Neeraj Chopra, born on December 24, 1997, in Khandra, a small village in Haryana, India, is a name that has become synonymous with Indian athletics. Hailing from a farming family, Neeraj’s journey from a rural village to the world stage is nothing short of inspiring. As a child, Neeraj struggled with obesity, which led his family to encourage him to take up sports. This push towards fitness introduced him to the world of athletics.
Neeraj attended local schools in his village and later joined DAV College in Chandigarh. It was during his time at school that he discovered his passion for javelin throw. With sheer determination and natural talent, he quickly excelled, setting a junior world record in 2016 with a throw of 86.48 meters at the World U20 Championships in Poland.
Neeraj’s dedication to the sport saw him joining the Indian Army as a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), which provided him the necessary support to pursue athletics full-time. His relentless training and focus culminated in his historic gold medal win at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where he became the first Indian to win an Olympic gold in athletics. Neeraj Chopra’s story is a testament to hard work, perseverance, and the power of dreams.