Rajya Sabha member and Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha’s husband, V Srinivasan, passed away early Friday after a sudden medical emergency at his residence in Kerala’s Kozhikode district.
According to family sources, Srinivasan felt uneasy around midnight at his home in Payyoli. He collapsed soon after and was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. The news has triggered a wave of grief across sporting and political circles.
Usha was in New Delhi attending the ongoing Parliament session when the incident occurred. She is returning to Kerala and is expected to reach her hometown shortly.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Usha over the phone and conveyed his condolences. He expressed his sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for strength for her to bear what he described as an irreparable loss.
A quiet presence behind a public life
A native of Ponnani in Malappuram district, Srinivasan had deep roots in sport. Previously a kabaddi player, he joined the Central Industrial Security Force. Even with deep ties to sport and public service, he stayed firmly away from the spotlight.
Those close to the family describe him as disciplined and soft-spoken. He was seen as a steady source of support during Usha’s celebrated athletics career and through her later years in public life and sports administration. Even after her appointment as Indian Olympic Association president and her nomination to the Rajya Sabha, Srinivasan chose to stay out of the spotlight, focusing on family commitments.
The couple, who married in 1991, is survived by their son, Dr Ujjwal Vighnesh.
Tributes from sport and public life
Messages of condolence have poured in from political leaders, sportspersons and sports administrators across the country. Several sporting bodies noted that Srinivasan played a quiet but meaningful role in supporting one of India’s most iconic athletes.