PT Usha chairs Rajya Sabha proceedings, says ‘hope to create milestones’

Posting a short clip of the moment on her Twitter handle, Usha invoked Franklin D. Roosevelt’s quote “Great power involves great responsibility” and said the same was felt by her as she chaired the session. “I hope to create milestones as I undertake this journey with the trust and faith vested in me by my people,” she tweeted.

“Great power involves great responsibility” as said by Franklin D. Roosevelt was felt by me when I chaired the Rajya Sabha session. I hope to create milestones as I undertake this journey with the trust and faith vested in me by my people.
🎥 @sansad_tv pic.twitter.com/bR8wKlOf21

— P.T. USHA (@PTUshaOfficial) February 9, 2023

Sprint queen P T Usha was nominated to the Rajya Sabha in July last year along with music maestro Ilaiyaraaja, acclaimed screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad, and philanthropist and spiritual leader Veerendra Heggade.

Later in December, Usha became the first nominated member in the history of the Rajya Sabha to be included in the panel of vice-chairman of the House.

In 2016, Usha was named the chairperson of the organising committee of the BJP’s national executive meet in Kozhikode.

Usha, popularly known as the Payyoli Express, ruled track and field events in the 1980s. Since her retirement in 2000, P T Usha has been a constant presence at national track and field meets along with her trainees from the Usha School of Athletics based in Kinalur in Kerala’s Kozhikode.