New Delhi: Former athlete and MP, P.T. Usha on Wednesday chaired a session in Rajya Sabha – becoming the first nominated member in the history of the Upper House to do so.
In December last year, the ace sprinter had joined the panel of vice-chairpersons, who presided over a meeting of the House in the absence of both the chairman and deputy chairman.
During Usha’s brief leadership on Wednesday, the proceedings went off smoothly without testing her patience too much.
She was congratulated by P.V. Abdul Wahab, Kerala MP from Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and was called “legendary” by Biju Janata Dal’s Sulata Deo. “Happy to see her in the chair,” said fellow nominated MP, Sonal Mansingh, an Indian classical dancer.
“The good thing today is that we are seeing one of our best Keralites in the chair and I request her that, unlike the Olympics, she shouldn’t go fast. The case is for the Opposition. You’re giving time, but the government is not giving any time. I praise you for coming here and not interfering. Otherwise, what happened today morning… The chair was speaking and interfering more than any other person. Therefore, I congratulate you,” Wahab said.
It was in reference to Usha letting members speak beyond their stipulated time without interfering when politicians spoke.
She wasn’t affected by long monologues from BJP’s Radha Mohan Das Agrawal or Mansingh saying, “Don’t worry madam, arrey baba agar koi culture pe bolta hai toh do minute dedijiya na madam (If someone is talking on culture, give two minutes to them).”
From Kerala’s Kozhikode, Usha was one of four other exceptional figures from the South, who were nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the central government on 20 July last year.
The retired Indian track and field athlete, was known for redefining Indian athletics during the 1980s and 1990s.
She is the new chief of the Indian Olympic Association as well as its first woman president.
Usha, however, had missed a bronze in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics despite an epic sprint.
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