In yet another milestone, Neeraj Chopra, India’s golden boy, has been conferred with the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army on Tuesday. The appointment, which was published in The Gazette of India, came into effect on April 16.
“No 3 (E) dated 9th May 2025 in exercise of the powers conferred by Para -31 of the Territorial Army Regulations, 1948, the president is pleased to confer on sEx- Sub Maj Neeraj Chopra, PVSM, Padma Shri, VSM, Village & Post Office Khandra, Panipat, Haryana with effect from 16 April, 2025,” a statement from Major General GS Choudhry, Joint Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, read.
Neeraj Chopra: Accolades and Honours
Earlier, the double Olympic medalist was enrolled as a Junior Commissioned Officer in the rank of Naib Subedar in the Indian Army on August 26, 2016. In 2018, he was bestowed with the Arjuna Award after becoming the first Indian to win gold at javelin throw at the Commonwealth Games and later at the Asian Games.
The 27-year-old was awarded the Khel Ratna (India’s highest honour in sports) and Vishisht Seva Medal for his excellence, before getting promoted to the rank of Subedar in 2021.
Chopra was then awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in 2022, the highest peacetime medal of the Indian Armed Force.
In 2024, he was promoted to the rank of Subedar Major. During this time, Neeraj became the first Indian in the country’s independent history to win an Olympic gold medal in athletics by winning the men’s javelin event at Tokyo 2020.
He then became the third individual Indian athlete after Sushil Kumar and PV Sindhu to win more than one Olympic medals by winning silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Neeraj Chopra’s upcoming events
The star javelin thrower will be in action at the Doha Diamond League on May 16.
Chopra is also poised to appear at the Janusz Kusociński Memorial 2025 athletics meet in Poland on May 23 and the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in Czechia on June 24.
The Olympian will also be defending his title at the World Athletics Championship in September this year.
