Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Skipping Sikh to run his first marathon at 74 for charity

RAJINDER SINGH aka the ‘Skipping Sikh’ is all set to run his first marathon next month at the age of 74 to raise money for charity.

The Sikh pensioner, who moved to England alone in 1971, to join his uncle, will run the 26.2-mile London Marathon on 3 October to raise money for Mencap, which support those with learning disabilities. He will turn 75 on 23 October, just after the event.


He was recognised with an MBE for services to health and fitness in the Queen’s birthday honours list in June. He has already raised £2,255 against the target £5,000 from 88 supporters.

“It’s the first time I’m running the London marathon and I’ll be turning 75. My daughter nominated me as I’ve always wanted to do it but have never been successful in getting a place. I can’t wait to run with so many others and I hope to skip over the finishing line," he told Eastern Eye.

"I am turning 75 this year 23 October 2021 and have always wanted to take part in the London Marathon and this is a dream come true for me. This year I am going to attempt skipping and if I don't do it, my daughter will. Please join me on my journey as I train for the next six months and get ready for the biggest milestone ever," his page on Justgiving says.

Singh, from Hillingdon, west London, has always been active and interested in fitness. He learned from his father, a soldier, and was taught how to skip from an early age. Now, he tries to exercise four or five times a day.

Currently, he is preparing for his first marathon. And at weekends he pays forward his father’s encouragement at the junior parkrun near his home. He runs with his daughter, Minreet, and his wife, Pritpal Kaur, who is herself mastering hula hooping.

Singh starred in exercise videos that went viral during lockdown, after he became concerned that some members of the Sikh community were feeling isolated as gurdwaras were closed in the initial lockdown.

His exercise videos proved a hit on social media and helped raise more than £14,000 for NHS charities.

Click here to support.

More For You

'Companies with diverse leadership are better positioned for growth'

From LtoR- Lord Karan Bilimoria, Sir Trevor Phillips, Seema Malhotra MP, David Tyler and Nathan Coe

'Companies with diverse leadership are better positioned for growth'

COMPANIES with diverse leadership are better positioned for sustainable growth, improved decision-making, and will connect better with multicultural markets, equalities minister Seema Malhotra has said.

She added that the government will soon launch a public consultation on their approach to mandatory ethnicity and disability pay gap reporting.

Keep ReadingShow less
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with  Wang Yi (right)

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with Wang Yi (right)

S Jaishankar: ‘Delhi’s global interests shape its regional ties'

INDIA today sees itself as a global power or, at least, a country with global interests, which is why Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has spoken of its equation with Russia, China and notably the Middle East.

India’s external affairs minister was in conversation last Wednesday (5) in London with Bronwen Maddox, director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Hundreds of million pounds can be saved by abolishing NHS'

Keir Starmer speaks with medical staff during a visit to the Elective Orthopaedic Centre at Epsom Hospital in Epsom, England. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

'Hundreds of million pounds can be saved by abolishing NHS'


HUNDREDS of millions of pounds could be saved and patient waiting lists reduced as prime minister Keir Starmer announced plans to abolish NHS England, the body overseeing the state-funded health system.

In a speech delivered in Hull, Starmer explained his decision to streamline the National Health Service's management structure: "I can't, in all honesty, explain to the British people why they should spend their money on two layers of bureaucracy."

Keep ReadingShow less
Early risers in the UK witness stunning Blood Moon eclipse

The lunar eclipse of Friday may not have been as dramatic as the total eclipses seen in other parts of the world

iStock

Early risers in the UK witness stunning Blood Moon eclipse

In the early hours of Friday morning, stargazers across the UK were treated to a partial lunar eclipse, with many enthusiasts rising before dawn to catch a glimpse. The celestial event, which saw the Earth's shadow partially covering the Moon, began at 05:09 GMT. Although only partial for most UK observers, it still presented a spectacular sight, with western parts of the country and regions further afield, such as the Americas and some Pacific islands, witnessing the eclipse.

For some, like Kathleen Maitland, the experience was magical. Stargazing from Pagham Harbour in West Sussex, she described the beauty of watching the Moon gradually darken and transform into a reddish hue, with the sunrise unfolding behind her. The eclipse gave rise to the so-called "blood Moon," a phenomenon that occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow, turning a dusky red as sunlight is refracted through the Earth's atmosphere.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sangam Foundation celebrates Women's Day

From L- Reetu Kabra, Maya Sondhi, Shobu Kapoor and Meera Syal during Sangam Foundation's Women's Day celebrations.

Sangam Foundation celebrates Women's Day

HUNDREDS of women gathered for the International Women's Day celebrations of Sangam Foundation last week. Prominent actresses Meera Syal, Shobhu Kapoor and Maya Sondhi have attended the event, a statement said.

The British Asian celebrities shared their experiences of breaking into an industry rife with misogyny and prejudice. The industry veterans also talked about challenges they faced in a male-dominated field.

Keep ReadingShow less