Pilavullakandi is an abbreviation for Pilavullakandi Thekkeraparambil Usha was born on June 27, 1964, in Payyoli village (near Calicut), Kerala, to a low-income family. Usha experienced hardship and illness as a child, which strengthened her. She developed a strong interest in sports during her adolescence after obtaining an Rs. 250 scholarship from the Kerala government. After that, Usha went to a sports school in Cannanore (Kannur). The fast girl made her debut in the National School Games, where she drew the attention of athletic coach O.M. Nambiar with her performance. The event proved to be a watershed moment for her as she discovered the right direction for her talent. After preparing for the big leap, Usha competed in the Moscow Olympics in 1980, becoming the first Indian woman to do so. She went on to win a silver medal at the Asian Games in New Delhi in 1982. Usha never looked back after the achievement.