Neeraj Chopra has inspired a million Indians following his gold medal-winning performance in the Tokyo Olympics. As a result, he has been awarded ₹1 crore by the Chennai Super Kings.
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra came up with incredible performance during the Tokyo Olympics 2020. His unbelievable performance earned him a gold medal in the event. He became the first Indian to win a medal in athletics, besides winning India's only second gold in the competition. Consequently, he has been recognised by the Indian government on a lot of fronts.
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Meanwhile, his performance has also earned him several monetary benefits. Reigning three-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has recently given him a cash reward of ₹1 crore. Besides, he was also given a special CSK jersey with the number 8758, which indicated his Olympic distance of 87.58 metres.
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"The entire nation is proud of Neeraj for his stupendous achievement. By becoming the first Indian to win a medal (gold) in the track and field, he has set a benchmark and is an inspiration for the next generation. 87.58 is a number that will forever be etched in Indian sporting history, and it's an honour for us to present this special jersey to Neeraj. We wish he brings more glory to the nation," said CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan told the franchise's website.
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Speaking on the recognition, Chopra said, "Thank you so much for your support and for the prize. It feels good. The last two months have been hectic and an opportunity to experience new things. I never thought that I'll get so much love after winning gold. It was completely unexpected, and it feels good. Hopefully, I'll work hard and get good results."
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Earlier, he was also gifted an XUV 700 car by Anand Mahindra. "Thank you @anandmahindra ji for the new set of wheels with some very special customisation! I'm looking forward to taking the car out for a spin very soon. 🙂" he wrote on Twitter, while Mahindra replied, "You made the country proud @Neeraj_chopra1. We hope the XUV, our Chariot of Champions, will make you proud."