Sporting legends Milkha Singh, Balbir Sr pay tributes to Kalam

Sporting legends Milkha Singh and Balbir Singh Sr today paid rich tributes to late former President A P J Abdul Kalam, describing him as a visionary who ignited the young minds.

Both said the void created by his death yesterday will be difficult to fill.

"A self-made man who rose from a humble background to occupy the country's highest office. A man who ignited the young minds and created a special place in the hearts of millions, he was a truly's people's President and a rare gem," Milkha told PTI while condoling the demise of Dr Kalam.

The 91-year-old hockey legend Balbir Singh Sr said that Dr Kalam's death is a great loss four our country.

"Truly a Bharat ka Ratan (India's gem). He was a visionary and his inspirational words - -'the most important dreams are the ones which don't allow you to sleep at night' -- still ring in my ears," Balbir Singh Sr told PTI.

"let us all take a pledge, each one individually, that we will work towards making his dreams for India a reality. I do hope and pray that we are able to realise them," said Balbir Sr, who was part the famous gold winning teams from 1948 to 1956 Olympics. Sr's 1952 record of most goals (five) in an Olympic final still stands and he also figures in the list of 16 iconic Olympians of all-time.

Remembering Dr Kalam, Milkha Singh said, "I have very deep respect for him. like our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and also like US President Barack Obama, he rose from humble background. I salute him".

Recalling one of his meetings with Dr Kalam when he was the country's President, Milkha Singh said, "it was during an award ceremony function that I met him in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. He was very happy to see me and was keen how country's sports can be taken forward. Dr Kalam also asked me why the country was not making it big in athletics. I told him about various factors and he listened very keenly".

"I told Dr Kalam that having coaches and having other facilities definitely helps, but the fire has to come from within. I also told him about myself how people used to dismiss me as some mad fellow who used to run at 2 a.M. In the dead of the night, but I was determined to something big," he recalled.