When I had gone to meet Nambiar sir last week, I didn’t realise it will be the last time I’ll be seeing him. He was not keeping well and had trouble eating but I didn’t know it will be our last meeting. I tried to cheer him up and lift his spirits by talking about how Neeraj Chopra had finally won a medal and that too a gold in athletics for India.
It was something that we had always dreamed about and nearly achieved at the Los Angeles Games so many years ago. But his legacy will live on and everything that PT Usha is today started with Nambiar sir. And today, as a coach, when I teach youngsters at my school, I try to impart a lot of what he taught me. I can never forget how he spotted my talent when I was just 12 and then took me almost to an Olympic medal.
At a time when athletes did not have personal coaches, he dedicated his life for me and he is a pathbreaker of sorts that way. He always demanded a lot from you, whether it was dedication, discipline or hard work. But it was not for his own sake but for my sake and that is why I achieved everything that I went onto achieve.
It is also something that I try to pass onto my wards as I try to train them and help them win medals for the country. All the awards and recognitions he achieved like the Dronacharya award and the Padma Shri speak of the contributions that he has made to not just me but athletics in the country.
It is very painful to think that he is no longer there because he has been my source of strength and support right from a very young age. I owe a lot to him but he’ll be happy that athletics is growing and Neeraj’s achievements would have made him proud.
I will now continue his legacy and try to discover and the next generation of talent like how he did with me. It is difficult to put into words his contributions to my life but I hope I have made him proud. I am deeply saddened by the loss and will miss him dearly.
(as told to Martin Joseph)