Arguably, the greatest Indian male athlete, Milkha Singh, was one of the first Indians to bring the nation into international limelight. Born in the family withself-effacing means, running for his life and coming to Delhi, joining the Indian Army and then discovering the penchant for running and winning is the concise summation of his life. From losing his parents in riots to earning himself the sobriquet of ‘The Flying Sikh’ from the Pakistani General and then to have a biopic made on his achievements,Milkha Singh sure led an eventful life that speaks volumes of his trials and tribulations and also of his glory. A heartfelt dedication for the man who ran 80 races and won 77, here are 20 mind-blowing facts about legendry Milkha Singh:

18. He wanted to join the Indian Army, but was rejected thrice. He never gave up and got selected in his fourth attempt, when he had enrolled himself in the engineering department.

17. In 1951 when he joined in Secunderabad at the EME Centre. It was here that his talent as an athlete was discovered.