Honorary lieutenant colonel

Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh formally conferred the gleaming insignia of the Honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army to star javelin thrower and two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra during the pipping ceremony in South Block on Wednesday.

Enrolled in the Indian Army as a junior commissioned officer in the rank of naib subedar on August 26, 2016, Neeraj has served with The Rajputana Rifles. The javelin ace made history by becoming the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in track and field at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. He continued his outstanding performance by winning gold at the World Athletics Championships in 2023 and a silver medal at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

Interacting with Lt Col (Hony) Neeraj Chopra and his family members, Rajnat Singh described him as "an epitome of perseverance, patriotism and the Indian spirit of striving for excellence." Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and other senior officials of the Indian Army and Territorial Army were present on the occasion.