With a first class first in M.A. and Ph.D from Punjab University, Dr. Ajmer Singh is one of those rare examples who made a good mix of scholarly pursuits and sporting activity. In the record books his name figures prominently in the 200 and 400 metre events. Taking to athletics at a fairly late stage, he hit the medal trail quickly enough, his prominent outing being the 1966 edition of the Asian Games in Jakarta where he claimed the Gold Medal in the 400 metres and Silver in 200 metres. These two medals put him on a pedestal quite apart from other Indian athletes.

Born on 1 February 1940 at Kup Kaian village in Sangrur district of Punjab, Ajmer Singh completed his early education from S.A, Jain High School in Malerkotia and graduated by studying first at the Jain College and [hen at the Government College in Malerkotia, He took to serious athletics only after joining the Laxmibai College of Physical Education in Gwalior in 1960- In two years time he had broken the records in both the 200 and 400 metres at the Inter-University level and a third spot in the Open Athletics Championships put him on the road to fame.

Selected as a member of the Indian team that toured Germany, Switzerland and Holland for dual meets in 1964, Ajmer made the most of the experience gained to prime himself for the bigger targets ahead. He was a member of the Indian team to the Tokyo Olympics of 1964. He was also in the national team that toured Germany in 1965 and Russia in 1966. He participated in the Commonwealth Games at Kingston in Jamaica in 1966. He won many titles on the domestic front but for medals at the International level had to wait till 5th Asian Games in 1966 at Jakarta where he won the Gold Medal in 400 Metres and the Silver in 200 metres.

Continuing his career on the track, he ran in the Indo-Sri Klankan series in 1967 and Captained the Indian Team for the Tests against Germany in 1967. He also Captained the Indian ahtlectics team for the European tour in 1968. The 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok was his last stint for India. Participating in the 400 metres event, he finished fourth after Sucha Singh.

A keen student of sports, Ajmer Singh has written a number of books and papers on the subject, including the ‘Indian sports on a downhill sphere’, ‘Youth & Sports’, ‘Coaching & Competitions’. Honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1966, Dr. Ajmer Singh attributes his success in sports to professor Karan Singh who coached him at the LNCPE, Gwalior, and was later awarded the Dronacharya Award.