India’s ‘Golden Boy’ Neeraj Chopra scripted history when he became the first athlete from the country to claim the gold medal at the recent World Athletics Championship in Budapest. In a sporting success-starved country, the fame, adulation and money that Neeraj received after his Tokyo Olympics triumph in 2021 did not deter him to focus on his World Championships. His achievement has established him as a trailblazer in athletics for India on the global stage. Adding to the pride of Neeraj’s gold was the Indian team’s performance in the heats of the 4x400m relay, finishing with an Asian record. Interestingly, the government has done well in allowing top athletes to have their own choice of coaches and also increasing funding for sport overall. Besides improving India’s grassroots infrastructure, sports administrators need to improve their functioning, continue talent-spotting in every village and urban area. Remarkably, Neeraj is a source of inspiration not only for fellow javelin throwers but for all sportspersons across the country.
