NEW DELHI: Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was on Wednesday conferred with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh describing him as an "epitome" of perseverance, and national pride.

Singh conferred the insignia of honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel to the star javelin thrower, serving in the Territorial Army, at a pipping ceremony in New Delhi that was also graced by Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi and many other senior officials of the force.

Chopra joined the Indian Army as a Naib Subedar on August 26, 2016 and was promoted to Subedar in 2021 and Subedar Major in 2022.

Born on December 24, 1997 in Khandra village in Haryana's Panipat, he created history by winning India's first-ever Olympic gold medal in athletics in the men's javelin

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