Inspired By PT Usha, Sambalpur’s Rekha De Now Runs Dreams For The Next Generation
Personal struggle and international success have not changed Rekha De. She spends time everyday to nurture Sambalpur’s young sports talents without charging a single rupee.
Published : December 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM IST
By Badsah Jusman Kumar Rana
Sambalpur (Odisha) : As a teenager, Rekha De was watching television at a neighbour’s house when she saw something that changed her life forever. On the screen was PT Usha, the sprint queen at her glorious best during the early 1990s. That moment defined Rekha's future course of action. She decided she would run no matter how bumpy the road ahead was.
Three decades later, that decision did not only shape her own life but is now shaping the future of many athletes in Sambalpur.
At 48, Rekha De has achieved the distinction of being a well-known international athlete, a guest athletics coach at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sambalpur, and a mentor who imparts training to local sports talents at the VSS Stadium - free of cost.
Born in Bangalipada area of Sambalpur, Rekha since her childhood days was passionate about athletics, be it running, long jump or triple jump. But like many girls of her generation, she had to face resistance, first from society and then from her own family.
“There were hardly any opportunities for girls in sports then. And for my parents, like others in those days, academics was the only important thing in life. So I had to make my own way,” says Rekha.
But she did not give in to pressure. Fortunately, her mother later became her biggest support, and encouraged her to pursue education alongside athletics.
For Rekha, 1992–93 became a milestone year. She participated in a Women’s Festival at the 4-C Ground in Sambalpur, winning the 100-metre race. Though she failed to proceed further at the state level initially, she returned with a stronger resolve to make it big.
In 1994, she joined the Sambalpur Sports Hostel and trained under coach Sushmita Dutt. Rigorous months of training followed, techniques got corrected and she was mentally readied for big games. She practiced for two hours in the morning and three hours in the evening, steadily bracing to compete in national and international level games.
Over the years, Rekha emerged as a force in running, long jump and triple jump, winning medals in more than 50 state and national-level competitions. Her international achievements include:
- Gold in 200 metres at the 2018 South Asian Pacific Games, Malaysia
- One silver and three bronze medals at the 2019 Singapore Open Masters Athletics Games
- Gold in 100 metres, gold in triple jump, and bronze in long jump at the 2025 Masters Open Athletics Games, Kuala Lumpur
She has represented India in six national and three international competitions, bringing pride not only to Sambalpur but the entire country.
Despite her achievements, Rekha’s journey has been more about giving back to the country and sports than just winning medals. After classes at KV, everyday, she heads to the VSS Stadium at Brookshill, where she coaches 15 young athletes free of cost. With no dedicated coaching facility available in the place, she trains them from a corner of the stadium, focusing on events like sprints, long jump, triple jump and javelin.
“I do not charge fees from anyone who comes to train under me. If the children have talent and dedication, they deserve guidance and will reach me to train, come what may,” she says.
Some of her students have already started making a mark at state, school and university national-level competitions. Ashutosh Das, a runner from Kendriya Vidyalaya Sambalpur, says Rekha’s coaching helped her improve performance.
“Our coach is an international medalist. She knows the techniques and trains us as per specific event. Under her guidance, I competed at state and national levels and achieved my personal best in Thiruvananthapuram,” he says.
Another trainee, Krushna Pradhan, who has been under the guidance of Rekha since 2023 for the 100m and 200m races, adds, “Madam’s coaching is advanced and different. That’s why our performance improves after a few sessions and then it shoots up.”
In a region where parents often hesitate to see sports as a career, Rekha De has given them new hope and strength. She has become the epitome of trust for most sporting talents.
Dulal Roy, parent of a Kendriya Vidyalaya student, says, “I have known Rekha since childhood. She has struggled a lot and reached the international level. Today, many children are moving towards sports because of her guidance and training.”
Despite limited recognition and resources, Rekha continues to run even today, not for medals but to make others' dream come true.
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