In a proud moment for Indian sports and the armed forces, Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has been conferred the Honorary Rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army. The announcement was made official by the Ministry of Defence through the Gazette of India, with the honour taking effect from April 16, 2025.
Neeraj, who joined the Indian Army in 2016 as a Naib Subedar, has been associated with the armed forces for nearly a decade. Over the years, he rose through the ranks, being promoted to Subedar in 2021 and later to Subedar Major following his historic gold medal win at the Tokyo Olympics. His achievements earned him several prestigious awards, including the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM), Padma Shri, and Vishisht Seva Medal (VSM).
The official notification, dated May 9, 2025, stated,” “In exercise of the powers conferred by Para 31 of the Territorial Army Regulations, 1948, the President is pleased to confer the Honorary Rank of Lieutenant Colonel in Territorial Army on Ex-Sub Maj Neeraj Chopra, PVSM, Padma Shri, VSM, Village & Post Office Khandra, Panipat, Haryana with effect from 16 April, 2025.”
Widely regarded as India’s greatest-ever track and field athlete, Neeraj Chopra made history by winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and silver at the 2024 Paris Olympics, making him the first Indian athlete to win both gold and silver in individual Olympic events. He is only the second Indian after Abhinav Bindra to clinch an Olympic gold in an individual event.
The 26-year-old javelin ace has achieved every major title in his sport, including:
- World Championship Gold (2023)
- Asian Games Gold (2018, 2023)
- Commonwealth Games Gold (2018)
With this military honour, Neeraj joins the elite list of Indian sportspersons recognised for their contribution to the nation, both on and off the field.
Meanwhile, Neeraj is set to begin his 2025 athletics season at the Doha Diamond League on Friday, May 16, marking his first appearance since his silver-medal-winning performance in Paris.
