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Interesting Facts About Neeraj Chopra
Did you know these interesting facts about Neeraj Chopra’s birthplace, height, and the story behind his nickname ‘Sarpanch’. Neeraj Chopra is undoubtedly one of the biggest sporting icons in India, being the only one to win an athletics gold medal at the Olympic Games.
The young athlete won a historic gold in the men’s javelin throw at Tokyo 2020. He again won Silver medal in Paris Olympics 2024, adding another piece of metal to his glittering cabinet.
Neeraj Chopra was honoured with the prestigious Padmi Shri award in 2022 for his achievement at the Tokyo Olympics.
Apart from the Olympic gold, Neeraj Chopra has also won gold medals at the World Junior Championships, World Championships, Asian Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and the South Asian Games. He has also bagged the Diamond League title.
With so many accolades to his name in recent years, Neeraj Chopra’s rise in popularity has been meteoric.
From brand endorsements and TV appearances to gracing magazine covers, Neeraj Chopra is doing it all.
Here’s all you need to know about Neeraj Chopra:
Which state is Neeraj Chopra from?
Neeraj Chopra is from Haryana in North India. He was born in Khandra village in Panipat district. Khandra has a population of about 2,000, most of them farmers. Neeraj’s hometown is some 16kms from the city of Panipat and 100kms north of New Delhi.
Who are Neeraj Chopra’s parents?
Neeraj Chopra’s father, Satish Kumar, is a farmer, while his mother, Saroj Devi, is a housewife. He also has two sisters.
Neeraj had a pampered childhood. “He wasn’t allowed to do any household chores. We didn’t send him to work in the fields. He was the first kid in our family and he was like a doll for us,” Neeraj’s uncle Sultan told the media.
In September 2021, the young athlete took his parents on their first flight after winning the Olympic gold.
What is Neeraj Chopra’s nickname?
Neeraj Chopra is nicknamed ‘sarpanch’ (village head). He was given the nickname after Neeraj wore a brand new kurta (a long loose shirt) gifted by his father to college. Because of his formal looks on the day, Neeraj’s friends started calling him sarpanch. The name has stuck ever since.
What is Neeraj Chopra’s education?
Neeraj Chopra was studying at Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV) college in Chandigarh but dropped out after joining the Indian Army. Neeraj is currently pursuing his graduation in Bachelors of Arts (B.A).
What is Neeraj Chopra’s height?
Neeraj Chopra is 6 feet (182cm) tall. His main rival at the Tokyo Olympics, Johannes Vetter, was 6 feet 1 inches tall.
What is Neeraj Chopra’s rank in the Indian army?
Neeraj Chopra currently holds the rank of a Subedar in the Indian Army.
The track and field athlete was inducted in the army in 2016 after his gold-winning performances at the Junior World Championships and South Asian Games in the same year.
Neeraj Chopra joined the 4 Rajputana Rifles unit as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) – Naib Subedar – in December 2016. He was promoted to Subedar in 2018 after winning the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games gold.
On January 26, 2022, Neeraj Chopra received the Param Vishisht Seva Medal for excellence in sports.
