Neeraj Chopra Conferred Honorary Rank of Lieutenant Colonel by Indian Army

India’s ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel by the Indian Army on Wednesday in a ceremonial event held in New Delhi. The 27-year-old athlete, who joined the Indian Army in 2016 as a Naib Subedar, was officially appointed to the rank on April 16, with the pipping ceremony marking this recognition of his exceptional achievements in sports.

Neeraj’s rise through the army ranks mirrors his stellar sporting career. He was promoted to Subedar in 2018 following his gold-medal wins at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games and became Subedar Major in 2022. Born in 1997 in Haryana, Neeraj has established himself as India’s most celebrated track and field athlete, claiming the country’s first Olympic gold in athletics at Tokyo 2020 and a silver at Paris 2024.

Apart from his Olympic feats, Neeraj has won gold at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, making him India’s first-ever senior athletics world champion. His accolades include medals at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Athletics Championships, and the Diamond League. He holds a personal best and national record of 90.23 meters set in 2025. Neeraj has also been honoured with the Arjuna Award, Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Padma Shri, and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for his contributions to sports.