Awards won by Neeraj Chopra: Complete list of awards won by India's golden boy of javelin throw
India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has been a household name among Indian sporting fans since his historic gold medal win in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which marked only the second individual gold medal won by the country in an Olympic Games. However, the ‘golden boy’ has not stopped in his tracks, adding another silver medal to his collection in the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics.
Due to his sporting heroics, Neeraj Chopra has been conferred several awards and honours from both the Indian government and the military. Other than boasting an impressive medals collection from all the leading tournaments in the world, the javelin throw athlete also has several sporting awards in his bag, including multiple National Sports Awards.
Neeraj Chopra’s first national-level award was the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2018, which is the second-highest sporting honour in India. The athlete was among 20 athletes to be conferred the award, which also included fellow Paris 2024 colleagues Manika Batra, Shubhankar Sharma, Manpreet Singh, Rohan Bopanna, and others.
Neeraj then moved one step further, being awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award – India’s highest sporting honour – in 2021. The other Paris 2024 Olympians to be awarded the Khel Ratna in 2021 alongside Neeraj included PR Sreejesh, Lovlina Borgohain, Manpreet Singh, and others.
Neeraj, who is a Subedar in the Indian Army, was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal (Distinguished Service Medal) as part of the Republic Day 2020 honours. He was also conferred with the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (Supreme Distinguished Service Medal) as part of the Republic Day 2022 awards.
2022 was a fruitful year for Neeraj, as he was conferred with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, for his heroics in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He was also awarded the 75th Independence Anniversary Medal by the Indian Armed Forces in 2022.
Neeraj Chopra’s Complete List of Awards