PT Usha Family Tree: The Story Behind India's Payyoli Express

Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil "P. T." Usha, born 27 June 1964 in Payyoli, Kozhikode, Kerala, India, is the most-celebrated Indian female athletics legend — 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 400m hurdles 4th place (by 1/100th of a second — the closest an Indian woman has come to an Olympic athletics medal); 23 international medals (1980s and 90s) across Asian Games and Asian Championships. Padma Shri (1985), Arjuna Award (1985), Padma Shri (2017). President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) since December 2022.

The Family's Roots: A Kerala Weaver Family

The PT Usha family is from Payyoli, in Kozhikode District, Kerala. The family was working-class.

Her Parents

Father: E. P. M. Paithal — handloom weaver in Payyoli.

Mother: T. V. Lakshmi — homemaker.

Her Siblings

Babu, Pradeep, Shobha, Sumitha — Usha's siblings.

Her Husband: V. Srinivasan

V. Srinivasan — Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) inspector. Married Usha in April 1991.

Their Son

Ujjwal Srinivasan, born 1992 — son.

The Usha Family Tree at a Glance

Family Origins: Payyoli, Kozhikode, Kerala; weaver family.

Father: E. P. M. Paithal — handloom weaver.

Mother: T. V. Lakshmi.

Siblings: 4 — Babu, Pradeep, Shobha, Sumitha.

Husband: V. Srinivasan (m. April 1991) — CISF inspector.

Son: Ujjwal Srinivasan (b. 1992).

PT Usha:

  • Born 27 June 1964, Payyoli
  • Government School (Payyoli); selected for the Kerala Sports Council Sports School (1976) at age 12 under coach O. M. Nambiar (her lifelong mentor)
  • International debut: 1980 Moscow Olympics at age 16
  • 1982 Asian Games (Delhi): silver in 100m and 200m
  • 1983 Asian Championships (Kuwait): gold in 400m
  • 1984 LA Olympics: 400m hurdles — finished 4th (55.42 s) by 0.01 seconds (Nawal El Moutawakel won gold) — heartbreak for India; closest any Indian woman had come to an Olympic athletics medal at the time
  • 1985 Asian Championships (Jakarta): 5 gold medals in one Asian Championships (record); Asian Athlete of the Year
  • 1986 Seoul Asian Games: 4 gold and 1 silver; Asian Athlete of the Year
  • 1990 Beijing Asian Games: 3 silver
  • 1998 Bangkok Asian Games: 1 silver
  • Retired from international athletics: 2000
  • Founded the Usha School of Athletics, Payyoli: 2002 — trains young Indian athletes (including Tintu Luka who reached 2 Olympic finals)
  • Padma Shri: 1985; Arjuna Award: 1985; Padma Shri: 2017; Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (Lifetime Achievement): 2020
  • Rajya Sabha: 2022 (nominated by BJP)
  • President, Indian Olympic Association (IOA): from December 2022 — first woman IOA president since IOA's independence

What the Usha Family Story Teaches Us

A handloom-weaver father. A homemaker mother. Four siblings. A CISF-inspector husband. One son. A career that produced 23 international medals and a place 0.01 seconds away from an Olympic medal in 1984.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the PT Usha story carries the same lesson. Some families produce world-class athletes from working-class beginnings. The Payyoli weaver household is on the Usha family record alongside the 1984 LA Olympics result.

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