Neeraj Chopra has beaten season bests of three athletes who finished just below him in javelin throw to win the first gold medal for India at Tokyo Olympics.
Extremely ecstatic with history scripted in Tokyo by Neeraj Chopra with a gold medal win in the javelin throw at the Olympics, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday announced a cash prize of Rs 6 crore and a class 1 category job to him.
Khattar also announced that Chopra, if willing, may head the Centre of Excellence for athletes being built by the state government in Panchkula.
“Neeraj Chopra will be given Rs 6 crore and a class I category job as per our policy. We will be building a Centre of Excellence for athletes in Panchkula, where he will be the head if he wants,” said Khattar.
“He will be given a plot with 50 percent concession like the other players,” he added.
Meanwhile, Amarinder Singh, the chief minister of Punjab, wrote on social media, “Gold! Neeraj Chopra… you have created history and made the whole country proud. Your 87.58 m winning throw today will be part of the legends of the Track and Field arena. India owes you! Jai Hind.”
Apart from this, Punjab CM Amrinder Singh announced a cash reward of Rs 2 Crore for his historic win.
The Chief Minister said it was a proud moment for India and all Punjabis, since the family of Neeraj Chopra, a serving soldier of Indian Army, traces its roots to Punjab.
Notably, Neeraj Chopra practiced most of the time at NIS Patiala. He had earlier won Gold medal in Asian Games and Commonwealth Games in 2018 and was Current National Record Holder with 88.07 Metres throw.
Also read: “I came here to do something different”; Neeraj Chopra gets emotional after winning the Gold medal
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a cash award of Rs 1 crore for Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra.
Furthermore, BCCI secretary Jay Shah also announced Rs 50 lakh each for silver medallists Mirabai Chani and Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Rs 25 lakh each for bronze medallists PV Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain and Bajrang Punia. The board additionally announced a cash reward of Rs 1.25 crore to the men's hockey team, who by winning bronze won India first Olympic medal in the sport in 41 years.