Women are an inspiration not just for men, but for all sections of the society. Across ages women have inspired some of the most remarkable artistic and societal feats. Several of the remarkable paintings, sculptures, stories, poems, and the like are a testimony to this. This country has a special place for women and has seen some of the most spectacular women witnessed across time. Women like Dr. Suniti Solomon, who led India’s HIV battle at the onset, three decades back, actress Sridevi whose unfortunate death is still afresh; they have left a mark in their fields, a mark that inspires many to emulate them.
This country has many extraordinary women we see everyday and take them for granted, but who only show their mettle if situation demanded; like the woman who took on the society for harassing her son who had written an offending obscene poem. This nation has thousands of such women whose everyday life itself would be an inspiration for many of us. On this women’s day, we recount one of India’s women athletes who made this country proud, India’s Golden Girl, P.T. Usha.
One of India’s famous sporting star, Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha fondly known as ‘PT Usha’ is the lady who showed the citizens of India that there are sports other than cricket and Indian sportsmen have the potential to represent the nation at the international level and bring glory to the country. She is the sporting legend who inspired thousands of Indian women to take up sports and especially athletics as their career, and the progress Indian sportspersons have made in the past few decades speaks volumes of the growth of sporting culture in India.
India’s ace sprinter was born on 27th of June, 1964, in a village called Payyoli, Kerala. Born to a poor family, Usha could not enjoy the early years of her life. The poor condition of the family and the health issues did not permit Usha to have a privileged life. Though the family could not make ends meet, Usha had an incredible passion for athletics and sports, and this very passion has helped her earn the nickname ‘Payyoli Express’ and ‘Golden Girl.’
In the year 1976, ‘The Queen of Indian Track and Field’ got the much-needed recognition when the Kerala Government awarded her with a Rs. 250 scholarship which helped her represent her district after the government started a sports school exclusively for women in Cannore. Interestingly, Usha’s talent was noticed by athletics coach O M Nambiar during National School Games award ceremony, and he was impressed by Usha’s “lean shape and fast walking style.” That is the day he decided to coach her, and as they say, rest is history.
Under Nambiar’s able guidance Usha turned into a sporting star by winning several medals in various athletic meets that she had participated. Though India’s Golden Girl began her international career at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, she rose to glory only two years later when Asian Games were held in New Delhi in 1982. She made the country proud by winning the Silver medal in the 100 m and 200 m event. PT Usha turned into the Queen of Indian Track and Field in 1985 when she bagged five gold medals at the Jakarta Asian Meet. She had won gold medals in 100m, 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles, 4X400m relay and also a bronze medal in the 100m relay. The icing on the cake in her athletic career came in the year 1986 at the Seoul Asian Games when she notched four gold medals and one silver medal. Though she could not make a mark at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, she became the youngest Indian sprinter to compete in an Olympic event at a young age of 16.
The highest point of her career has to be the moment when she finished 4th in 400 meters hurdle in 1984 Los Angeles which is the closest any Indian female athlete has ever come to win an Olympic medal. Believe it or not but the ace sprinter of India had lost the bronze medal by just 1/100th of a second.
Throughout her illustrious career, India’s Golden Girl has won both national and international medals and made the Tricolor flutter with immense pride. PT Usha has won as many as 101 national and international events including 13 Gold medals in the Asian Games and Asian Championships. PT Usha was honored with the Arjuna Award and Padma Shree in 1984. Usha was awarded the Greatest Woman Athlete in 1985 at the Jakarta Asian Athletic Meet, Adidas Golden Shoe award for the Best Athlete in 1986 at the Seoul Asian Games.
She also won the Best Athlete in Asia award in the year 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989. She has also won World Trophy for Best Athlete in 1985 and 1986. The Queen of India’s sporting fans, she married Srinivasan in the year 1991, and later the couple was blessed with a baby boy, Ujjwal. Though she took four years off from athletics, the time off never affected her speed, and she announced her arrival in style by clinching the silver medal in Hiroshima Asian Games held in the year 1994.
Currently, PT Usha is employed in Southern Railways as an officer and is also successfully running a school for athletics at Koyilandi near Kozhikode, Kerala, where girls of the age group 10-12 are recruited and trained. The training and guiding ability of PT Usha came into limelight when one of her students Tintu Lukka, qualified for the women’s semi-final in the 800m event at the 2012 London Olympics. Her athletic school, Usha School of Athletics is an organization dedicated to advancing sports at all possible levels with state-of- the-art facilities in athletic skill development.
The story of PT Usha is a story that has inspired many athletes. Athletics like most other sports require character and a high degree of will power, self control, and sacrifice. In a world where even the wise and the strong succumb, it is the inspiration by athletes like PT Usha that push many others in a relentless pursuit. DfC greets all women on this international women’s day, keep inspiring.
