Coimbatore athlete Vidya Ramraj has delivered a standout performance at the 20th Asian Games being held in Japan, winning three medals and drawing praise from her family and coaches.
Vidya secured bronze in the 400m hurdles, a result that also bettered a long-standing benchmark associated with P.T. Usha’s 1984 Los Angeles Olympics performance in the same event. She also won gold in the 4x400m relay and silver in the mixed team category, adding to India’s medal tally.
The achievement has brought joy to her parents, Ramraj and Meena, who live near the Mariamman temple at Meenatchipuram in Vazhukkuparai, close to Madukkarai in Coimbatore district. Ramraj said the family faced financial constraints, but support from his employer helped him educate his daughters, and a physical education teacher, Baby, identified their talent and guided them towards training at a government hostel in Erode.
From Class 7 onwards, the twins stayed there while continuing both studies and athletics, later winning prizes at national-level competitions. Ramraj said Vidya went on to get a job with the Railways, while Nithya joined the Income Tax Department, and credited coach Nepal Singh for playing a key role in Vidya’s progress.
Nithya, Vidya’s twin, said she felt proud watching her sister break the decades-old mark and expressed confidence that Vidya would go on to set more records. She added that an injury has left her unable to continue competing.
