- Age
- 62 yrs
- Birthday in 244 days
- Works listed
- 0
- Career highlights
- Honours
- 2
- Most recent 1985
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
P. T. Usha is India’s most celebrated woman track athlete. She missed a bronze medal in the 400 m hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by one hundredth of a second and won four gold medals at the 1986 Asian Games. In 2022 she became the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association.
Biography
Early life
Usha grew up in Payyoli, a coastal village in Kozhikode district, Kerala. Spotted at a state sports school in 1976 by coach O. M. Nambiar, who trained her throughout her career, she quickly broke national records as a teenager.
Career
Discovered by coach O. M. Nambiar, Usha competed at the 1980 Moscow Olympics at 16. At the 1984 Los Angeles Games she finished fourth in the 400 m hurdles final, missing bronze by 1/100 of a second. At the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul she won four golds and a silver, and over her career she won more than 100 international medals.
Asian dominance
Usha dominated Asian athletics in the 1980s. At the 1985 Asian Championships in Jakarta she won five golds and a bronze, and at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul four golds and a silver. In all she won more than 100 international medals and set Asian records in the 400 m hurdles.
Administrator
As president of the Indian Olympic Association since December 2022 — the first woman and the first Olympian to hold the post — she has overseen India’s preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics and the country’s bid to host future Games.
Later life
She founded the Usha School of Athletics in Kerala in 2002 to train young athletes. She was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 2022 and that December became the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association. She received the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri in the 1980s.
Personal life
Usha married V. Srinivasan, a former kabaddi player and Central Industrial Security Force inspector, in 1991; they have a son, Ujjwal. Her autobiography, Golden Girl, was published in 1987.
Timeline
-
1964
Born in Payyoli, Kozhikode district, Kerala
-
1976
Spotted by coach O. M. Nambiar
-
1980
Competes at the Moscow Olympics
-
1983
Arjuna Award
-
1984
Fourth in the Olympic 400 m hurdles
-
1985
Padma Shri
-
1985
Five golds at the Asian Championships
Jakarta.
-
1986
Four golds at the Asian Games
-
2002
Founds the Usha School of Athletics
-
2022
President of the Indian Olympic Association
Also nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
Awards and honours
-
Arjuna Award
1983
-
Padma Shri
1985
Did you know?
-
1
She missed an Olympic medal in 1984 by one hundredth of a second.
-
2
She won five golds at a single Asian Championships in 1985.
-
3
She is the first woman to lead the Indian Olympic Association.
Gallery
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is P. T. Usha?
P. T. Usha is India’s most celebrated woman track athlete. She missed a bronze medal in the 400 m hurdles at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by one hundredth of a second and won four gold medals at the 1986 Asian Games. In 2022 she became the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association.
How old is P. T. Usha?
P. T. Usha is 62 years old, born on 27 June 1964 in Payyoli, Kozhikode district, Kerala.
Where is P. T. Usha from?
P. T. Usha was born in Payyoli, Kozhikode district, Kerala.
What is P. T. Usha known for?
P. T. Usha is best known for Missing Olympic bronze by 1/100 of a second in 1984; four golds at the 1986 Asian Games.
What awards has P. T. Usha received?
Notable honours include Arjuna Award (1983), Padma Shri (1985).
References
- P. T. Usha — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- P. T. Usha — World Athletics profile. World Athletics. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- P. T. Usha — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Official website. www.ptusha.com. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- P. T. Usha (Q3284484) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“P. T. Usha.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/p-t-usha
Discussion 0
Sign in or create an account to join the discussion.
No comments yet — be the first.
More in Sports
Sports
Hima Das
Sprinter; first Indian to win a track gold at a world-level championship
Born 2000
Sports
Milkha Singh
Sprinter; India’s first Commonwealth Games gold medallist in athletics
1929 – 2021
Sports
Anju Bobby George
Long jumper; first Indian medallist at the World Athletics Championships
Born 1977
Sports
Neeraj Chopra
Javelin thrower; Olympic and world champion
Born 1997
Film & TV
Vijay Amritraj
Tennis player, commentator and actor; Hall of Fame inductee
Born 1953
Sports
Rohan Bopanna
Doubles specialist and oldest first-time world No. 1 in tennis history
Born 1980