Neeraj Chopra Wins Gold Medals And Hearts, On Both Sides Of LOC

It takes rare courage to overcome wounds of history, manufactured-hate and even societal pressure to still choose dignity and grace, over toxic braggadocio. Our ‘Golden Boy’ Neeraj Chopra has not just made winning the Gold Medal in competitive athletics a wonderful habit, but is doing so by winning hearts, across both sides of the Line-of-Control (LOC).

The proud Indian Army soldier from Rajputana Rifles could not possibly be oblivious to the ‘normalised’ winds that blow, as he would be privy to the necessities of obsequious, partisan, and jingoistic brouhaha that has almost become the routine, for anyone with even a fraction of Neeraj’s unmatched accomplishments.

Not so for Neeraj Chopra, nor his family – their undeniable pride is always tempered with patent humility, courtesy, and genteel ways, as was evident when he won the Olympic Gold, and ever since. Draped with the Tiranga around his broad shoulders after every event (most recently in the World Championship), his personal conduct and demeanour has become talked about, especially as the one who handles success with such propriety and responsibility.

Chopra inadvertently displayed a masterclass in largehearted sportsmanship and civilisational decency when he invited a fellow athlete from Pakistan, Arshad Nadeem, to stand with him under the Tiranga. The moment wasn’t given to supremacist ‘hate’ as may have been preferred by some, but instead to the far more majestic and nobler ‘Idea of India’ which would come naturally to a true soldier and patriot (not hyper nationalists).

As G.K. Chesterton insisted, “The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him”. Chopra gives his all for India, simple. Seemingly, Chopra is a far larger man than to succumb to populist optics or even attempt to endear himself through actions that could wrongly be attributed as ‘muscular’, in today’s times.

The soldier-athlete to the nation does not feel the need to ‘hate’ anyone to prove his Indianness – he just ‘wins’ for India, fair and square. As if to complete the loop, it was his mother, Saroj Devi’s blunt answer to a typically provocative question on Arshad Nadeem that sought to stir India-Pakistan animosity that demonstrated where Neeraj’s fine breeding came from.

“Look, everyone has come to play in the field. One or the other will definitely win. So there is no question of being from Pakistan or Haryana,” Saroj Devi said. Even in a moment of the highest possible triumph, the simple folks from the soldering belt of Haryana refused to be drawn into negativity and theatrics.

Importantly, this warm relationship between the two athletes is not one for the cameras (actually, displayed ‘hate’ could possibly make them bigger heroes) – yet the reciprocated emotion besetting their healthy sporting rivalry goes back a long time when the two subcontinental boys were competing against an essentially European crowd.

They have defended their relationship and each other personally, even when each could have materially benefitted from behaving, otherwise.

Now, consider their familial setting, prevailing times, and even history, that each has overcome. Neeraj Chopra is from the ancient city of Panipat (which is naturally given to defining and decisive wars that invoke and scar imagination), which has even risen to a term ‘Panipat Syndrome’ amongst strategists. It is also close to restive Nuh which witnessed unprecedented societal polarisation in recent times.

He also belongs to the ‘Ror’ community which as per bardic and vernacular records fought as soldiers of Peshwas army (against Ahmad Shah Abdali).

Similarly, Arshad Nadeem is from the nondescript township of Mian Channu, in the heartland of Pakistan’s Punjab. The dustbowl township is home to the conservative Maulana Tariq Jameel of the Tablighi Jamaat who peppers his sermons with regressive and exclusivist messaging.

It is also the place where an Indian Brahmos missile was accidentally fired (ironically, from a base in Haryana) and landed in Mian Channu. Arshad Nadeem is the son of a mason, and he struggled to sustain his family needs and get him fed and trained, properly. It was hardly the sort of setting, circumstances or environment to bestow the decency and deferential mannerism that Nadeem displays, especially towards his senior and more successful athlete from India, Neeraj Chopra.

Arshad Nadeem too counterintuitively walks against the revisionist preferences that be, when he publicly displays camaraderie and affection on Neeraj.

There is genuine simplicity and earthy innocence that can only accrue to the rural-agricultural folks of the subcontinent when Arshad says, “Best of luck to Neeraj. Neeraj Bhai, Aap bhi achcha karien, Hum bhi achcha karein. Aapka naam hai world me, Hamara bhi naam aye (Neeraj brother do well, as shall I… the world knows your name… may they know mine too) ”.

There are no attempts to downplay each other’s success with drama or vitriol, even as Arshad Nadeem has consistently fallen short of Neeraj in competitions but leads in terms of personal best in terms of distance with 90.18m (as compared to Neeraj’s best throw of 89.94m).

As Neeraj’s mother said celebrating her son’s victory, “Badi Khushi ki baat hai aur jo Pakistan se jeeta hai uske liye bhi khush hai” (We are happy, and also, for the winner from Pakistan). This expression is of unfiltered outreach and civility when it is not fashionable to be so.

Neeraj seems to be cut from a different cloth. The straight throwing javelinist had done some plain speaking when most of the so-called ‘superstars’ of Indian sports had failed to see any concern with the attack on the protesting female wrestlers, earlier.

Neeraj had tweeted, “It hurts me to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. They have worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud. As a nation, we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual, athlete or not. What's happening should never happen”.

This contrarian stand said something about the man, athlete, and soldier, who refused to trade his true feelings. His stand was not partisan or motivated by any vested interest – he expressed his feelings fearlessly as any patriotic and well-meaning citizen would do.

So, while it is true that the governance instincts and actions of the Pakistani state and especially of its ‘establishment’ have been malicious and unbecoming of a sovereign – it is still important to differentiate between common people and from the officialised politics of Pakistan.

Surely, if a proud Indian soldier and one who has brought incalculable dignity and lustre to ensure that the Tiranga flies high across continents can behove himself with dignity and grace, so can many others. History bears witness that the ‘Rors’ or even other Hariyanvis are amongst the first, foremost and the fiercest when it came to defending India. However, that needn’t necessitate boorishness or vacuous chest thumping.

Lt. General Bhopinder Singh (Retd), is the Former Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Puducherry. Views expressed are the writer’s own.