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Vithya Ramraj: From Lorry Driver's Daughter to Asian Games Gold Medallist, Breaks P.T. Usha's Record
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CNBC TV18•30-09-2026, 22:06
Vithya Ramraj: From Lorry Driver's Daughter to Asian Games Gold Medallist, Breaks P.T. Usha's Record
- •Vithya Ramraj, daughter of a former lorry driver, secured three medals at the Asian Games: gold in the women's 4x400m relay, silver in the 4x400m mixed relay, and bronze in the women's 400m hurdles.
- •She broke P.T. Usha's long-standing national record in the women's 400m hurdles with a time of 54.75 seconds, surpassing Usha's 1984 record of 55.42 seconds.
- •The Tamil Nadu government congratulated Vithya and announced cash incentives of Rs. 75 lakh for gold and Rs. 30 lakh for bronze.
- •Vithya, who works with the Railways under the sports quota, has asked her parents to get passports ready for international travel.
- •Her father, Ramraj, celebrated her achievement by bursting crackers and has since stopped working, now raising goats after his daughters asked him to.
Key Questions Answered
At the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, Vithya Ramraj won three medals: a gold medal in the women's 4x400m relay, a silver medal in the 4x400m mixed relay, and a bronze medal in the women's 400m hurdles.
Vithya Ramraj broke the long-standing Indian national record in the 400m hurdles previously held by legendary athlete P.T. Usha, which was set at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Tamil Nadu government announced cash incentives of Rs. 75 lakh for her gold medal achievement and Rs. 30 lakh for her bronze medal achievement.
