P. T. Usha Explained

P. T. Usha
Birth Name:Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha[1]
Spouse:V. Srinivasan
Birth Date:1964 6, df=yes
Birth Place:Koothali, Perambra, Kerala, India[2]
Nickname:Golden Girl, Payyoli Express
Sport:Track and field
Event:Sprints
Years Active:1976–2000[3]
Nationality:Indian
Political Party:Bharatiya Janata Party(2015-Present)
Employer:Indian Railways
Height:171cm (67inches)
Pb:100 m: 11.39 (Jakarta 1985)
200 m: 23.05 (Lucknow 1999)
400 m: 51.61 (Canberra 1985)
400 m hurdles: 55.42 NR
(Los Angeles 1984)
Show-Medals:no
Module:
Child:yes
Signature:Signature of P. T. Usha.svg
Embed:yes
Office:13th President of the Indian Olympic Association
Term Start:10 December 2022[4]
Predecessor:Adille Sumariwalla (acting)
Office1:Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Constituency1:Nominated (Sports)
Nominator1:Ram Nath Kovind
Term Start1:7 July 2022

Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha (born 27 June 1964) is an Indian sports administrator and retired track and field athlete. Usha was born in Koothali near Perambra in Kozhikode district, Kerala. She grew up in Payyoli. Usha has been associated with Indian athletics since 1979.[5] She has won 4 gold medals and 7 silver medals in the Asian Games. She is often associated as the "Queen of Indian track and field".[6]

On 6 July 2022, she was nominated as a Member of Parliament to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, by former President of India Ram Nath Kovind.[7] In December 2022, Usha was elected president of the Indian Olympic Association unopposed.[8] In December 2022, she was appointed to the panel of Rajya Sabha vice chairman to control the proceedings of the upper house during the absence of both Chairman and Deputy Chairman.[9] She is the first nominated MP in history to become the Vice Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

Track and field career

Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha was first noticed in 1977 by O. M. Nambiar, an Indian athletics coach, at a sports prize-distribution ceremony.[10] In an interview with Rediff.com in 2000, he recalled: "What impressed me at first sight about Usha was her lean shape and fast walking style. I knew she could become a very good sprinter."[11] The same year, he began coaching her. Quick results followed when she won six medals at the inter-state meet for juniors, in Kollam in 1978, with four gold medals in 100 m, 200 m, 60 m hurdles and high jump, silver in long jump and bronze in 4 x 100 m relay.[12] In the year's Kerala State college meet, she won 14 medals.[11] She went on to win multiple medals at the 1979 National Games and 1980 National inter-state meet setting many meet records.[13] She participated in her first international event at the Qaid-e-Azam invitation meet in Karachi, Pakistan, in 1980, where she won four gold medals.[14]

At the senior inter-country meeting in Bangalore in 1981, Usha clocked 11.6 seconds in the 100 m and 24.8 seconds in the 200 m setting national records in both.[12] At the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, she won silver medals in 100 m and 200 m, clocking 11.95 s and 25.32 s. At the 1983 Open National Championships in Jamshedpur, she broke the 200 m national record again clocking 23.9 s, and with 53.6 s, set a new national record in 400 m.[12] At the Asian Championships in Kuwait City the same year, she won gold in 400 m.[15]

1984 Los Angeles Olympics

Usha's best moment came at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She entered on the back of a string of good performances at the year's New Delhi inter-state meet and Mumbai Open National Championships. However, poor performances in 100m and 200m at the Moscow World Championships prompted her to concentrate on the 400 m hurdles. At the Olympic trials in Delhi, she beat Asian Champion M. D. Valsamma to qualify for the Games.[16] At another pre-Olympic trials, she clocked 55.7 seconds beating American top sprinter Judi Brown.[17] At the Games, she clocked 56.81 s in the heats and 55.94 s in the semi-final, setting a new Commonwealth record as she entered the final. At the final, she came fourth, at 55.42 seconds, falling behind the eventual bronze medalist by 1/100th of a second. This followed after one of her competitors had a false start, which was said to have "broken her rhythm" as "she got off the blocks a bit slower at the restart."[18]

In the 1985 Jakarta Asian Championships, Usha won six medals — five gold and one bronze. She won the 100 m in 11.64, 200 m in 23.005, 400 m in 52.52, an Asian record, and 400 m hurdles in 56.64, with the final two coming in a span of 35 minutes.[15] Her fifth gold came in 4 x 400 m relay, and a final bronze in 4 x 100 m. She set a record in the process for most gold medals won at a single event in the history of the championships.[15] In the first two of her wins, she equalled the Asian record held by Chi Cheng of Taiwan. She went on to better her personal best in 400 m a week later at the 1985 Canberra World Cup, when she clocked 51.61, finishing seventh.[15] She almost replicated her Jakarta Championships performance at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games. She won the 100 metres silver with a time of 11.67 seconds losing the gold to Lydia de Vega. The 200 metres gold came in 23.44, 400 metres gold in 52.16 and 4 x 400 m relay gold in 3:34.58, all of which were new Games records.[19] [12] At the Games, British athletics coach Jim Alford said of her, "Usha is a first class athlete, a tough competitor and a terrific runner to watch. She has all the potential. Given careful guidance, she can be world class."[19]

Later stage

From 1983–89, Usha garnered 13 golds at ATF meets.[20] In the 10th Asian Games held at Seoul in 1986, Usha won 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal in the track and field events. She also won five gold medals at the 6th Asian Track and Field Championship in Jakarta in 1985. Her medals at the same meet is a record for a single athlete in a single international meet.[21]

Currently she is committee head of Indian Talent organization which conducts the National Level Indian Talent Olympiad examinations in schools across India.[22] Usha retired from her active sports career in 2000.

Sports administration and political career

Politics

In July 2022, Usha was nominated by President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, as a Member of Parliament (MP) of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament.[23] In December 2022, She was appointed as one of the vice-chairpersons of the Rajya Sabha and become the first nominated MP to be in the Vice Chairperson panel.[24]

Sports administration

Since retiring from her sports career in 2000, Usha had given no inclination of entering sports administration, however, in December 2022, she was elected as the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in an election where she ran unopposed.[25] [26] She also became the first woman to be elected president of the IOA.

Achievements

Usha represented India in 4 x 100 metres relay together with Valdivel Jayalakshmi, Rachita Mistry, and E.B. Shyla at the 1998 Asian Championships in Athletics, where her team won the gold medal, setting a national record of 44.43 s.[27] [28]

Personal life

Usha studied in Providence Women's College in Kozhikode.

Usha married V. Srinivasan, an English inspector with Central Industrial Security Force, in 1991. The couple has a son,[29] Dr. Vignesh Ujjwal.

Advisor

Currently, she is a member of the Board of Advisors of India's International Movement to Unite Nations (I.I.M.U.N.).[30]

Awards and honours

Statistics

International competitions

1980Olympic GamesMoscow, Russia5th (heats)100 metresdata-sort-value="012.27"12.27
1982Asian GamesNew Delhi, India2nd100 metresdata-sort-value="011.67"11.67
2nd200 metresdata-sort-value="024.32"24.32
1983Asian ChampionshipsKuwait City, Kuwait2nd200 metresdata-sort-value="024.68"24.68
1st400 metresdata-sort-value="054.20"54.20
1984Olympic GamesLos Angeles, USA4th400 metres hurdlesdata-sort-value="055.42"55.42 AR
7th4 × 400 m relaydata-sort-value="212.49"3:32.49
1985Asian ChampionshipsJakarta, Indonesia1st100 metresdata-sort-value="011.64"11.64 AR
1st200 metresdata-sort-value="023.05"23.05 AR
1st400 metresdata-sort-value="052.62"52.62 AR
1st400 metres hurdlesdata-sort-value="056.64"56.64
3rd4 × 100 m relaydata-sort-value="045.22"45.22
1st4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="214.10"3:34.10
World CupCanberra, Australia7th400 metresdata-sort-value="051.61"51.61 AR
5th400 metres hurdlesdata-sort-value="056.35"56.35
8th4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="217.59"3:37.59
1986Asian GamesSeoul, South Korea2nd100 metresdata-sort-value="011.67"11.67
1st200 metresdata-sort-value="023.44"23.44 GR
1st400 metresdata-sort-value="052.16"52.16 GR
1st400 metres hurdlesdata-sort-value="056.06"56.06 GR
1st4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="214.58"3:34.58 GR
1987Asian ChampionshipsSingapore2nd100 metresdata-sort-value="011.74"11.74
1st400 metresdata-sort-value="052.31"52.31
1st400 metres hurdlesdata-sort-value="056.48"56.48
2nd4 x 100 m relaydata-sort-value="045.49"45.49
1st4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="214.50"3:34.50
World ChampionshipsRome, ItalyDNS400 metresdata-sort-value="999.99"
6th (semifinal)400 metres hurdlesdata-sort-value="055.89"55.89
8th (heats)4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="211.55"3:31.55
1988Olympic GamesSeoul, South Korea7th (heats)400 metre hurdlesdata-sort-value="059.55"59.55
1989Asian ChampionshipsNew Delhi, India2nd100 metresdata-sort-value="011.74"11.74
1st200 metresdata-sort-value="023.27"23.27
1st400 metresdata-sort-value="051.90"51.90
1st400 metres hurdlesdata-sort-value="056.14"56.14
2nd4 x 100 m relaydata-sort-value="044.87"44.87
1st4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="212.95"3:32.95
1990Asian GamesBeijing, China4th200 metresdata-sort-value="024.29"24.29
2nd400 metresdata-sort-value="052.86"52.86
2nd4 x 100 m relaydata-sort-value="044.99"44.99
2nd4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="218.45"3:38.45
1994Asian GamesHiroshima, Japan4th200 metresdata-sort-value="024.29"24.29
5th4 x 100 relaydata-sort-value=""
2nd4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="213.34"3:33.34
1996Olympic GamesAtlanta, USADSQ4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="999.99"
1998Asian ChampionshipsFukuoka, Japan3rd200 metresdata-sort-value="023.27"23.27
3rd400 metresdata-sort-value="052.55"52.55
1st4 x 100 m relaydata-sort-value="044.43"44.43
2nd4 x 400 m relaydata-sort-value="214.04"3:34.04
Asian GamesBangkok, Thailand6th400 metresdata-sort-value="054.37"54.37
4th4 x 100 m relaydata-sort-value="044.77"44.77

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ptusha.org/the-golden-girl P. T. USHA Personal Profile at www.ptusha.org
  2. Web site: Nadar. A Ganesh. I'm unstoppable now!. rediff.com. 10 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20011116193159/http://www.rediff.com/sports/1998/aug/22c.htm. 16 November 2001. 22 August 1998.
  3. Web site: Indian Track Star P.T. Usha Hangs Up Her Spikes. International Association of Athletics Federations. 13 February 2017. 25 July 2000.
  4. Web site: PT Usha officially elected as Indian Olympic Association president, first woman to take up the role. 10 December 2022. 10 December 2022.
  5. Web site: List of India's best Sportspeople. 23 June 2016. IndiaBest21. India Best21. 30 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170816194148/http://indiabest21.com/indiabest21/pilavullakandi-thekkeparambil-usha/73. 16 August 2017. dead. dmy-all.
  6. http://kerala.gov.in/keralcaldec04/p23.pdf Usha School of Athletics: A giant stride forward
  7. Web site: Bhandari . Shashwat . 2022-07-06 . Celebrated athlete PT Usha, Philanthropist Veerendra Heggade among 4 nominated for Rajya Sabha . 2022-07-06 . www.indiatvnews.com . en.
  8. Web site: PT Usha elected unopposed; becomes first woman IOA President . 10 December 2022 .
  9. News: PTI . 2023-07-20 . Jagdeep Dhankhar reconstitutes Rajya Sabha panel of vice-chairpersons; half of them women . 2024-03-28 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  10. Web site: Padma Shri for OM Nambiar: The guiding force behind the 'Payyoli Express'. 2021-08-11. Olympics.com.
  11. Web site: Iype. George. If I am wellknown today, it is all because of Usha. rediff.com. 13 February 2017. 11 September 2000.
  12. Web site: P. T. Usha: Factfile. rediff.com. 13 February 2017. 11 September 2000.
  13. Web site: Golden Girl PT Usha turns 56: Interesting facts about the queen of Indian track on her birthday. 2021-08-11. The New Indian Express.
  14. Web site: Mohan . K. P. . USHA FACTFILE . . 15 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20000818001235/http://www.thesportstar.com/tss2333/23330310.htm . 18 August 2000 . August 2000.
  15. Web site: P.T. Usha: The gold rush. India Today. 13 February 2017.
  16. Web site: Rayan. Stan. She set the track ablaze. The Hindu. 13 February 2017. 1 May 2011.
  17. Web site: PT Usha: A story of porridge, pickles and an Olympic heartbreak. IOC. 7 August 2020.
  18. Web site: Olympics moments: PT Usha misses bronze by a whisker. Daily News and Analysis. 13 February 2017. 21 May 2012.
  19. Web site: Bobb. Dilip. The golden girl. India Today. 14 February 2017. 31 October 1986.
  20. Web site: 'PAYYOLI EXPRESS' – PT USHA « Athletics Federation of India. 2021-08-11. Athletics Federation of India. en-US.
  21. News: No. 12: PT Usha's gold rush at the 1986 Seoul Asiad. ESPN.com. 2018-04-18.
  22. Web site: Committee Head.
  23. Web site: FP Explainers . 2022-07-07 . PT Usha, Ilaiyaraaja nominated to Rajya Sabha: Why celebrities are picked and how they have fared? . 2024-03-28 . Firstpost . en-us.
  24. Web site: Joy . Shemin . 20 December 2022 . PT Usha becomes first nominated MP to be in Rajya Sabha Vice Chairperson panel . 2024-03-28 . Deccan Herald . en.
  25. Web site: 2022-12-10 . Mukherjee . Saurav . Legendary athlete PT Usha elected as first woman president of IOA . 2024-03-28 . Mint . en.
  26. News: PTI . 2022-12-10 . PT Usha: A trailblazer in the true sense . 2024-03-28 . The Economic Times . 0013-0389.
  27. Web site: Vijaykumar. C.N.R. After the feast, the famine. rediff.com. 15 December 1998. 4 September 2009.
  28. News: Indian women's 4x100m relay team breaks 18-year-old national record Sports News - Times of India. 2021-08-11. The Times of India. 18 May 2016. en.
  29. Web site: P T Usha: Against all hurdles. The Times of India. 13 February 2017. 13 February 2003.
  30. Web site: I.I.M.U.N. Board of Advisors. 2021-07-17. new.iimun.in.
  31. Web site: 2018-01-29 . Another Doctorate for P T Usha . 2020-11-10 . Facebook - Usha School of Athletics.
  32. Web site: IIT institute to confer honorary doctorate degree on PT Usha . 2020-11-10 . GKToday.in.
  33. Web site: Sharma . Dishant . 2017-06-13 . IIT Kanpur to confer honorary doctorate on PT Usha . 2020-11-10 . Inshorts.
  34. Web site: 2017-06-13 . IIT Kanpur to confer honorary doctorate on PT Usha . 2020-11-10 . Mathrubhumi.
  35. News: Calicut University confers D.Litt on Mohanlal, PT Usha. 29 January 2018. The Times of India. 29 January 2018.
  36. Web site: 2019-09-25 . PT Usha conferred with IAAF Veteran Pin Award . 2020-11-10 . The New Indian Express.
  37. Web site: 2023-04-10 . PT Usha awarded first honorary doctorate by CUK . live . 2024-07-19 . Central University of Kerala.