Neeraj Chopra Conferred Honorary Lieutenant Colonel Rank in Indian Army

Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra was formally conferred with the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army during a ceremonial event held at South Block, New Delhi, on October 22, 2025.

The ceremony was presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, who presented Chopra with the insignia of rank. Congratulating the athlete, Rajnath Singh described Chopra as an "epitome of perseverance, patriotism, and national pride," adding that his achievements reflect the discipline and excellence of India's armed forces.

According to The Gazette of India, Chopra's honorary commission in the Territorial Army officially took effect on April 16, 2025. This honour places him among a distinguished group of Indian sports icons such as MS Dhoni and Kapil Dev, who have also been awarded honorary officer ranks in the Territorial Army.

Chopra began his association with the Indian Army on August 26, 2016, when he was inducted as a Naib Subedar in the Rajputana Rifles Regiment. Recognising his international success, the Army promoted him to Subedar in 2021 and later to Subedar Major in 2022.

Born on December 24, 1997, in Khandra, Panipat (Haryana), Neeraj Chopra made history by winning India's first-ever Olympic gold medal in athletics at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He went on to claim a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics and a gold medal at the 2023 World Championships, achieving a personal best throw of 90.23 metres in 2025.

Over the years, Chopra has been honoured with several prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award, Vishisht Seva Medal, and Param Vishisht Seva Medal.

The event marked a proud moment for both the sporting and defence communities, reaffirming Neeraj Chopra's dual legacy - as India's greatest athletics champion and a symbol of honour and service within the Indian Armed Forces.

With ANI Input