New Delhi: Renowned sprinter and President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), PT Usha, was bestowed with the prestigious ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award by the Sports Journalists Federation of India (SJFI) and Delhi Sports Journalists Association (DSJA). The ceremony, held at the National Sports Club of India in New Delhi, celebrated Usha’s illustrious sporting career and contributions to Indian athletics.
In recognition of her outstanding achievements, PT Usha received a medallion, a citation, and a memento during the event. The gathering was honored by the presence of esteemed guests, including Rajeev Shukla, Member of Parliament – Rajya Sabha and Vice President of BCCI, along with former Indian shooter Jaspal Rana.
Usha is the fifth recipient of the SJFI and DSJA ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award, following the footsteps of tennis legend Vijay Amritraj, former badminton icon Prakash Padukone, cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar, and former sprinter Milkha Singh. Her remarkable career spanned from 1977 to 2000, during which she secured an impressive tally of 103 international medals for India. Usha clinched four Gold Medals and seven Silver medals in Asian Games and participated in three editions of the Olympics.
Expressing her gratitude at the event, Usha remarked, “I am thankful that my career achievements are still remembered today. In my era, athletes did not have access to the extensive facilities available to today’s sports professionals, such as overseas training, nutrition, sports psychology, and sports science, among others. Now, in my role at the IOA, our focus is on the Paris Olympics. Following that, we will align our efforts with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to position India as a sporting powerhouse by 2036.”
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