The last time 74-year-old Inder Pal Chopra participated in any sporting event was in 1951. He had won a Gold medal in an inter-school 200 metre sprint at the time.
Chopra, who is a retired employee of the Central Bank of India, is back after a gap of 59 years, but this time around, he’s come as a volunteer.
The oldest volunteer to offer his services during the Commonwealth Games so far, Chopra is ecstatic that he’s got a chance to offer his services to the nation.
“I had a lot of free time to contribute. It is a great opportunity to create a good image of the nation in front of the world,” he said.
But Chopra is not the only volunteer from his family. His daughter, 35-year-old Dimpy Chopra, has also decided to volunteer. Dimpy is a teacher in a public school.
She was inspired by her father to offer her time during the Games. “I saw him filling out the forms and decided that I wanted to do it too,” she says.
Chopra was in Chandigarh during the 1982 Asiad Games. “Being a sports person during my school days, I closely followed those games,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Chopra was in Chandigarh during the 1982 Asiad Games. “Being a sports person during my school days, I closely followed those games,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}The father-daughter duo has not been assigned specific roles so far. “I don’t mind being assigned any duty, though I would really like it if I am given a field duty,” he added.