Neeraj Chopra Conferred Honorary Rank of Lieutenant Colonel in Indian Army, Honoured by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Neeraj Chopra Conferred Honorary Rank of Lieutenant Colonel in Indian Army: In a proud moment for the nation, Olympic gold medallist and javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army during a ceremony held at South Block on 22 October 2025. The insignia of the honorary rank was formally presented by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in the presence of Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi. Singh hailed Chopra as an embodiment of perseverance, patriotism, and the relentless pursuit of excellence, praising him for inspiring millions of Indians through his sporting achievements.
According to the Gazette of India, Chopra’s appointment took effect from April 16, 2025. The ace athlete had joined the Indian Army as a Naib Subedar in 2016, later earning several accolades including the Arjuna Award (2018), Khel Ratna Award (2021), and Padma Shri (2022). Following his Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold, Neeraj was promoted to Subedar Major and awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for bringing immense pride to the nation. His steady rise within both the sporting and military ranks stands as a testament to his discipline and dedication.
However, the javelin star faced a recent setback at the World Athletics Championships, finishing eighth with a best throw of 84.03m. Despite his disappointment, Chopra admitted he was dealing with a minor back issue and emphasized that “this is life and sport.” Looking ahead, the 27-year-old athlete has set his sights on reclaiming glory at the Asian Games next year, where he is expected to face a strong challenge from Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem.
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