Jalandhar, July 21 -- World's oldest marathoner Fauja Singh was cremated with full state honours at his native Bias village in Jalandhar district on Sunday afternoon. Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria, chief minister Bhagwant Mann, Congress MLAs Pargat Singh and Rana Gurjeet Singh, and SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema paid floral tributes to the runner, famously known as "Turbaned Tornado". Hundreds of people gathered at the residence of Fauja Singh and village's cremation ground to get his glimpse for the last time. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a special condolence letter to the bereaved family on Sunday. Fauja Singh's eldest son Sukhjinder Singh lit the pyre after Punjab Police gunners performed the gun salute in honour of the centenarian athlete. The 114-year-old marathoner was killed in a hit-and-run accident while crossing a road in his village on July 14. "Such a loss leaves a void that can never be filled," said the Prime Minister in his condolence letter. "An extraordinary personality, Fauja Singh Ji inspired one and all, particularly India's youth, to make fitness an integral part of their daily life. His unwavering determination and remarkable achievements as an athlete truly set him apart," he wrote. Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria said Fauja Singh's demise was a huge loss for society, but they will make sincere efforts to keep his legacy alive. "If required, I will take up with the state government to build a memorial or sports infrastructure in his memory. Fauja Singh will forever live on in the hearts of those fighting for a healthier and drug-free Punjab," Kataria said. After paying his tributes, CM Mann announced that the state government will rename the school in Fauja Singh's village after him, besides installing his statues at the stadium in Bias village and Sports College, Jalandhar. "The sports fraternity will forever remain indebted to Fauja Singh for his enormous contribution in taking athletics to new heights, by defying his age, in the international arena," the chief minister said, adding that his hard work, dedication and perseverance will always inspire the young generation to work hard in the field of sports. Expressing concern over rising hit-and-run cases in Punjab, former Olympian and Congress MLA Pargat Singh said they had lost a gem like Fauja Singh to a hit-and-run tragedy. "These reckless incidents are robbing our society of its treasures. I urge the government to implement stricter action and policies to address the growing menace of hit-and-run cases," the MLA said. Chandigarh-based writer Khushwant Singh, who authored Fauja Singh's biography "Turbaned Tornado", urged the state government to dedicate infrastructure in his name, instead of wasting money on memorials, so that Punjab can produce hundreds of "young Faujas". Youngest among four siblings, Fauja Singh was born on April 1, 1911, in Bias village. Father of three sons and three daughters, he moved to East London in 1992, at the age of 81, after the death of his wife, Gian Kaur. He took to running after the death of his son, Kuldeep Singh, in August 1994 to overcome the grief. He often said running was the best exercise to deal with emotional pain resulting from personal losses. Fauja Singh stunned the world by shattering several records as a marathon runner in multiple age brackets. Since making his debut at the London Marathon in 2000 at the age of 89, he completed it six more times and also finished marathons in Toronto and New York, among other cities. The accused hit-and-run driver, Amritpal Singh, 26, a Canada-based NRI from the nearby Dasupur village, was arrested by police on July 15. Amritpal had come from Canada eight days before the accident and recently purchased the Toyota Fortuner involved in the accident from a Kapurthala resident....