P.T Usha Profile & Biography - Facebook page of P.T Usha included

Full Name : Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha
Date of Birth : 27th June 1964
Hometown : Payyoli, Kozhikode, Kerala
Nicknames and titles : Payyoli Express, Golden Girl, Queen of Indian Track & Field, Asian sprint queen
Profession : Athlete
Husband's name : V.Srinivasan
Children : Ujjwal
Father's name : Paithal
Mother's name : Lakshmi
Official website of P.T Usha : www.ptusha.org
Facebook page of P.T Usha : http://www.facebook.com/pages/P-T-Usha/113041012044041
Coach : O.M Nambiar, JS Bhatia
International debut : Moscow Olympics, 1980
Autobiography : Golden Girl, published by Penguin in 1987
Books on P.T Usha : P.T Usha, the pride of India (P.T Rajasekharan), Ore Oru Usha (Rajagopal)

Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha alias P.T Usha is an internationally well known Indian athlete hailing from the state of Kerala in India. She has brought a lot of pride to India and her hometown with her achievements in sports on an international level. P.T Usha's athletic career started off in the year 1979 at the tender age of 15 years. She is one of the best athletes produced by India to represent the country globally. She has been given some nicknames such as Payyoli Express and Golden Girl from which one can understand her calibre in athletics. Most often, she is also referred as the 'queen of Indian track and field' and also as the 'icon of Indian Athletics'.

Family life and background of P.T Usha

P.T Usha was born on 27th June 1964 in a small village called Payyoli in Kozhikode district of Kerala. Her father's name is Paithal and mother's name is Lakshmi. She got married to V.Srinivasan and the couple have a son named Ujjwal.

Her athletic talent was first noticed in the year 1976 when she was chosen to play for her district at the Sports School for women. Later in the year 1979, the renowned Indian athletics coach O.M Nambiar took heed of P.T Usha while she was playing at the National School Games and realized her exquisite talent in athletics. After that, he became Usha's coach throughout her athletic career. Her professional career ended in the year 1999 after which she opened her own school at Koyilandy in Kerala. The school's name is Usha School of Athletics. The interesting fact of this name is - Usha ScHool of Athletics. During her career, P.T Usha has won a total of 102 medals at National and International meets.

Achievements of P.T Usha

1. Won four gold medals in Karachi International Invitation meet in the year 1980.
2. P.T Usha took part in Moscow Olympic Games in 1980.
3. Won two gold medals in Pune International Invitation meet in the year 1981.
4. In 1981, she also won one gold medal in Hissar International Invitation meet.
5. She won two gold medals in Ludhiana International Invitation meet in 1981.
6. Won one gold medal and one bronze medal in the world junior meet in Seoul in the year 1982.
7. In 1982, she also won two silver medals in the New Delhi Asian Games.
8. Won one gold medal and one silver medal in Asian Track & Field meet in Kuwait in the year 1983.
9. In 1983, she also won two gold in New Delhi International Invitation meet.
10. Won one gold medal in the International meet in Inglewood, USA in the year 1984. 11. In 1984, she also participated in the Los Angeles Olympic Games.
12. She won three gold medals in the Eight Nations International Invitation meet in Singapore in 1984.
13. In 1984, she participated in the International Invitation meet in Tokyo and reached 4th place in hurdles.
14. Won two gold medals and two silver medals in the World Railway meet in Olomouc, Czechoslovakia for which she was announced the best railway athlete in the year 1985. With this achievement, she created history in Indian Railways by becoming the first Indian athlete to receive such an honor.
15. In 1985, she participated and reached 5th place for hurdles in the World Grand Prix meet at Prague.
16. Won the bronze medal for hurdles in the World Grand Prix meet in London in 1985.
17. Won the silver medal in the World Grand Prix meet in Bratislava in 1985.
18. Reached 4th place for 400m in the World Grand Prix meet in Paris in 1985.
19. Won the bronze medal for 400m in the World Grand Prix meet in Budapest in 1985.
20. In 1985, she also won a silver medal in the World Grand Prix meet in London.
21. Won silver medal in the World Grand Prix meet in Ostrava in 1985.
22. Reached 5th place in hurdles and 4th place in 400m at the World Cup Championship at Canberra in 1985.
23. Won five gold medals and one bronze medal in Asian Track & Field meet at Jakarta, Indonesia in 1985. With this achievement, she had created a record by becoming the first female athlete to win five gold medals in a single track meet.
24. Reached 6th place in 400m at the Goodwill Games in Moscow in 1986.
25. Won four gold medals and one silver medal in Asian Games at Seoul in 1986.
26. Won one gold medal in Malaysian Open Athletic meet in 1986.
27. Won three gold medals in Lions Athletic meet in Singapore in 1986.
28. Won two gold medals in Four Nations International Invitation meet in New Delhi in 1986.
29. Won three gold medals and two silver medals in Asian Track & Field meet at Singapore in 1987.
30. Won two gold medals in Malaysian Open Athletic meet in Kuala Lampur in 1987.
31. Won three gold medals in New Delhi International Invitation meet in 1987.
32. Won five gold medals in South Asian Federation Games in Calcutta in 1987.
33. Participated in the World Championship of Athletics in Rome in 1987. During this event, she again created history for being the first Indian to run in the semi-finals of hurdles.
34. Won three gold medals in Singapore Open Athletic meet in 1988.
35. Won two gold medals in pre-Olympic International Athletic meet in New Delhi in 1988.
36. She also took part in the Seoul Olympics in year 1988.
37. Won four gold medals and two silver medals in Asian Track & Field meet in New Delhi in the year 1989.
38. Won three gold medals in International Invitation meet at Calcutta in 1989.
39. Won four gold medals in Malaysian Open Athletic meet in 1989.
40. Won three silver medals in Beijing Asian Games in the year 1990.
41. Won one silver medal in Hiroshima Asian Games in the year 1994.
42. Won one bronze medal in the International Permit meet in Pune in 1994.
43. Won one bronze medal in the SAF Games in Chennai in the year 1995.
44. Won one bronze medal in the International Permit meet in Pune in 1995.
45. She took part in the Atlanta Olympic Games in the year 1996.
46. Won one silver medal in International Permit meet in Pune in 1996.
47. Won one gold medal in International Permit meet in Patiala in 1997.
48. Won one gold medal, one silver medal and two bronze medals in Asian Track & Field meet in Fukuoka in the year 1998.
49. Won two gold medals and one silver medal in the Raja Bhalendra Singh International Athletic meet at New Delhi in the year 1998.
50. She also took part in the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998.
51. Won one gold medal and two silver medals in the SAF Games in Kathmandu in the year 1999.
52. Won one gold medal in Raja Bhalendra Singh International Athletic meet at New Delhi in 1999.

Awards won by P.T Usha

1. Received the Arjuna Award in 1984.
2. Received the Padma Shri award and title in 1984.
3. Greatest woman athlete at Jakarta Asian Athletic Meet in 1985.
4. Best Athlete in Asia Award in the years 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1989.
5. Marshal Tito award for best railway sportsperson in the years 1984, 1985, 1989 and 1990.
6. Won the Adidas Golden Shoe award for best athlete in 1986 Seoul Asian Games.
7. Won thirty international awards in athletics.
8. Kerala Sports Journalists Award in the year 1999.
9. World Trophy for best athlete in 1985 and 1986.

Facts about P.T Usha

1. Usha is the first Keralite and first Indian woman to have reached the final in an Olympic event.
2. Usha is the youngest Indian athlete to have competed in Moscow Olympics at the age of 16.
3. Usha is the first Indian athlete to be announced the best railway athlete of the year.
4. Usha is the first female athlete to win five gold medals in a single track meet.
5. A road has been named after Usha at her hometown, Payyoli.
6. The government of Kerala has opened a 'P.T Usha Sports Council' in Thiruvananthapuram.