Punjab’s Padma Shri Olympian boxer Kaur Singh passed away at a hospital in Kurukshetra on Wednesday night. He was 74 years old.
Kaur Singh was suffering from diabetes and was admitted to Patiala and then Kurukshetra hospital for treatment two days ago. His last rites have been performed today in Khanal Khurd village of Sangrur.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann expressed deep sorrow over Kaur Singh’s death.
Singh was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1982 and the Padma Shri in 1983. He participated in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA, but after being disheartened by an incident there, he retired and began living as a farmer.
Before that, he fought the world-famous American boxer Muhammad Ali Clay in a boxing match held in Delhi on 27 January 1980. It was an exhibition match consisting of four rounds. This match was held when Muhammad Ali was on a tour of India in 1980.
Before his death, the Punjab government recently included Shri Kaur Singh’s biography in the 9th and 10th standard syllabus. The Punjabi film ‘Padma Shri Kaur Singh’ was also made on him last year.
