Nicknamed the 'Payyoli Express' and 'Golden Girl' for her incredible speed, she has been a symbol of perseverance and excellence in Indian sports since 1979.

Usha was born to E.P.M. Paithal and T.V. Lakshmi in the village of Koothali, near Perambra in Kerala's Kozhikode district. Usha had numerous problems in childhood; she has even had gut problems. Nevertheless, she displayed excellent physical abilities, which allowed her to be a winner in sports games in her school for years.

Athletics track and field athlete P.T. Usha started practice when she was only 16 years of age and is regarded as the pioneer in the field who spread the sport all over India. Having retired at the end of the year 2000, her records remain unbroken to date. She remains attached to it by practicing in her athletic training school.

Usha, born and brought up in Thrikottur, a small village in the Thikkodi panchayath, has journeyed to the pinnacle of success by sheer hard work. Her dream still challenges young athletes throughout the nation to aim higher.

Personal Information

The start of a Stellar career

Image: Wikipedia

Born on June 27, 1964, in Koothali, Kozhikode, Kerala, to E.P.M. Paithal and T.V. Lakshmi, P.T. Usha was raised in Thrikottur and later moved to Payyoli. Her childhood was marked by poverty and health challenges. As a young student, P.T. Usha excelled academically, and her parents initially believed she would follow in her mother's footsteps and become a teacher. Her father was initially hesitant about her pursuing sports due to the risk of injury and his limited knowledge of the sports world.

However, her fortunes changed in 1976 when the Kerala government established a women's sports division in Kannur, where she began training under coach O.M. Nambiar. Among forty girl athletes, Usha quickly stood out.

Young PT Usha was a quick learner. In 1978, she won six medals at the interstate meet for juniors and 14 medals at the Kerala State College meet. She claimed the individual championship at the 1979 National School Games. She had won the individual championship at the National School Games, which gained her national attention.

| Top 10 Best Adidas Shoes | Buy Now for a Flawless Fashion Statement

The Golden Girl of Indian Athletics

Image: Wikipedia

PT Usha, an Indian athlete, made her international debut in 1980 at the Pakistan Open National Meet in Karachi, where she won four gold medals. She competed in the 1980 Moscow Olympics but finished fifth in the 100m race. In 1982, she won a gold medal in the 200m and a bronze in the 100m at the World Junior Invitation Meet in Seoul.

1984: The Los Angeles Olympics were a remarkable one for Usha when she made the final and emerged as the first Indian woman to accomplish that feat when she was twenty. She was awarded five gold medals and one bronze medal in the 1985 Asian Track and Field Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia.

A disappointed Usha returned from the 1988 Seoul Olympics, but she bounced back spectacularly at the 1989 Asian Track and Field Meet in Delhi, where she secured four gold and two silver medals. When she quit athletics, she was persuaded to compete in the Beijing Asian Games, where she won three silver medals.

British Indian actress Usha married V. Srinivasan in 1991 and gave birth to their son Ujjwal in 1992. After her hiatus, she came back in 1998 to win a bronze position in both the 200m and 400m at the Asian Track & Field Championships held in Fukuoka, Japan, and to break the national record in the 200m category; she recorded it at 34.

| Cricket: The Game of Grace, Grit, and Glory!

A legacy that will live forever

Image: Wikipedia

PT Usha was honored as the athlete of the century and the sportswoman of the millennium by the Indian Olympic Association. She remains the Indian athlete with the most international track and field medals. Moreover, she is the first Indian sportswoman to reach an Olympic final. She retired from competitive sports in 2000 with a promise to groom bright young talents.

After retiring, P.T. Usha founded the Usha School of Athletics. This nonprofit organization is dedicated to training future athletes. Usha has been honored with the Arjuna Award (1983) and the Padma Shri (1985). She was also named Sportsperson of the Century and Sportswoman of the Millennium by the Indian Olympic Association. With 101 medals to her name, her legacy remains unparalleled.

PT Usha Career

Image: Wikipedia

Now the proud holder of myriad records, PT Usha, the legendary sprinter of India, had an athletic career of little more than two decades. Her notable achievements include:

Asian Games and championships gold medals, Olympic finalist, World Championships player. Key highlights include:

• 1984 Los Angeles Olympics: She is fourth in the 400m hurdles and seventh in the 4x400m relay.
• 1986 Asian Games: Four gold medals; what were the races: 100m, 200m, 400m, and 400m hurdles?
• 1985 Asian Championships: 100m, 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles x 4

Hear, it was this consistency and dominance in Asian athletics that made Usha get to the podium on many occasions. Other notable performances include the following:

• 1982 Asian Games: 2x silver (100m, 200m)
• 1987 Asian Championships: 2x gold (400m, 400m hurdles)
• 1994 Asian Games: silver (4x400m relay)
• 1998 Asian Championships: media, HE, 1999, gold (4x100m relay), bronze (200m, 400m).

Usha's extraordinary career helps numerous Indian athletes, which places her among India's greatest sprinters.

| An examination of the impact of technology on sports | Transforming sports with science

Awards and Honors

Image: Wikipedia

India's most celebrated athlete has received a plethora of awards and recognition for her contributions to sports in India. Some of her notable recognitions include:

• Padma Shri (1985)
• Arjuna Award (1984)
• IAAF Veteran Pin (2019)

In addition to these, P. T. Usha has received honorary doctorates from esteemed institutions:

• Postgraduate in English from the University of Calicut (1985); honorary doctorate (D.Litt.) from Kannur University (2000).
• Honorary doctoral degree, IIT Kanpur (link unavailable) (2017).
• Honoris Causa Doctorate (D.Litt.) by the University of Calicut (2018).

Such laureates are a testament to legal luminary PT Usha and her eternal legacy in Indian athletics, making her one of the world's most celebrated icons in sports.

PT Usha Husband

PT Usha married V. Srinivasan in April 1991. Srinivisan was a former kabaddi player and also worked as an English inspector in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). The couple had a happy marriage for over 34 years. They have one son, Dr. Vignesh Ujjwal, who is a sports medicine specialist. Srinivasan always supported PT Usha in her career. Sadly, he passed away on January 30, 2026 at the age of 67 after collapsing at their home in Kerala.

Conclusion:

Image: Wikipedia

A groundbreaking athlete from India, PT Usha has made a lasting impression on the track and field community. Her incredible record is still unsurpassed today, solidifying her place among India’s best athletes. Because of her extraordinary quickness and dexterity, Usha was given the moniker “Payyoli Express,” after her native of Kerala.

She has also been referred to as the “Golden Girl” of Indian sports due to her many accomplishments on the track. This title is a testament to her brilliant talent, dedication, and tenacity. Usha has made incalculable contributions to Indian track and field during the course of a career spanning more than 20 years.

To properly honor P.T. Usha for her exceptional achievements, she has been dubbed the “Queen of Indian Track and Field.” Her supremacy and long-lasting influence on the sport are reflected in this prestigious honor. Future potential in Indian athletics will benefit from Usha’s legacy, which has inspired and motivated generations of athletes, coaches, and supporters.

Usha has lifted the bar for Indian athletes, torn down barriers, and confounded expectations throughout her brilliant career. She is a sports hero thanks to her unshakable dedication to perfection. Because of this, P.T. Usha is still regarded as the most admirable and esteemed athlete in Indian history, representing the highest standard of success in track and field.

FAQs

Q1. Who is P.T. Usha?
A: P.T. Usha, also known as the “Payyoli Express” and the “Golden Girl” of Indian athletics, is a retired Indian track and field athlete who has represented India at the highest levels of international competition for over two decades.

Q2. When and where was P.T. Usha born?
A: P.T. Usha was born on June 27, 1964, in Koothali, Kozhikode District, Kerala, and was raised in Thrikottur, a small village in Thikkodi panchayat.

Q3. What is P.T. Usha famous for?
A: P.T. Usha is known for her sprinting prowess, especially in the 400m hurdles. She was the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final, narrowly missing a bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Q7. Did P.T. Usha ever win an Olympic medal?
A: No, she narrowly missed winning a medal in the 1984 Olympics, finishing fourth in the 400m hurdles, just 0.01 seconds behind the bronze medalist.