P.T. Usha Biography

P.T. Usha Biography

P.T. Usha Biography

P.T. Usha (Pilavullakandi Thekkeparampil Usha) or " Payolli Express" as she was famously known as the prevailing ruler of Indian Olympic style sports for two decades. This "Brilliant Girl" was conceived on June 27, 1964, of every a town called Koothali close Perambra in Kozhikode locale of Kerala. She was keen on games directly from her youth days.

In 1976 the Kerala Government began a Sports division for ladies in Kannur, where Usha began rehearsing under mentor O.M Nambiar. Her walk to popularity began in 1979 when she won the individual title at the National School Games. In 1980, in her first global meet, she won 4 gold decorations for India. Her greatest minute came when in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics she missed the bronze award in the 400m finals by 1/100th of a second.

In 1985 she won 5 gold awards and 1 bronze decoration at the Asian Olympic style sports title in Jakarta, Indonesia. At the Seoul Asian Games, Usha won gold awards in the 200 m, 400 m, 400 m obstacles, and 4x400m transfer classes. At the Beijing Asian Games, she won 3 silver decorations for India. In 1991, she wedded V. Srinivasan. After the introduction of her child, she returned to games and won bronze decorations in the 200 m and 400 m at the Asian Track Federation meet at Fukuoka in Japan in 1998. She resigned from games in the year 2000 and set up her games institute in Kerala.

She was granted the Arjuna Award in 1983 and the Padma Shree in 1985.