Nazar Singh Gill (111), a great-grandfather believed to be Europe’s oldest man, breathed his last at his native Fazilpur village in Jalandhar on the eve of Father’s Day, after traveling over to spend time with family.
He had recently celebrated his birthday, sending pictures back to Britain that showed him marking the event with a pint of lager and a whisky chaser.
Born on 8 June 1904, Singh lived through the great depression, two world wars, and the independence and partition of India. He moved to England in 1965, living first in Walsall, West Midlands, where he worked in a foundry, then retiring to the north-east in 1989, living with one of his nine children.
With 34 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren, Singh was always surrounded by family, said his grandson, Harvinder Gill, 31. “He was an incredible chap,” Gill, from Ashbrooke, Sunderland, said. “He has lived a very happy and fulfilling life.
“For the past few weeks he has been suffering with a few illnesses. He has had pneumonia but he was a fighter. Unfortunately, his time has passed. It was early hours on Saturday, just before Father’s Day.”
Singh was born on a farm in Punjab where he helped his family grow sugar cane, cotton, corn, wheat and later chilli, peanuts, potatoes and rice. He outlived his wife, Narajan Kaur, who died 12 years ago, as well as his two sisters and four brothers.
Even into old age he kept his love of the outdoors – only giving up gardening at 107. He enjoyed drinking milk and almond oil, regularly ate fruit and had a nightly drop of whisky.
After his 110th birthday, he was quoted in media reports as saying: “I feel very good and very happy. I still feel fit and strong. I pray to the lord to take me when he wants to.” He put his longevity down to “good family, good food and happiness”.
“Eat healthy food and look after each other,” he said. “Family need to look after their elders.”
Singh had returned to India in January, where he was being cared for by his two eldest sons. But he kept in touch regularly with relatives in the UK by phone. Despite his age, he still had perfect hearing.
His age was never confirmed by Guinness World Records and he had no birth certificate. But he was sent a letter by the Queen on his 100th birthday, and every subsequent birthday.