Neeraj Chopra, India’s most successful athlete and Olympic champion, has received a great honor. Neeraj Chopra, a two -time Olympic medalist, has been awarded the Lieutenant Colonel’s Honorary position in the Territorial Army. A notification issued by the Ministry of Defense states that President Draupadi Murmu has decided to honor Neeraj Chopra. Neeraj is already deployed as Subedar Major in the Indian Army.
Neeraj Chopra got the honorary position of Lieutenant Colonel
The announcement was made by a notification on Wednesday, May 14 by the Ministry of Defense. The President made this announcement on May 9. According to this notification of the Ministry of Defense, the President has given the title of Honorable Lieutenant Colonel to Neeraj Chopra, using his powers under regional military rules. This rank of Neeraj will be implemented from April 16, 2025.
Neeraj illuminated the country and the army
Neeraj, who is the first Subedar and then Subedar Major in the Indian Army’s Rajputa rifles, has illuminated the country and the army throughout the world. Neeraj won the Junior World Championship when he was in the army in 2016. That same year, he became part of the army and then was given the Subedar position. He then became the first Indian to become an Olympic champion in athletics, winning the gold medal in the Javelin Throe at the Tokyo Olympics. Only after this he was promoted and he became Subedar Major. In the meantime, he won the gold medal at the World Athletics Championship and then the Diamond League title. Last year, Neeraj also won the Silver Medal at the Paris Olympics.
Kapil Dev-Dhoni has received special honor
This is not the first time the president has honored a sportsmen in the Territorial Army. Former captain Kapil Dev, who won the first Cricket World Cup for India many years ago, was made the Lieutenant Colonel. Then in 2011, MS Dhoni and Abhinav Bindra also received the honor. India won the World Cup under Dhoni’s captaincy, while Bindra became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
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