A champion runner at 90

How does one describe an amateur athlete whose athletic career begins in 1979, at the age of 50, when professional runners have long since retired? This was Bhupinder Banta Singh, who set an Asian record for women in her age-group in the 100 metres sprint event at the world athletics championship for veterans at Hanover, (then) West Germany. In 2009, at 80, she moved heaven and earth to travel to Helsinki, Finland, with little financial sponsorship, to win a silver medal in a similar event for veterans. It was, in Shakespeare’s words, ‘a fine frenzy’ was the defining force that carried her to the icy country.

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My association with Bhupinder began on the tennis courts at Chandigarh Club, where she was the most regular among all members. Tennis was her first love. Running was a fun thing. She was naturally gifted. She confessed that she realised her potential as a runner during the chance international exposure. Her lasting craze was for tennis. At first blush, the young male players with whom she chose to play, would scoff at the idea of opposing a woman, old enough to be their mother, even grandmother. When the group discovered her skills, especially her ability to retrieve difficult shots, the disdain turned into cheers. The convention at the club required the loser to pay for evening tea. She broke the norms in her inimitable manner. If she lost, she paid for tea on the courts. If she won, she invited the entire group to a scrumptious high tea at her elegant home in Sector 8.

It was on one such occasion, when we were enjoying her hospitality that she introduced us to her husband, Banta Singh. To our dismay, he had been severely incapacitated, and was confined to a wheelchair for years. We felt guilty at having required Bhupinder to treat us so lavishly, when she would have been attending to her husband. Such was her zest, however, that she was ever the perfect hostess, even when Banta Singh was bedridden. Bhupinder travelled abroad even as she was coping uncomplainingly with her long crisis at home. For her, life was to be lived well.

I recall that she was the life and soul of every party to which she was invited. At the wedding of our daughter, Bhupinder led the gidda with Punjabi songs, and later was the most graceful of dancers in the ballroom. She moved smoothly, in 6-inch heels, the envy of us who were flat-footed.

Banta Singh died about 20 years ago. That sad event was followed just about seven years ago by the tragic loss of both her sons, one a serving Brigadier. I was amazed at her fortitude in the hours of suffering.

Bhupinder Banta Singh passed away at the age of 92 years on April 17. During one weak moment, she had confessed to me that her only regret in life was that she was not tall. I was at pains to assure her that with her courage in adversity, in my eyes, she stood taller than all of us. She would have liked her passing to be celebrated, and not mourned.