NEW DELHI: Ushering in a new era in the country’s sports administration, the legendary PT Usha was on Saturday elected as the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in its 95-year-old history, adding another feather to her cap after dominating Indian and Asian athletics for two decades before retiring in 2000 with a bagful of international medals. She took to Twitter to express gratitude towards officers. in its 95-year-old history, adding another feather to her cap after dominating Indian and Asian athletics for two decades before retiring in 2000 with a bagful of international medals.
Usha — a multiple Asian Games gold medallist — was declared elected unopposed for the top post. The polls were held under the supervision of Supreme Court-appointed retired SC judge L Nageswara Rao.
She is also the first sportsperson since Maharaja Yadavindra Singh to have represented the country and become IOA chief.
The election of Usha to the top job marked an end to the long-drawn crisis in the faction-ridden IOA, which was warned of a possible suspension by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) if elections are not held this month. Usha, fondly known as the ‘Payyoli Express’, is being seen as a candidate of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which had nominated her as a Rajya Sabha member in July.