Dekhein kitthe latt-moddaa na tudda laeen!” (Be careful, you’ll get a leg or an arm broken…) is the unsolicited advice given by peers and neighbours to Captain (retd) Gurjiwan Singh Sidhu. But it’s a risk the 85 year-old is willing to take.

 
Here’s why. This Chandigarh-based retired Army man has the distinction of being Asia’s shot put record holder, four times over, in the veterans’ category; two-time Asia gold medallist in the hammer throw; and Asia gold medallist in the javelin throw. A regular participant at international meets, Sidhu’s latest achievement was the shot put gold and hammer throw bronze at the Asia Masters Athletics Championship held in Japan in 2014. At the national level, his undisputed status as 12-time champion in shot put and six-time gold medallist in the hammer throw, in the veterans’ category, is intimidating for even young sportsmen.

His sports journey began in the 1950s but it was a tepid beginning. “I used to throw shot put during my school and college days but I did not really pursue sports. After retirement, I took to badminton,” says Sidhu, who earned a degree in law in 1956 before he took up his first job as panchayat officer at the Block Development Office in Jalandhar. “I had applied to do the bar-at-law in London but when the Emergency was imposed, I had to join the armed forces owing to familial compulsions,” he explains.

After retiring as joint director, Department of Public Relations, Punjab, Sidhu has been practising law at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Chandigarh. But his true second innings started when he rediscovered his love for sports a decade ago. “One day, while the house was being whitewashed, my son and grandson discovered a host of certificates and said, ‘Daddy, why don’t you continue your passion for sports at senior citizens’ tournaments and veterans’ championships?’”

It was an idea he could not resist. Even at the age of 71, Sidhu was in great shape and so, accompanied by his son, he participated in a seniors’ meet in Chandigarh and won the gold in the shot put event, hands down. The year was 2003. “Since then, my record as shot put champion in the veterans’ category in India has been unbroken.”

It was only after he turned 70 that this sportsman picked up and mastered the discus, javelin and hammer—and won medals in all three events! In recognition of his remarkable achievements, Sidhu was honoured by the Punjab government with a cash prize of ₹ 100,000 this year.

Armed with a towering frame and an unassuming demeanour, Sidhu’s zest for sports is grounded in a structured routine. He is an early riser and a stickler for exercise. He is addicted to his afternoon practice sessions at the stadium and is careful about what he eats. “Wherever I travel in India, I carry homemade parathas, even when I visit my village,” he shares. “Except for a cup of tea and some fruit, I avoid eating outside. At home, I eat a healthy breakfast and enjoy a drink whenever I visit the club.”

Sidhu recently received the Vayoshreshtha Samman, an award conferred by the Government of India in recognition of exemplary contributions by senior citizens and institutions. While his family celebrated the news, Sidhu remains understated. “It is sad that our Government does not look after senior citizens. I can afford to participate in national and international tournaments but there are those who cannot in spite of their talent. For instance, Japan has a sizeable geriatric population but state-of-the art sports facilities and opportunities are readily available for them.”

—Suparna-Saraswati Puri

Photo courtesy: Gurjiwan Singh Sidhu
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
April 2017