P.T. Usha: My fair lady

(NOTE: This is a reprint of a story that was published in the INDIA TODAY edition dated December 15, 1985)

When Pilavullakandi Theeparambil Usha returns from the National Games in Delhi to her village Payyoli in Kerala, her neighbours may not recognise her. For, in place of the plain-looking athlete will be a rather chic lady with rouged cheeks and polished poise. In what is something of an Indianised, real-life Pygmalion, India’s track star has been transformed into a svelte socialite. And playing Professor Higgins to Usha’s shy Eliza Doolittle is Sita Rawlley, former national golf champion and Arjuna awardee from Delhi.

Explains the fairy godmother: “The idea was not to give Usha an entirely new persona. The idea was only to make her look more elegant off the track. She had all the potential good physique, good bone structure and most of all, the sporting spirit.”

Rawlley, treasurer of the Arjuna Awardees Association, got the idea when she saw Usha at a match between MP’s and Arjuna awardees. “She was just back from Jakarta and as usual, looked quite unkempt,” she says. And when Usha won the Arjuna award this year, “it was as if she had become part of the family,” Rawlley says. “I felt like doing something for her and the association agreed.”

So when Usha came to the capital for the National Games recently, Rawlley proposed and Usha accepted. “When they approached me, I thought why look a gift horse in the mouth,” says the shy, usually reserved athlete. And true to her sporting nature, she has sat through the trials and sessions with a patient smile. “She’s such a simple person,” Rawlley remarks. “Not many people of her stature would take all this tamasha.”

The result of this tamasha has been a feat—a total transformation. Only the best in the capital were chosen for the metamorphosis—Ravissant for the clothes and accessories (designed specially by Minna Chawla), Kanjimull and Sons for the jewellery (picked by Chawla herself), The Tramps for leisure-wear and Silhouette at the Oberoi Intercontinental for the face and hair. The colours and hair-style too were chosen with care—cool, subtle shades to suit her complexion and a back-swept bun for easy running.

The outfits too complemented her athletic frame—from the beige bandhni salwar-kameez with orange scarf to the grey-and-yellow leisure suit and the peacock-blue Kanjeevaram sari with shocking pink border. Says Rawlley: “They were all so enthusiastic that they decided to make it their gift for Usha. And now she can always drop in at Ravissant and Silhouette whenever she is here.”

The result has been breathtaking. The high cheek-bones, touched up and burnished, have brought the right degree of haughtiness; the trendy wear drapes naturally on the athletic figure: the hair, shampooed and cleansed of its layers of oil, have got back their natural bounce and beauty.

With the glamour has also come the confidence that goes along with it. The sprinter now poses for the camera with such professional cool and élan as if she were not P.T. Usha but some fashion model. “Doesn’t she look beautiful?” Rawlley rhapsodies, taking pride in her achievement. And Usha’s coach Nambiar echoes in wonder: “She sure looks stunning.”

But to Usha, the change is only skin-deep. “I don’t feel any different,” she says. “I’m the same old P.T. Usha.” Same old Usha she may be, but as far as looks go, she’ll certainly never be the same again.

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