New Delhi, June 21: Renowned sprinter and President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), PT Usha, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards ceremony held on Saturday.
In addition to PT Usha, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, the gold medalist in decathlon at the Asian Games, former national chief coach Bahadur Singh Chouhan, and Anju Bobby George, who won a bronze medal in long jump at the World Championships, also received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Expressing her joy upon receiving the honor, PT Usha stated, “I did not expect to win this award as I did not apply for it. In India, it is often the case that if you do not apply for an award, you do not receive one. This initiative by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is commendable.”
These awards were initiated by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to recognize outstanding performance and contributions in various aspects of athletics. The aim is to honor current and former athletes, coaches, technical officials, mentors, state associations, sponsors, and all those whose contributions have played a crucial role in India’s growing success on the global athletics stage.
The first edition featured ten categories, including Best Athlete (Male and Female), Best Coach, Best Technical Official, Best State Association, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.
PT Usha, known as the ‘Queen of Indian Track and Field,’ is celebrated as one of the greatest sprinters, dominating Asian athletics. She has won 11 medals (4 gold, 7 silver) at the Asian Games and secured 23 medals at the Asian Championships, along with a spot in the Olympic finals.
Anju Bobby George is the only Indian athlete to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships, having claimed bronze in women’s long jump at the 2003 edition in Paris.
One of the early giants of Indian athletics, Randhawa won a gold medal in decathlon at the 1962 Asian Games. Bahadur Singh Chouhan played a vital role in training generations of athletes during his tenure as the chief coach of the national team.
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