this 12 months. He was hit by a meals supply rider in Sector 28 on July 19 this 12 months and had undergone an operation at PGIMER on the day of the accident. After staying in coma for a couple of days, Gurdev spent some weeks in PGIMER earlier than being discharged and had been staying at his sister’s residence in Sector 40 since August.
“My maternal uncle Gurdev Singh was captivated with athletics all his life. Whereas he had a Canadian passport, he had given it as much as promote athletics in India. Encouraging younger athletes was his endeavour and that was the explanation that he received three athletes to open a store promoting slow-grinded wheat flour and juices at Kansal and in Sector 36. He met with the accident in Sector 28 on the morning of July 19. After the operation and restoration, he was at our home in Sector 40. He breathed his final on Sunday,” mentioned Ritu, niece of Gurdev Singh, whereas talking with The Indian Categorical.
Gurdev’s father Ranjeet Singh labored for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh and Maharaja Yadavindra Singh as one of many langaris (Khansama) of the royal household of Patiala. His grandfather Tirlok Singh too was the langari of the royal home and Singh’s mom Man Kaur labored because the caretaker of queens of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh and Maharaja Yadavindra Singh and the youngsters, together with former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh. Whereas the household shifted to Chandigarh in Nineteen Sixties, it was in 2007 that Gurdev Singh made her then nonagenarian mom Man Kaur practice in athletics. Whereas Man Kaur would win two golds in 2011 Nationwide Masters Meet in 2011, she received two gold medals in World Masters Video games within the USA in 2011 earlier than she received a number of medals within the worlds in New Zealand in 2017, adopted by a number of medals in worlds in Spain in 2018 and worlds in Poland in 2019. Singh too competed in Asian masters Athletics championships and would win medals in 100m, 200m and excessive soar in varied masters age classes at Asian and nationwide stage together with coaching his mom first at Chandigarh and later at Punjabi College, Patiala.
Gurdev had additionally competed in 5 world masters championships. Kaur breathed her final in 2021 on the age of 105 years, after which Gurdev had been coaching alone at Patiala earlier than shifting again to Chandigarh in 2022. “On a go to to my son Sarabjit within the USA, I competed within the Connecticut State Video games within the USA the place I received 4 gold medals in varied masters age classes whereas competing in lengthy soar and excessive soar. Later, as I additionally competed in world masters championships and Asian championships, I additionally inspired my mom Man Kaur to begin coaching in athletics. We had at all times believed within the energy of pure meals and would drink fermented drinks like Kefir and sprouted wheat and chana rotis,” Gurdev had advised The Indian Categorical earlier.
Gurdev’s spouse had died in 1998. Along with his daughter Jagjit Kaur settled in Canada and later son Sarbjit Singh settled within the USA, Gurdev had as soon as settled in Canada earlier than returning to India. Previous to his accident, Gurdev was supporting athletes Sarabjit Singh, Monu and Jaspreet by the wheat flour store at Kansal and juice store in Sector 36. “I used to be with Gurdev Baba ji when the accident occurred whereas we had been crossing the street. He had supported my coaching for a very long time and wished all of us to do effectively in athletics. That was the explanation he was staying at Kansal village and supporting us by the store. It’s an enormous loss for athletes like us,” mentioned Sarabjit Singh, who’s a national-level para athlete.
Gurdev’s cremation will happen at Sector 25 Cremation Floor on Friday.
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