History was made in 46.71 seconds, Milkha Singh was the one to get India’s first Commonwealth Gold.

Knews Desk– The Commonwealth Games 2026 is going to start from July 23 in Glasgow city of Scotland. Once again players from many countries of the world will showcase their talent in this prestigious multi-sports event. India is also entering these games with great expectations. But whenever there is talk of India’s achievements in the Commonwealth Games, the first thing that is mentioned is that historical moment, when the great sprinter Milkha Singh created history by winning the country’s first gold medal.

India first participated in the 1934 London Commonwealth Games. In the same edition, wrestler Rashid Anwar opened India’s medal account by winning the silver medal in wrestling. However, the country had to wait long for the gold medal. This wait lasted for 24 years and finally ended in the Cardiff Commonwealth Games in 1958. In the 1958 Commonwealth Games, Milkha Singh took part in the race of 440 yards (about 400 meters). At that time many of the world’s best runners were present in this competition. In the final match, Milkha Singh made a great start and maintained his pace throughout the race. He completed the race in 46.71 seconds and secured first place. During this, he left South Africa’s legendary runner Malcolm Clive Spence behind and gave India its first gold medal of the Commonwealth Games.

This win was not just a gold medal, but a new beginning for Indian athletics. When the Indian tricolor was hoisted and the national anthem played in Cardiff, it was a proud moment for the entire country. This success of Milkha Singh showed the world that India can become a big force in track and field competitions. Milkha Singh was known as ‘Flying Sikh’ because of his fast speed. He was born on 20 November 1929 in Govindpura village of Punjab province of undivided India, which is now in Pakistan. He lost his family during the partition, but overcoming difficult circumstances, he made a name for himself in the sports world.

Apart from the Commonwealth Games, Milkha Singh also performed brilliantly in the Asian Games. He won a total of four gold medals in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games. Apart from this, he achieved fourth place in the 400 meter race in the 1960 Rome Olympics, which was considered a big achievement for Indian athletics at that time. India’s performance in the Commonwealth Games continued to improve. India total from 1934 to 2022 564 medals has won, including 203 gold, 190 silver and 171 bronze medals Are included. Now in Glasgow 2026, Indian players will take the field with the intention of carrying forward this glorious legacy. At the same time, Milkha Singh’s historic victory still remains the biggest source of inspiration for every Indian player.