• Former legendary sprinter PT Usha becomes president of the Indian Olympic Association

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    Former legendary sprinter PT Usha becomes president of the Indian Olympic Association
    The Indian Olympic Association has elected PT Usha, a legendary sprinter, as its president...

    Digital Desk: PT Usha, a legendary sprinter, has been elected president of the Indian Olympic Association. The deadline for submitting nomination papers for the IOA elections has ended yesterday. 

    Cabinet Minister Kiren Rijiju congratulated the seasoned athlete on her new position to the IOA on social media. 

    "Congratulations to Smt. P T Usha, the iconic Golden Girl, on her election as President of the Indian Olympic Association." I also congratulate all of our country's sporting champions on their election as office bearers of the illustrious IOA! "The nation is proud of them!" Rijiju wrote on Twitter.


    Usha has previously indicated via Twitter that she would be nominating for the position of IOA president. 

    "I am humbled and pleased to accept and file for the Nomination of the President of the IOA!" Usha tweeted. 

    Usha is regarded as one of the best Indian athletes of all time.

    Usha is one of India's most renowned athletes, having won 11 medals, including four golds in the Asian Games between 1982 and 1994. She also won four gold medals at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, winning the 200m, 400m, 400m hurdles, and 4x400m relay. Usha also won medals in the 100m and 200m races at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi. 

    The great sprinter becomes the first sportsperson to have represented the country and also became IOA chief since Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, who played a Test match in 1934. Yadavindra Singh was the third IOA president, serving from 1938 to 1960.