K. P. Mammu: The Master Athlete from Andaman Who Broke National Records

K P Mammu: South Andaman Fireman Who Became a National Record Holder in Masters Athletics

By

Debkumar Bhadra

At an age when most athletes would have stepped away from competitive sport, K. P. Mammu was breaking national records. Representing the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, he clocked timings that placed him among India’s best in masters athletics. Age, in his case, never stood in the way. Recently, I caught up with the master athlete, who reflected on his journey, future plans, and a long-cherished dream of winning a medal for the country at the international level. This article captures the story of the late resurgence of the Police Constable (Fireman) from a small island village who, through sheer grit, rose to the top, rewriting national records and continues to push his limits.

Early Life, The Turning Point: 2015 State Championship

Born on December 12, 1973, in Mannar Ghat village in rural South Andaman, K. P. Mammu showed early promise in athletics. From the age of 12, he was winning medals both at the school and state levels.

After completing his schooling at Government Senior Secondary School, Mannar Ghat, he joined Andaman & Nicobar Police Fire Service as a Constable in 1999. The demands of service pushed his athletic self to the back seat. But he stayed physically active through routine drills and occasional sports events. Competitive athletics gradually took the back seat, until an unexpected opportunity came his way. 

In 2015, while posted at Katchal Island in the remote Nicobar district, Mammu received a departmental circular inviting entries for the State Open Athletics Championship to be held at Netaji Stadium in Port Blair. He not only participated, he made his presence felt by winning gold in the 200 metres and silver in the 100 metres for the A&N Police team. 

He recalls this as the turning point. The athlete in him, which was lying dormant, has resurrected. 

Following this, he attended a 90-day coaching camp organised by the Athletics Association of Andaman & Nicobar Islands in Port Blair. It was here that he trained under coach Aboobaker Siddique, who would go on to play a key role in shaping his athletic career.

National Debut: A Valuable Lesson Learnt

In 2016, Mammu was selected as part of the Andaman & Nicobar contingent for the 56th Senior Athletics Championship in Hyderabad. It was his first appearance at the national level. The event was held on a synthetic track, something he was not used to back home. Coming from a background of running on conventional surfaces, the shift to synthetic track on competition day made it difficult for him. He could not make it to the podium and returned empty-handed—but with a valuable learning experience.

National Record at the 39th Masters Athletics Championship, Bangalore

Two years later, at the 39th National Masters Athletics Championship in Bangalore (2018), Mammu returned to the synthetic track with far greater confidence. This time, the results followed. He clocked 11.23 seconds in the 100 metres to win gold and set a new national record. He also secured a silver medal in the 200 metres with a timing of 23.64 seconds—marking his arrival at the national level in an emphatic fashion.

Double Gold and a 22-Year Record Broken at Guntur

The momentum continued into the 40th National Masters Athletics Championship at Guntur in early 2019. Mammu raised his performance, winning gold in both the 100 metres (11.8s) and 200 metres (24.3s) events. The defining moment, however, came in the long jump. With a leap of 6.22 metres, he not only claimed his third gold of the championship, he also broke a 22-year-old national record, etching his name in the record books for the second consecutive championship.

Chief Secretary, A&N Administration (centre)
felicitating KP Mammu in the presence of
Pradhan GP Mannarghat Shri O Bashir (far right)

A Warm Homecoming

When Mammu returned to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, he met with an unexpected and heartfelt welcome. At Veer Savarkar International Airport in Port Blair, the Pradhan of Gram Panchayat Mannar Ghat, Shri O. Bashir, along with villagers, received him with pride and celebration.

His achievements were also recognised by the A&N Administration, with Chief Secretary Shri Chetan B. Sanghi, IAS, felicitating him for his performance at the national level.

Mammu, however, is quick to attribute his success to the constant support of his superiors in the A&N Police Fire Service, the encouragement from his village, and the guidance of the Athletics Association. Above all, he acknowledges the support of his family—his mother, his wife, and his two daughters, Tasneem Jahan and Rukshar Jahan.

Mentoring the Next Generation

When asked about the future of athletics in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Mammu recalls an experience where an unexpected setback turned into an opportunity—one that brought success for a team of young athletes from these islands.

He was accompanying a group of 14 athletes from the islands to the 15th National East Zone Under-19 Championship at Salt Lake, Kolkata. While waiting at the boarding gate, he received a phone call informing that the event had been postponed by 10 days.

The news was disheartening because he knew organising a contingent from the islands is no small task. It involves significant effort, coordination, and expense. For Mammu, it was not just a schedule change, but the risk of losing a hard-earned opportunity for these young athletes.

Without losing time, he discussed the situation with the Athletics Association and parents, and pushed for a bold decision—to go ahead with the travel as planned. This proved to be a boon for the young athletes.

Reaching Kolkata well ahead of schedule, Mammu found that the nearby SAI stadium had a synthetic track. Sensing an opportunity, he secured permission for the team to train there for eight days, at a fee, which Mammu says he paid from his pocket.

For Mammu, the moment carried a deeper significance. He had himself faced a difficult national debut on a synthetic track. This time, he was determined that the young athletes would not face the same disadvantage.

With access to the synthetic track, the young athletes used their spare time to train and adapt to the synthetic environment. The effort paid off. For the first time, an Under-19 team from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands won a medal at the national level - a silver in the 1000m medley relay. 

The Call for a Synthetic Track in the Islands

Drawing from this experience, Mammu makes a strong case for better sporting infrastructure in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. He points out that athletes who had only limited exposure to synthetic tracks managed to win a national medal with just eight days of training. With regular access to such facilities, he believes, island athletes could fare much better.

Referring to the Khelo India programme, which aims to strengthen sports at the grassroots level, Mammu feels the islands cannot afford to be left behind.

He urges the Hon’ble Lt. Governor to consider setting up a 400-metre synthetic track for the islands. With proper training facilities in place, he says, athletes from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands would be far better equipped to compete at the national level and bring laurels home.

Suggested Reading from my blog:
👉 Bittu: Journey of a hale and healthy boy whose little oversight cost both his limbs
👉 Local boy bring laurels for his family, A&N Islands
👉 KRK: A budding Independent Artist from A&N Islands
👉 M Nageshwar Rao: The Man Who Walked The Talk