Neeraj Chopra was handed a major honour by the Indian army
Photo : AP
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Neeraj Chopra was handed a major honour
- Neeraj has been part of the Indian Army for 9 years
- Neeraj is arguably India's greatest sportsperson in history
Neeraj Chopra was handed a major honour by the Indian army and conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Defence in the Gazette of India, a weekly authorised journal of the Government of India. Neeraj's new rank has come into effect from April 16, 2025.
"No 3 (E) dated 9 May 2025 in exercise of the powers conferred by Para 31 of the Territorial Army Regulations, 1948, the president is pleased to confer Honorary Rank of Lieutenant Colonel in Territorial Army on sEx-Sub Maj Neeraj Chopra, PVSM, Padma Shri, VSM, Village & Post Office Khandra, Panipat, Haryana with effect from 16 April, 2025," the statement read.
For those unversed, Neeraj joined the Indian army in 2016 as a junior commissioned officer with the rank of Naib Subedar, while being promoted to Subedar in 2021. Post his historic gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, he was handed the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, the highest peacetime medal of the Indian Army in 2022. At that point, he was also promoted to the rank of Subedar Major.
Neeraj is arguably India's greatest athlete in history and one of just two Olympians to win an individual gold medal at the Olympic Games. After finishing on top of the podium in Tokyo, Neeraj joined Abhinav Bindra in the rare list.
Neeraj added his legacy by winning the silver medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Javelin star is the fourth Indian after Sushil Kumar, PV Sindhu, and Manu Bhaker to win multiple individual medals. Neeraj is the first have the combination of a gold and silver.
Infact, Neeraj has won every prize possible in his sport, having also won a gold medal in the Commonwealth (2018) and Asian Games (2018, 2023) as well as being crowned World Champion in 2023.
Meanwhile, Neeraj will be seen in action for the first time in 2025 on Friday (May 16) during the Doha Diamond League.
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