Usha’s coach, legend Nambiar passes away
Kozhikode, Aug. 19: Renowned athletics coach O. M. Nambiar, who nurtured one of India’s greatest track and field stars PT Usha, died here on Thursday due to age-related illness. He was 89.
Nambiar is survived by his wife Leela, three sons and a daughter. He breathed his last at his residence in Vadakara, a coastal own in Kozhikode district.
One of the first Dronacharya Award winners and this year’s Padma Shri awardee was hospitalised around a week ago, after which he was brought back home.
Usha said Nambiar, who was battling the Parkinson’s disease, had a heart attack 10 days ago. She termed it a huge personal loss.
“It’s a huge loss for me. He was a father figure to me and my achievements would not have been there if he was not there. I met him only last week after Neeraj (Chopra) won gold in Olympics. He could understand what I was telling him but he could not speak,” Usha said.
A former Air Force man, Nambiar has turned several young talent into international athletes during his tenure as a renowned coach, including the legendary Usha, who missed a bronze medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by one-hundredth of a second.
Usha had maintained close ties with her coach and visited him last week to inform him about javelin thrower Chopra’s historic gold medal at the recentlyconcluded Tokyo Olympics. Besides Usha, some of the international medal-winning athletes he coached include Shiny Wilson (four-time Olympian and 1985 Asia Championships gold winner in 800m) and Vandana Rao.
Born in Kannur in 1932, Nambiar was a fine athlete during his college days at Guruvayurappan College in Kozhikode.
He had joined the armed forces on the advice of his college principal and continued his career in athletics.
He served the Indian Air Force for 15 years and retired in 1970 as a sergeant. He completed his coaching diplomas from the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala and started training the Services athletes.
“I feel very happy for this award though it could have been many years back. Still I am happy. Better late than never,” Nambiar had told in an interaction from his home in Kozikhode after he was chosen for the Padma Shri.
The passing of my guru, my coach, my guiding light is going to leave a void that can never be filled. Words cannot express his contribution to my life. Anguished by the grief. Will miss you OM Nambiar sir. RIP
— P.T. USHA,
Track legend
Rest in peace sir… Flag of India thank you for your immense contribution to #IndianAthletics & making of a legend PT Usha ji.
— ÀTHLETICS FEDERATION
OF INDIA,