From Neeraj Chopra to Bajrang Punia, athletes receive thunderous welcome in India, get felicitated – watch

From javelin star Neeraj Chopra to wrestling ace Bajrang Punia, Indian medal winners received a thunderous welcome after they arrived back home on Monday (August 9) from their terrific run at the Tokyo Olympics, which was concluded on Sunday. Neeraj Chopra, Bajrang Punia, boxer Lovlina Borgohain, wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya and men’s and women’s hockey teams arrived at Delhi’s Ashoka Hotel, where they were felicitated by the sports minister Anurag Thakur. 

“Tokyo Olympics was Olympics of many firsts for India. The biggest contingent, most medals won. We waited for an athletics medal for 121 years and when he did, he did won gold,” the sports minister said. 

With a mammoth 87.58 metres throw, Neeraj Chopra scripted history after winning a gold medal. It was India’s first athletics gold medal at the Olympics Games. He became only the second individual Olympic gold medalist for India after Abhinav Bindra won shooting gold in 2008. 

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“Team India excelled and inspired while Indians cheered and celebrated all around. Truly sports is a great unifier as our athletes come from villages and cities, north to south, from east to west. Their journey is an incredible story of resilience and sporting excellence,” Thakur added.

He further reflected India’s many firsts at Tokyo 2020, like seven Olympic Medals, first gold medal in an athletics event, two successive medals in consecutive Olympic Games by PV Sindhu, etc. 

“We also had the first female sailor from India to qualify for the Olympics – Nethra Kumanan, first Indian fencer from India to make it to the Olympics – Bhavani Devi, the best place achieved by an Indian in Equestrian eventing – Fouaad Mirza, the best-ever finish for Indian Rowers, the highest-placed finish by an Indian in golf by Aditi and a national record was set in the steeplechase by Avinash Sable,” said Thakur.

“And let me add, the foundations of sports in India are firm; under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, various schemes such as TOPs and Khelo India have shown results ensuring podium finish. We will continue to support our sportspersons and we endeavour to make India a sporting powerhouse,” he added.

Former Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also praised the performances of all the athletes and reiterated that India will be a force to reckon with by the 2028 Olympics.

“I am thrilled beyond words to share this space with our champion athletes today. This is a historic event with India registering its best-ever performance in the Olympics. We have much to be proud of, we have a hockey medal after 41 years and a first-ever gold in athletics. And it’s not just our medal winners, each athlete has put their best in Tokyo and I congratulate all of them.”