Known as Queen of Indian track and field, PT Usha has claimed four gold medals and seven silver medals in the history of the Asian Games.
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Recently, the Andhra Pradesh Athletic Association (APAA) recognized PT Usha, the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and her husband, V. Srinivasan, for their services to sports. Representatives from numerous sports associations attended the ceremony, which was held in Vijayawada. PT Usha made her ambitions to open an athletics academy with the goal of creating more international athletes known during the event. Twelve national medalists and eight world medalists are among the 25 athletes now enrolled in the academy.
PT Usha spoke to the media about her commitment to resolving remaining concerns within the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). She reported that since she became president four months ago, the amount of unresolved cases had dropped from 251 to 80. “We are attempting to address all issues and reduce the number of pending cases. We formed a committee solely to deal with affiliation and other problems. We’ll get them sorted out shortly,” Usha said.
Usha highlighted her wish for a synthetic track in Vijayawada, citing the high number of foreign athletes in the state. “Even municipalities can take the initiative,” Usha added, urging government officials to prioritize the construction of such a track. Usha also encouraged parents to promote their kids’ athletic abilities because she started her sporting career at the age of 13. “I was able to achieve success because my parents recognized my talent and supported me. I encourage parents to do the same for their children,” Usha said.
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Usha’s commitment to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and athletics has not gone unnoticed. She paved the way for Indian women in sports and has received various honors, such as the Arjuna Award, the Padma Shri, and the Padma Bhushan. Usha has persisted in advocating for the development of Indian athletes and sports as a whole while serving as IOA President. Usha spoke about her goals for Indian athletics’ future during the occasion. She said, “As President of the Indian Olympic Association, I will do my utmost to ensure that Indian athletes have the resources and support they need to compete at the highest level. My goal is to make India a powerhouse in athletics and to help our athletes achieve their dreams.”
Known as Queen of Indian track and field, PT Usha has claimed four gold medals and seven silver medals in the history of the Asian Games. She narrowly missed out on an Olympic medal by finishing fourth in the final of 400m hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Games in 55.42 seconds (NR) which was 1/100th of a second slower than the bronze medalist. Usha won six medals in the Asian Championships held in Jakarta in 1985, five of them were gold. Usha was unanimously elected president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in December 2022. She also made history by being the IOA’s first female president.
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