Milkha Singh, famously known as "The Flying Sikh," was the first Indian athlete to reach the Olympic finals. He achieved this feat in the 400m race at the 1960 Rome Olympics, where he finished fourth with a timing of 45.6 seconds, missing the bronze medal by just 0.1 second. His performance remains one of the most iconic moments in Indian athletics history.

Born on 8 October 1935 in Lyallpur (now in Pakistan), Milkha Singh lost his parents during the Partition. He briefly served in the Indian Army, where his athletic talent was recognized. He rose to fame at the 1956 National Games in Patiala and later set records in the 200m and 400m events at both national and Asian levels in 1958. That same year, he won gold at the Cardiff Commonwealth Games and was honored with the Padma Shri.