“We would get a Nutrient sweet for every lap we ran.”
• Ashwini Nachappa, to YourStory, 2026
Ashwini Nachappa is a former Indian sprinter, actor and sports administrator who grew up in Bangalore. Born in Coorg in 1967, she moved to the city as a child, lived next to Kanteerava Stadium, and went on to beat P T Usha on two occasions, earning the nickname India's FloJo. She received the Arjuna Award in 1988.
I love that her training plan began with bribery. Her mother paid in sweets, one per lap, and it worked. This profile covers what is on the record.
Quick Information
Her house was next door to the stadium, her mother paid her in sweets, and P T Usha ended up watching her back. Twice.
Who Is Ashwini Nachappa?
Ashwini Nachappa is a former sprinter from Karnataka who represented India at the Asian Games and World Championships in the 1980s and 1990s. She was born in Coorg, lived in Kolkata where her father worked, and moved to Bangalore with her sister in the late 1970s to study.
How Did Ashwini Nachappa Start Running?
She started at Kanteerava Stadium, which was next door to her Bangalore home. She and her sister walked there every evening to watch athletes, and their mother kept them at it with a sweet for every lap. In 1981 she was named most promising athlete at the Inter-State Championship in Bangalore in the under-16 category.
“Our house was next to the Kanteerava Stadium.”
• Ashwini Nachappa, to YourStory
When Did Ashwini Nachappa Beat P T Usha?
She beat P T Usha on two occasions, including the 200 metres at the 1990 National Open Meet in New Delhi, where she won in 24.07 seconds.
- South Asian Games Silvers in 1984 and 1986; three golds in 1988
- Asian Games Sixth in long jump, 1986; relay silver, 1990
- World Championships 4x400m relay, Rome 1987 and Tokyo 1991
- Asian Championships 4x400m relay golds
What Did Ashwini Nachappa Do After Athletics?
She acted in Telugu films, including a biographical film titled Ashwini, and moved into sports administration and education. She is president of the Bangalore Urban District Athletics Association and of Clean Sports India, and has been a trustee of Parikrama, which works with children from Bangalore's slums.
She began her career as a hurdler before switching to sprints.
Why Does Ashwini Nachappa Belong in People of Bangalore?
She grew up and trained in Bangalore, beside Kanteerava Stadium, and now leads the city's district athletics association.
FAQs
Who is Ashwini Nachappa?
A former Indian sprinter known as India's FloJo, who beat P T Usha twice and received the Arjuna Award in 1988.
Is Ashwini Nachappa from Bangalore?
She was born in Coorg but moved to Bangalore as a child and trained here.
Why is Ashwini Nachappa called India's FloJo?
The comparison is to the American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, known for her speed and style.
What is Ashwini Nachappa doing now?
She is president of the Bangalore Urban District Athletics Association and works in education and sports administration.
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