Shining legacy: Tearful Olympian Shiny Wilson ends farewell speech with a solemn ‘Thanks to all’

Chennai: Olympian and pride of India, Shiny Wilson, was moved to tears during her farewell function in Chennai. Overcome with emotion, she broke down while addressing colleagues at a send-off event held at a city hotel. She concluded her brief response with a single word of ‘thanks to all’, and as she returned to her seat and wiped her tears with the tip of her saree, the atmosphere in the hall turned deeply emotional.

Shiny Wilson, a native of Thodupuzha in Kerala, is a celebrated athlete who represented India in four consecutive Olympic Games. She retired as General Manager of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) after 41 years of service. She began her career at FCI’s Thiruvananthapuram office on March 16, 1984, at the age of 18, and later served in Mumbai as well.

Born on May 8, 1965 to Abraham and Maryamma of Kurishingal, Vazhavatta, Thodupuzha, she was recruited to FCI as a clerk following her individual championship at the All-India Inter-University Athletic Meet while studying for her pre-degree at Alphonsa College, Pala. She went on to receive multiple promotions during her tenure.

Shiny took part in the Los Angeles, Seoul, Barcelona and Atlanta Olympics, becoming the first Indian woman to carry the national flag at the Olympics during the 1992 Barcelona Games. She competed in 75 international meets and won over 80 international medals. Among her many honours are the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri.