101-year-old Mann Kaur, son honoured at Punjabi University
The Punjabi University honoured 101-year-old Mann Kaur, world’s fastest centenarian, and her son Gurdev Singh, 80, for their feat in the recently-concluded World Masters Games at New Zealand on Thursday.
Mann, who is a great grandmother, clinched gold and finished the race in one minute and 14 seconds, breaking her own record of one minute and 21 seconds at American Masters Games in Vancouver last year.
The mother-son duo trained for four months at the university’s departments of sports sciences and physical education.
Professor Gurnam Singh, dean academics, said it is a proud moment for the university for being a contributor in the veteran athlete’s achievements. “He also congratulated university’s sports science department for providing scientific assistance to the duo in improving their physical standards,” he said.
Harish Kumar, a senior professor of the department, said he worked on the nutritious requirement the athletes, while another professor Paramvir Singh looked after circuit training.
“The strict diet plans and disciplined two-hour training are the reasons for their success. Despite suffering from osteoporosis, the centenarian athlete was always ready to take challenges during training sessions,” Kumar said.
Meanwhile, both the athletes also interacted with the students of sports science on the occasion.
Professor Inderjeet Singh, university registrar, presented a memento and robe of honour and appreciated their achievements. He also said that the History channel is making a documentary on the veteran athlete’s achievements and a major part of it, was shot in the university’s sports science department.