Neeraj Chopra receives Padma Shri award
Neeraj Chopra, who won the gold medal at the Olympics, was given the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honor. At the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind gave the prize to the 24-year-old javelin thrower. The honor was given to Neeraj Chopra back in January.
Who is Neeraj Chopra?
Neeraj Chopra, an Indian track and field athlete, was born on 24 December 1997. He currently holds the titles of Olympic, World, and Diamond League champion in the javelin throw. He is the first athlete from Asia to triumph in the men’s javelin throw event at the Olympics. Chopra, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in the Indian Army, became the nation’s first track and field Olympian to take home a gold medal.
He is also the first track and field athlete from India to win at the IAAF World U20 Championships, where he set a world record in 2016 by throwing an under-20 world record of 86.48 meters, making him the first Indian athlete to do so. Chopra competed in the 2018 Asian Games and the 2018 Commonwealth Games, carrying the flag at the latter and winning gold at both events.
