P. T. Usha

“I was traveling from Calicut to Patiala and was tired. I got several calls and then came to know that Milkha Singh had passed away. I felt very bad because we have lost Milkha ji.”

“There should ideally be a synthetic track in every district. Athletics is tough, and needs more support.”

“Athletes will get result with training and proper exposure. Money should be spent on them for exposure. We should send them for competitions in Europe.”

“All what I aimed for, except the Olympic medal, I achieved. That's why I want to start the Usha School of Athletics. I missed an Olympic medal, now I want to ensure that one of my students wins one!”

“I believe it's an honor for me wherever I go in and around the country people still identify me and love me so much.”

“After a long day at school, sports will help them rejuvenate their system. Especially in the digital era, where almost every kid uses a smartphone.”

“For one thing, I would like to see some new faces in all sports associations. Often you have the same people controlling a sport. They may change their designations or they may be controlling affairs from behind the curtain even when they don't have any role officially.”

“If you want to be an engineer, doctor or scientist in today's world, you need athletic ability in the body and mind.”

“In international meets, like the Olympics and Asian Games, drug tests are mandatory. When everything is in place, then only will the records be ratified. I am not saying that people are taking drugs. Everybody knows what things are going on on the field. I know; everybody knows what's going on.”

“In the early 1980s, top athletes hardly got the kind of exposure needed.”

“I brought hurdles, all ten of them, to the beach and had my hurdling sessions very close to the water. Those days, I trained on the beach for nearly three months every season with coach Nambiar. I used to run into the water, almost chasing the receding waves, and that was how I built up strength.”

“Udaya Laxmi is not the only athlete who has been asked by the administrators to go after my records; they now want to take away the only record I hold, in the 400m hurdles that I set at the final of the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.”

“After winning a medal, many athletes give up and go into oblivion, the reason being lack of encouragement.”

“All I can say is that we cannot shut our eyes to Western culture if that is not going to suit ours.”

“Compared to our era, facilities in athletics have increased manifold. But contemporary athletes are not mentally tough. The new generation wants everything easily, but it is not possible in athletics.”

“It's important for schools to encourage sports.”

“I have knocked at almost every door, from government offices to private companies, pleading for money and facilities to start my athletics school. It has been a tough mission. But I am thrilled that it is now a reality.”

“I had to travel long distances to train on a synthetic track, which added to residual fatigue.”

“I saw 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' and I loved it.”

“If the mind says the injury is nothing, it will mean nothing. If the mind says competitions are nothing, it will mean nothing.”