Murali Kuttan
Encyclopedia
Murali Kuttan (1953? – 19 December 2010) was an India
n track and field athlete who represented the country as a sprinter on several occasions. He won the 400 metres
gold in the Indo-Russian athletic meet in 1978. In the same year he also won the bronze in the 400 metres at the Asian Games in Bangkok
. He was married to former olympian athlete Mercy Kuttan
.
, in Alappuzha district
, Murali Kuttan was a late bloomer in his favourite sport. He was initially competed in the shorter versions of the sprint 100 metres
and 200 metres
. Success came on his way only after joining the Indian Army
in 1974 and after he switched his attention into the 400 metres
. He was national champion in 400 m during 1975 to 84. His personal best time in 400m was 46.8 s.
One of his first international success came in the Indo-Russian athletic meet in 1978 where he won the 400m gold. In the same year, at the Bangkok Asian Games
, Murali won the 400 m bronze behind Abbas Al Aibi of Iraq
and compatriot Uday K. Prabhu. With latter, Murali shared a healthy rivalry through the most part of the 1970s. He was also a member of the silver medal winning Indian team in the 4 x 400m relay at the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games. In 1981, he won the bronze in the 4 x 400m relay at the Asian Athletics Championships in Tokyo
.
Murali took a diploma in coaching from the Netaji National Institute of Sports in Calcutta in 1985 before joining TISCO
, Jamshedpur as an athletic coach.
, a former athlete who represented India at the 1988 Seoul Olympics
. He and Mercy had met at the selection camp for the 1980 Moscow Olympics
. They married two years later. They were the first Indian athletic couple to emerge National champions and win Asian medals. Murlai took the role of the coach and had influenced Mercy to shift from longjump to 400 metre. Both Murali and Mercy worked for Tata Steel
, Jamshedpur. They setup the "Mercy Kuttan Athletics Academy" in Kochi
, a non-profit organisation to train promising youth for major international competitions. He had been training his younger son Sujith Kuttan
with the 2014 Olympics as the goal.
Death
On 19 December 2010 at 1.30 am, Murali Kuttan suffered a massive heart attack and died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram
. He came to the city, along with his wife and son Sujith Kuttan
, in connection with the ongoing 54th Kerala State Schools athletics meet. Sujith won the senior boys' 100m gold medal with a new meet record without knowing that his father had died in the previous night.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n track and field athlete who represented the country as a sprinter on several occasions. He won the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
gold in the Indo-Russian athletic meet in 1978. In the same year he also won the bronze in the 400 metres at the Asian Games in Bangkok
1978 Asian Games
The 8th Asian Games were held from December 9, 1978 to December 20, 1978 in Bangkok, Thailand. Originally, the host city was Singapore but Singapore dropped its plan to host the Games due to financial problems. And then Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan was decided to host the 8th Games...
. He was married to former olympian athlete Mercy Kuttan
Mercy Kuttan
Mercy Kuttan is a former Indian track and field athlete. She was the first Indian woman longjumper to cross six meters. In 1989, Mercy received Arjuna Award for her contribution to the Indian athletics.-Career:...
.
Career
Hailing from PunnapraPunnapra
Punnapra is a place in Alappuzha district of Kerala, India.Punnapra is divided into 2 panchayats:*Punnapra North*Punnapra SouthPunnapra is a place that is situated along the coast of Arabian sea...
, in Alappuzha district
Alappuzha district
Alappuzha is one of the 14 districts in the state of Kerala in India. It was formed as Alleppey District on August 17, 1957. The name of the district was officially changed to Alappuzha in 1990. The district is a widely known tourist destination, and is well known for its coir factories. Most of...
, Murali Kuttan was a late bloomer in his favourite sport. He was initially competed in the shorter versions of the sprint 100 metres
100 metres
The 100 metres, or 100-metre dash, is a sprint race in track and field competitions. The shortest common outdoor running distance, it is one of the most popular and prestigious events in the sport of athletics. It has been contested at the Summer Olympics since 1896...
and 200 metres
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
. Success came on his way only after joining the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in 1974 and after he switched his attention into the 400 metres
400 metres
The 400 metres, or 400 metre dash, is a common sprinting event in track and field competitions. It has been featured in the athletics programme at the Summer Olympics since 1896 . On a standard outdoor running track, it is exactly one lap around the track. Runners start in staggered positions and...
. He was national champion in 400 m during 1975 to 84. His personal best time in 400m was 46.8 s.
One of his first international success came in the Indo-Russian athletic meet in 1978 where he won the 400m gold. In the same year, at the Bangkok Asian Games
1978 Asian Games
The 8th Asian Games were held from December 9, 1978 to December 20, 1978 in Bangkok, Thailand. Originally, the host city was Singapore but Singapore dropped its plan to host the Games due to financial problems. And then Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan was decided to host the 8th Games...
, Murali won the 400 m bronze behind Abbas Al Aibi of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and compatriot Uday K. Prabhu. With latter, Murali shared a healthy rivalry through the most part of the 1970s. He was also a member of the silver medal winning Indian team in the 4 x 400m relay at the 1978 Bangkok Asian Games. In 1981, he won the bronze in the 4 x 400m relay at the Asian Athletics Championships in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Murali took a diploma in coaching from the Netaji National Institute of Sports in Calcutta in 1985 before joining TISCO
Tata Steel
Tata Steel is a multinational steel company headquartered in Jamshedpur, India and part of Tata Group. It is the world's seventh-largest steel company, with an annual crude steel capacity of 31 million tonnes, and the largest private-sector steel company in India measured by domestic production...
, Jamshedpur as an athletic coach.
Personal life
Muralikuttan was married to Mercy KuttanMercy Kuttan
Mercy Kuttan is a former Indian track and field athlete. She was the first Indian woman longjumper to cross six meters. In 1989, Mercy received Arjuna Award for her contribution to the Indian athletics.-Career:...
, a former athlete who represented India at the 1988 Seoul Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. He and Mercy had met at the selection camp for the 1980 Moscow Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. They married two years later. They were the first Indian athletic couple to emerge National champions and win Asian medals. Murlai took the role of the coach and had influenced Mercy to shift from longjump to 400 metre. Both Murali and Mercy worked for Tata Steel
Tata Steel
Tata Steel is a multinational steel company headquartered in Jamshedpur, India and part of Tata Group. It is the world's seventh-largest steel company, with an annual crude steel capacity of 31 million tonnes, and the largest private-sector steel company in India measured by domestic production...
, Jamshedpur. They setup the "Mercy Kuttan Athletics Academy" in Kochi
Kochi (India)
Kochi , formerly Cochin, is a major port city on the west coast of India by the Arabian Sea. Kochi is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. Kochi is often called by the name Ernakulam, which refers to the western part of the mainland Kochi...
, a non-profit organisation to train promising youth for major international competitions. He had been training his younger son Sujith Kuttan
Sujith kuttan
Sujith Kuttan is an emerging talent in the Indian track and field arena. He was named the “” in the year 2011 and has won a at the National Games held in Ranchi in February, 2011...
with the 2014 Olympics as the goal.
Death
On 19 December 2010 at 1.30 am, Murali Kuttan suffered a massive heart attack and died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
. He came to the city, along with his wife and son Sujith Kuttan
Sujith kuttan
Sujith Kuttan is an emerging talent in the Indian track and field arena. He was named the “” in the year 2011 and has won a at the National Games held in Ranchi in February, 2011...
, in connection with the ongoing 54th Kerala State Schools athletics meet. Sujith won the senior boys' 100m gold medal with a new meet record without knowing that his father had died in the previous night.