Geeta Zutshi

Geeta Zutshi was a famed Indian athlete. She established several national and Asian running records in 800 m and 1500 m track events.

She was coached by the unconventional Mohammad Ilyas Babar.

She won the women's 800 m gold metal in the 1978 Asian games in Thailand and won silver medals for the 800 m in 1982, and for the 1500 m in both 1978 and 1982. [1] As the top Indian woman athlete at the 1982 Asian games in New Delhi, she swore an oath on behalf of all the competitors during the opening ceremony. [2].

For her achievements she has been awarded both the Arjuna award and the Padma Shree.

She has inspired other Indian women, such as Bachendri Pal, the first to climb Mount Everest. As a child, Pal began to aspire to national fame after seeing a newspaper photograph of Zutshi with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. [3]

After 17 years in the USA, she returned to India in July, 2002, and took over as coach of the Indian junior athletics team (800m and 1500m).

External link

• http://www.telegraphindia.com/1020918/asp/sports/story_1210197.asp The Telegraph (India)