When Mumbai hosted the 141st IOC Session, PT Usha called it a “huge moment for India”
Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha, popularly known as PT Usha, is looking forward to India obtaining the opportunity to host the Olympics by 2036, stating that India’s sports strength is finally at the level to contend for gold at the international level.
PT Usha, who was chosen as the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), says the 141st IOC Session being held in Mumbai from October 15 to 17 is a “huge occasion” for India.
“This is a huge occasion for India in the Olympic movement. It’s a terrific chance for us to display our skills to the IOC members,” Usha told News18 in an exclusive interview. “We’ll show that we are ready to host the Olympics in our country, hence the good opportunity for us to showcase our capability to the IOC members along with the support of Nita Ambani as an IOC member,” she said.
When questioned about India’s goal to host the Olympics, the athlete, who starred for India in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics shortly after the last time India held the IOC Session in New Delhi, claimed that any portion of India can hold the global meet.
“Our Prime Minister’s vision is also to host the 2036 Olympics so we are getting lots of positive support from the government. We already have strong infrastructural facilities in Ahmedabad. In reality, most of our locations do… I don’t know where we were going to (host),” the Rajya Sabha member said. “We have the vision of hosting the Olympics and at the same time we have started winning the medals also.”
The session will be a milestone moment for Indian sport and will firmly place India on the global sporting map, offering up many options in arranging athletic events, world-class training facilities, fostering talent and enhancing the lives of millions of Indian sportspeople. It would also be an important stepping-stone towards India’s goals of hosting the Youth Olympics and the Olympic Games in the future.
The session will be place in the state-of-the-art Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. Situated in the center of the city at Bandra Kurla Complex, the JWC is the biggest conference facility in India and commenced operations in early 2022. The majestic theatre of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) will host the Opening ceremony while the exhibition hall (pavilion) will be the location for the session meeting.
