‘Zuckerberg and Katrina messaged me,’ says junior javelin world champ Neeraj Chopra

Turns out, junior javelin world champ Neeraj Chopra, 18, is a bigger star than we realise.

A few centuries ago, his ancestors migrated to Haryana to take up the sword for Balaji Baji Rao in the third battle of Panipat. Today, Neeraj Chopra, one of their descendants, a proud Ror Maratha settled in the Jat heartland, is taking the legacy forward by wielding the modern-day avatar of the spear to spectacular effects.

Turns out, junior javelin world champ Neeraj Chopra, 18, is a bigger star than we realise. (Location Courtesy: Le Meridien, New Delhi)(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

The gladiator: World champion Neeraj Chopra, seen here during the IAAF World U20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, was an overweight kid who shaped up and became India’s best. (Getty Images)