India’s Golden Boy Neeraj Chopra honoured as Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army

Neeraj Chopra Honoured as Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army. (Photo: X)

Neeraj Chopra was officially given the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army at a special pipping ceremony in New Delhi on Wednesday (October 22). Besides Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, and many other senior officers of the Indian Army and the Territorial Army also graced the occasion with their presence.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh lauded Chopra’s achievements, stating, "Lt Col (Hony) Neeraj Chopra embodies the highest ideals of discipline, dedication and national pride, serving as an inspiration to generations within the sporting fraternity and the Armed Forces alike."

#WATCH | Delhi | Olympic medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army, in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and COAS General Upendra Dwivedi pic.twitter.com/bjLwuvoSLj

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— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2025

Neeraj was awarded this honorary rank on April 16 as a token of recognition for his splendid achievements in sports.

Neeraj Chopra's childhood and story

The 27-year-old Indian javelin thrower was born in Khandra village of the Panipat district in Haryana on December 24, 1997.

After completing his schooling, he entered the Indian Army in the year 2016 and is from the Rajputana Rifles regiment. Neeraj started his military career as a Junior Commissioned Officer with a rank of Naib Subedar on August 26, 2016. In 2021, he got elevated to the rank of Subedar and a year later, he was promoted to Subedar Major.

Neeraj is the one who made history by becoming the first ever Indian athlete to acquire an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Besides this, he even won a silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Moreover, the 27-year-old has also brought home the gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships and a multitude of medals from the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Diamond League. To date, the personal best of 90.23 meters which he achieved in 2025 is a clear indication of his never-ending zeal to strive for the highest.