On Saturday afternoon, six-time world masters championship gold medallist Man Kaur took her last breath at the Derabassi Ayurvedic Hospital near Mohali. She was diagnosed with gallbladder and liver cancer earlier this year and was undergoing treatment at the hospital.
The news of her demise was confirmed by her son Gurdev Singh. Kaur’s son Gurdev Singh told the media website, The Indian Express, “Yes, she breathed her last at about 1.00 pm today. She had been suffering from liver and gall bladder cancers and we had been seeking treatment at the Dera Bassi hospital for the last month. She had shown signs of recovery and was in good health till yesterday.”
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Man Kaur belonged to Patiala and was one of the caretakers at the royal Patiala household and she also took care of the royal children. Her husband Ranjeet Singh was one of the khansamas of the royal house. Kaur along with her husband shifted to Chandigarh in the 1960s. Kaur and Ranjeet had two sons and a daughter together.
Man Kaur started athletics at the age of 93 when she was insisted by her son Gurdev Singh. The first medal was bagged by Kaur in 2007 in Chandigarh Masters Athletics Meet and she won the first Gold medal in 2011 in 100m and 200m race in National Masters Athletics meet. In the same year, Kaur was rewarded as the best athlete in the World Masters Athletics Championship.
In 2017, she became champion after winning a 100m race in the 100+ category in World Masters Athletics Championship in Auckland. Because of her outstanding performance, she was in limelight and people all across the world were impressed by her.
In the same year, along with five other international athletes she was nominated for the Laureus Best Sporting Moment.
In 2018, Kaur won World Masters Athletics Championship in Spain under the 100-104 category. At that time she told the media, “I feel like reliving my life when I run and it is like going to work for me. My diet of fermented milk Kefir and rotis made from sprouted beans make me healthy even at this age. Jab tak zindagi hai daudhangi aur medals jeetungi.”
In 2019, she bagged a Gold medal in shot put in the same championship organized in Poland.
She stopped participating in international competitions after Asian Masters Championship in 2019 but it was expected that she would participate in World Masters Championship in Canada in 2020, but the championship was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But she continued her training with the help of her son Gurdev Singh.
This year, at Chandigarh Man Kaur celebrated her 105th birthday with her family.
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In 2020, she was awarded Nari Shakti Puraskar by President of Indian Ram Nath Kovind.
Kaur’s son was her strongest motivation. Gurdev told the media organization, “After she started running, there has been rarely a day when she has not trained. Sometimes, she would go to the Punjabi University athletics track even before me. Winning medals in various countries made her relive her youth.”
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh paid tribute to the world master champion and wrote, “Deeply saddened to learn about passing of Maan Kaur Ji. Your unbeatable zeal towards life would always remain an inspiration. Condolences to her family and followers.”