JOIN US'I feel young all over again'
P T Usha may have retired from the competitive track sometime ago but she still continues to make a difference to India's prospects in the track and field events.
The woman, who was synonym for success in women’s athletics in India, is now running the Usha School Academy and training scores of athletes. And Usha’s wards have already scored several successes.
P T Usha was in the City with her husband V Srinivasan recently. He very patiently hung around and cheerfully interacted with people.
“There was a time when I thought I was better than her as a person but her simplicity and calm really put me in my place. She is as focussed about her family as she is about coaching young men and women,” observes Srinivasan and adds, “perseverance and determination are her strength.”
Her husband went on to talk about her culinary skills, “she makes amazing fish curry as well. She sprinkles in her own ingredients and experiments a lot.”
Though there are lighter sides of Usha, her comments are straight in the face and she minces no words.
“Athletics is the mother of all sports and I think it must be given its rightful place,” she observes.
“The young talented athletes from the rural belt must be encouraged and coached well. We must start training from the grassroot level,” she points out.
Usha observes that Bangalore has some good facilities and the coaching is excellent “but it doesn’t do enough to coach those who really deserve it, rather there’s more focus on those who are already successful,” she says.
Usha says she holds nothing against cricket but the Indian Premiere League, “is nothing but a profit-making venture. I don’t want to comment about something I am not passionate about.”
Usha’s only son is studying to become a doctor. “Somehow he isn’t interested in sports and I don’t want to compel him to do what I want. He has the freedom to choose what he wants to do,” she avers.
Usha just can’t stop talking about sports and it would be futile to divert her attention elsewhere. What about politics, isn’t she interested in contesting elections? “I am content with my Academy and being with young people makes me feel young all over again,” she says. And of course, Usha doesn’t really look anything like her age.