As the country celebrates National Sports Day today, we are passing through the days when the name India is being heard in the international sports arena. Praggnanandhaa's runner-up finish against Magnus Carlsen at the Chess World Cup in Azerbaijan, Indian women's cricket team's title at the International Blind Sports Federation World Games in Birmingham, Malayalee HS Prannoy's bronze at the World Badminton Championship in Copenhagen. With Neeraj Chopra's gold at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest added to these, India's heart is proud.

Neeraj Chopra has the role of a magician in Indian sports who has made many things that many thought impossible possible. From being the first Indian to win gold at the World Junior Championships to the first Indian to win an Olympic gold in athletics, Neeraj has now won a gold at the World Championships. The 25-year-old's collection includes gold medals in the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Diamond League meets. After Milkha Singh, PT Usha and Anju Bobby George, Neeraj Chopra is India's proudest athletics player on the world stage.

The boy who grabbed the javelin to reduce obesity when his grandmother's love turned into sweets! He started in 2012 with a record-winning gold at the National Junior Athletics Meet held in Lucknow. In 2016, Neeraj entered the list of future stars of the world after winning gold with a record in the World Under-20 Championship. Opportunity to train abroad under top coaches with sponsorship from JSW Company. Coaching under world record holders Uwe Hohn, Werner Daniels, Garry Calvert and Klaus Bartonietz helped Neeraj win gold at the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games, Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Tokyo Olympics.

This is Neeraj's first gold and second medal at the World Championships. Last year, he won silver in the World Championship held in Eugene, USA. After Anju Bobby George, Neeraj was the first Indian player to win a medal at the World Championships. He also became the first Indian since Abhinav Bindra to hold a world championship and an Olympic individual gold together. Neeraj is working towards his big goal of throwing the javelin beyond 90m.

Adding to the pride of Neeraj's gold was the Indian team's performance in the heats of the 4x400m relay at the World Championships, which finished with an Asian record. Although the Indian team consisting of Malayalees Muhammad Anas, Amoj Jacob and Muhammad Ajmal failed to win a medal in the finals in front of the experienced players of America, Britain and Jamaica, their fifth-placed performance will be remembered forever. Congratulations to the players who have made India proud in the world sports arenas.