In 1984, four Indian track-and-field athletes delivered what was then the best-ever performance by Indian women at the Los Angeles Olympics. The standout athlete, PT Usha, missed the bronze medal in the 400-meter hurdles by just one hundredth of a second. Usha and her fellow sprinters Shiny Wilson (née Abraham), M D Valsamma, and Vandana Rao, made history by qualifying for the finals of the 4x400 meters relay. Although they finished last, they set a new Asian record and were celebrated as the "Golden Girls" of Indian athletics.

Among the four, Usha continued to achieve great success and became a household name. Shiny Wilson and M D Valsamma shone in the Asian circuit but gradually faded from public memory. Vandana Rao’s athletic career, however, came to an abrupt end after the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.

This is her story.

Born into a conservative Brahmin family in Mangaluru, Karnataka, a teenage Vandana showed promise when she broke the state record at a school sports event. As she began to shine in the local sports circuit, her teachers and coaches highlighted her talent to her parents, assuring them that their child was indeed a star.

The impact was significant on Vandana’s father, who had been the most reluctant to let his daughter participate in the races. Despite raising Vandana in a strictly vegetarian household, he began making protein-rich egg flips to build her strength and support her athletic pursuits.

Vandana’s breakthrough came at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, marking the start of her international career. She went on to represent India at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Setting the Asian record with the Indian women's 4x400m relay team was the high point of her career.

Although she did not win any medals at the 1982 Asian Games, Vandana caught the attention of Kenneth Bosen, one of the most respected athletics coaches of the time. Bosen noticed Vandana’s impressive stride length and suggested she transition to running the 400 meters. She followed his advice and made the switch.

Just as Vandana’s star began to rise, she encountered a different set of obstacles that set off a series of events leading to her departure from athletics forever. Although she was feted with an Arjuna Award, she remains the only one among the quartet who has not been considered for a Padma award.

To hear Vandana’s full story, listen to the episode.

This show is produced by Confluence Media for Radio Azim Premji University.

Credits:

Achie Humtsoe, Anisa Draboo, Gautam Datt, Jasleen Bhalla, Josy Joseph, Omair Farooq, and Siddhartha Mishra

Radio Azim Premji University:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

For a comprehensive list of acknowledgments and resources, please visit our website: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/almost-perfect-stories-of-forgotten-indian-women-athletes-2