PT Usha, Anju Bobby George honoured at inaugural Indian Athletics Awards
Synopsis
India's greatest track and field names gathered in New Delhi for the AFI's inaugural athletics awards — and PT Usha's candid admission stole the moment: she hadn't applied for the honour. In a country where awards often follow paperwork, not performance, the AFI's decision to confer recognition without an application is a quiet but significant shift for Indian sports culture.
Key Takeaways
PT Usha received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards in New Delhi on 20 June .
Three others — Gurbachan Singh Randhawa , Bahadur Singh Chauhan , and Anju Bobby George — also received Lifetime Achievement Awards .
The event was organised by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and featured 10 award categories .
Usha noted she 'did not apply' for the award, calling the AFI's initiative 'very good.' Anju Bobby George remains India's only World Athletics Championships medallist , winning bronze in Paris 2003 .
Randhawa won decathlon gold at the 1962 Asian Games ; Chauhan served as national chief coach for multiple generations.
Legendary sprinter and Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards ceremony held in New Delhi on Saturday, 20 June. The event, organised by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), marked the first formal recognition framework for excellence across Indian athletics.
Who Was Honoured
Alongside Usha, three other stalwarts received Lifetime Achievement Awards: former Asian Games decathlon gold medallist Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, former national chief coach Bahadur Singh Chauhan, and World Athletics Championships bronze medallist long jumper Anju Bobby George. The inaugural edition featured 10 categories, including Best Athlete (Male and Female), Best Coach, Best Technical Official, Best State Association, and Lifetime Achievement.
Usha's Reaction: 'I Did Not Expect This'
Usha, widely celebrated as the 'Queen of Indian Track and Field,' said the recognition caught her off guard. 'I did not expect to win this award because I did not apply for it. Most of the time in India, you don't get awards if you have not applied for them. This is a very good initiative from my Federation, the AFI,' she said. Her candid remark drew attention to a longstanding concern in Indian sports — that recognition often depends more on paperwork than performance.
The Legends Being Recognised
Usha's career remains one of the most decorated in Asian athletics: she won 11 Asian Games medals (including 4 gold), 23 Asian Championship medals, and became the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final. She currently serves as IOA president.
Anju Bobby George remains India's only medallist at the World Athletics Championships, having claimed bronze in the women's long jump at the 2003 Paris edition. Randhawa secured the decathlon gold at the 1962 Asian Games, while Chauhan shaped multiple generations of Indian athletes during his long tenure as national chief coach.
What the Awards Aim to Achieve
The AFI has positioned the Indian Athletics Awards as an annual platform to honour athletes, coaches, technical officials, mentors, state associations, and sponsors — stakeholders whose collective contributions have driven India's rising profile on the global athletics stage. The conceptualisation reflects a broader institutional push to formalise recognition in a sport that has historically operated without such structured acknowledgement.
What Comes Next
With the inaugural edition now complete, the AFI is expected to build on the framework ahead of India's preparations for the 2026 Asian Games and future Olympic cycles. The awards could serve as a benchmark for identifying and nurturing the next generation of Indian track and field talent.
Point of View
Delivered at the very ceremony meant to correct it. Whether the AFI sustains this approach or reverts to form in subsequent editions will be the real measure of institutional intent. Anju Bobby George's inclusion is equally overdue: a World Championships medallist who has waited over two decades for formal federation acknowledgement deserves more than a single evening's recognition.
NationPress
20 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Indian Athletics Awards ceremony?
The Indian Athletics Awards is a recognition framework launched by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to honour excellence across Indian track and field. The inaugural edition was held in New Delhi on 20 June and featured 10 categories including Lifetime Achievement, Best Athlete, Best Coach, and Best State Association.
Why did PT Usha say she did not expect the award?
Usha said she had not applied for the award, noting that in India recognition is often tied to formal applications. She called the AFI's initiative of conferring honours without requiring applications 'a very good initiative.'
Who else received Lifetime Achievement Awards at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards?
Alongside PT Usha, the Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented to former Asian Games decathlon gold medallist Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, former national chief coach Bahadur Singh Chauhan, and World Athletics Championships bronze medallist Anju Bobby George.
What are Anju Bobby George's major achievements in athletics?
Anju Bobby George is India's only medallist at the World Athletics Championships, having won bronze in the women's long jump at the 2003 edition held in Paris. She remains a landmark figure in Indian field events.
What is PT Usha's role in Indian sports today?
PT Usha currently serves as president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). She is also celebrated as the 'Queen of Indian Track and Field,' having won 11 Asian Games medals and becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final.
