Veteran athlete Mann Kaur cremated in Chandigarh

Mann Kaur, who began her athletics career at the age of 93, had set a record by becoming the world’s fastest centenarian at the American Masters Games in 2016

For Gurdev Singh, his mother, veteran athlete Mann Kaur, was a role model and best friend. On Sunday, as 82-year-old Singh lit the pyre of 105-year-old Kaur, he burst into tears and bid final goodbye at Chandigarh crematorium in Sector 25.

Mann Kaur’s son Gurdev Singh performing her last rites at the cremation ground in Chandigarh on Sunday. (Keshav Singh/HT )

For over a decade, Kaur and Gurdev had been training and taking part in athletics championships together. Along with family and friends, fans also thronged the crematorium to pay their respect to Kaur, who was known as “miracle mom” from Chandigarh.

The veteran athlete, who began her athletics career at the age of 93, had set a record by becoming the world’s fastest centenarian at the American Masters Games in 2016. She died on Saturday at a Dera Bassi hospital after a battle with liver and gallbladder cancers.

Recipient of Nari Shakti Puraskar 2019, she used to say age was no bar to realise one’s dreams. She was the oldest person to walk to the top of Auckland’s Sky Tower in 2017, showing off her grit and zeal.