The name Neeraj Chopra has been on the lips on every Indian since he achieved the impossible by winning the Tokyo Olympics gold medal in a track-and-field event. Neeraj Chopra also became only the second Indian to win an individual Olympic gold after Abhinav Bindra in 2008 Beijing Olympics. It is no wonder that the 23-year-old from Samalkha has become a national heartthrob especially among young girls including Bollywood star Kiara Advani.


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During a promotional interview with Sports Yaari for her recently released film ‘Shershaah’, when popular actors Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani were asked about Neeraj Chopra’s emphatic Olympic gold medal win and how he has catapulted to being a national hero, the stars replied: “He is the real ‘Shershaah’ who has made the country proud,” said Sidharth Malhotra.


“I think he (Neeraj Chopra) is not just a national crush but the world’s crush right now,” said Kiara Advani.


Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday felicitated Tokyo Olympics medalists Neeraj Chopra, Ravi Dahiya, PV Sindhu, Lovlina Borgohain, Bajrang Punia and other Olympians. Various dignitaries, including Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath were present on the occasion at an event held at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.


Gold medalist Neeraj Chopra was awarded a cash award of Rs 2 crores. Wrestlers Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia received Rs 1.5 crores and Rs 1 crore respectively.Bronze medallists shuttler PV Sindhu, boxer Lovlina Borgohain received Rs 1 crore each.


Neeraj Chopra was admitted to a hospital in Panipat after leaving a welcome ceremony at his village midway due to exhaustion and fever on Tuesday (August 17). India’s star javelin thrower should be fine after a good rest and that he left the function as a precautionary measure, according to news agency PTI.


“A lot of people turned up and he reached the venue of the welcome function near his village on a cavalcade. It took time to reach the venue of the function,” the source informed news agency PTI.