The once and future queen

More surprising is the attitude of those who basked in her reflected glory in the eighties when she was the queen of Asian athletics. Everyone had then jostled to have a snap with her. And today, when she has done superbly, the very same people have forgotten her.

Even when she landed at Delhi8217;s airport after Fukuoka, there were only a few mediapersons there. One young reporter of a leading TV channel actually mistook me for the secretary of the Amateur Athletics Federation of India.

The next moment the same reporter was throwing questions at Usha like a seasoned athletics correspondent. She understood very little of it. Yet she tried to answerto the best of her ability. But just try taking a Ranji cricketer for granted like that.

It took my back to 1980. As a 16-year-old, not yet exposed to the ground realities of Indian sport, Usha was selected for the Pakistan National Games. Her entire family pitched in to raise Rs 3,500 for the trip. She almost returned from Wagah due to the callous attitude of the Indian officials accompanying the team. She had more troubles in store even after winning four medals at Karachi. In Amritsar, the officials disappeared with all the money.

She was escorted back to Delhi by another athlete, Thamizharasan. And when he related the story to us fellow athletes at Delhi8217;s National Stadium, Usha simply smiled. A lesser mortal would have hung up her spikes in disgust. In 1987, during the Asian Championship at Singapore, Usha was already a legend.

But she did not object when the ill-prepared organisers changed the schedule at the drop of a hat. But Usha and her colleagues from Kerala looked somewhat confused. Itturned out that they were worried about finding a vegetarian eatery. And when some of us escorted Usha to one, all her concerns were gone. Her needs and preoccupations are that simple.

Just before her marriage in 1991, she was in Delhi. She gave me the invitation card and asked me to be there. She even offered to send me a return air ticket! I still regret that I did not make it to the wedding.

Yes, she is a great athlete, but her valiant run at Fukuoka got no official attention. Sports Minister Uma Bharti has not even cared to issue a statement. Politicians often go out of their way to congratulate cricketers on somewhat smaller achievements. Even the president of the Amateur Athletics Federation of India, a Rajya Sabha member, did not feel called upon to publicly acknowledge her performance.

And what about the women8217;s organisations? Isn8217;t Usha a fitting embodiment of their causes? Not one congratulated Usha. Parliament is regularly in an uproar over women8217;s issues. But why can8217;t the likes of ShabanaAzmi make it a point of order in the House to acknowledge Usha8217;s herculean effort? In fact, they should fight for her nomination to the Rajya Sabha. Who would be a better woman member of the House, reservations or no reservations?

Usha8217;s husband Srinivasan has contributed substantially to her career. He was both parents to their child while Usha churned the track, preparing for Fukuoka. He8217;ll have his work cut out for him now. With five more medals, Usha is sure to aim for the Bangkok Asian Games later this year and the Sydney Olympics at the turn of the century.

Now, all that Usha needs is recognition at home. She needs to know that India cares about the once and future queen of the Asian track.