Indian Athletics – Adille J. Sumariwalla: from passion to profession! / By Ram. Murali Krishnan /

Delhi 19th April, 2012: Born in Bombay (now Mumbai) on a New Year’s day fifty-four years ago, Adille Sumariwalla, the newly elected President of Athletics Federation of India was a reputed national sprint champion, Olympian and Arjuna awardee.

“A new small, tough, ambitious and determined young man had just joined the Juhu Sports Club. When we went to pick him from his 11th floor home, we did not have to call out to him because his father wouldn't have allowed him to do anything with Athletics.

So first the track-suit then the spikes would come flying out of the window, sometimes a bag. But when the young man came down to meet us, it look as if he was going out to the library or a friend’s house to do some cramming for his board exams at least that's what his father thought.

His father never ever found out why he never became an Ivy League student but he did find out that his son had become the nation's fastest sprinter through “The Times of India”.  The name of that young sprinter was Adille Sumariwalla and I am honoured to call him a friend”.   

The above story posted on Facebook by Clint Martin, a teammate of Adille in his heydays as an athlete, might very well taken as a testimony for his dedication and hard-work to achieve laurels.

Statistically speaking Adille has won the national title in 100m for a record eleven times.  Wonder if it has anything to do with his eleventh floor residence in Mumbai!  No other Indian went nearer to his seven straight titles in the Inter-State championships from 1979 to 1985 for his home-state Maharashtra.   He got his four other wins from the Open Nationals  of 1980-81 and 1984-85.  He clocked his career best 10.4 secs at Calicut in 1982. 

At the international level, Adille has won the inaugural South Asian Federation Games gold in 1984 at Kathmandu.  However his first international appearance came in 1978 at the Indo-USSR tests.  The next year he went to World University Games in Mexico and also took part at the Asian Track & Field Championships in Tokyo.  He got his Olympic berth in 1980 at Moscow and competed at the Asian Games when Delhi hosted it two years later. 

When he finally retired from the competition tracks, Adille already gathered 17 international as well as 44 national championship medals.  For his achievements he was honoured with Arjuna Award in 1985.

Like every other Parsi, Adille started his career with the TATA’s in Telco.  Graduated from the Asian Institute of Management, he is now running his own business in Clear Channel Mumbai Pvt. Ltd.  Besides this, he is also on the Board of Directors in the fabulous Mid-day group.

Blended with his knowledge in sports and administration, Adille is now getting ready for the BIG job in hands!   

/ Ram. Murali Krishnan /