New Delhi: Star javelin thrower and two-time Olympic medalist Neeraj Chopra has been conferred with the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel rank in the Indian Army for his exceptional contribution to sports and his role in inspiring millions of young Indians.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presented the honorary insignia to Neeraj during a pipping ceremony held in New Delhi on Wednesday, in the presence of Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi. The recognition celebrates Neeraj’s extraordinary achievements in athletics and his immense contribution to national pride.
Neeraj Chopra joined the Indian Army in 2016 as a Naib Subedar in the Rajputana Rifles regiment. His appointment as Honorary Lieutenant Colonel is effective from April 16, as per the official Gazette of India.
Following his induction, Neeraj quickly rose through the ranks, earning numerous accolades. He received the Arjuna Award in 2018, the Khel Ratna Award in 2021, and was promoted to Subedar the same year after winning India’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in athletics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. In 2022, he was honoured with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal by the Indian Army and promoted to Subedar Major.
That same year, the government of India conferred upon him the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian award.
Neeraj, however, faced a setback recently at the World Athletics Championships, finishing eighth with a best throw of 84.03 metres, ending his 26-event streak of top-two finishes that had begun in 2021. His compatriot Sachin Yadav finished fourth with an 86.27-metre throw.
Reflecting on his performance, Neeraj said he was dealing with a minor back issue but accepted it as part of an athlete’s journey. Before this, the last time Neeraj failed to finish in the top three was at the 2018 Continental Cup in the Czech Republic, where he secured sixth place.
With his latest honour, Neeraj Chopra joins the elite list of Indian athletes who have been bestowed with honorary military ranks for bringing glory to the nation through their sporting excellence.
