As the season of endless felicitations, sponsor events, ad shoots, and interviews extended into November, Tokyo Olympics gold medallistNeeraj Chopra‘s window to tick something off his bucket list shrunk. His sister’s wedding was in the third week after which he was to travel abroad for training.
The automobile enthusiast was restless. He keeps track of new launches and can talk about engine horsepower, top speed and acceleration times. Chopra test drove his dream SUV. The butch looks and road presence appealed to him. He was also being pragmatic. His javelins fit only in an SUV.
But the dealer said the four-wheel drive would take over a month to be imported, by which time he would be flying out. Chopra didn’t pull strings to get ahead on the waiting list for delivery.
Quietly he looked for options in the second-hand market and settled for a used sports car.
Driving around Khandra village and Panipat town gave Chopra some rare ‘me time’ after more than three months of whirlwind touring to be feted as India’s first gold medallist in track and field. The who’s who of the country wanted his time. He was unable to step out without being recognised, even if he wore a mask and a cap. There were selfie requests at every step.
He had no time to train or hit the gym. Chopra gained weight and had to cut short his season. To his credit, the 24-year-old didn’t let success go to his head, nor was he at his wit’s end when his life turned into one big public mela.
He consciously kept the trappings of fame at a distance. He retreated to the comfort of his close-knit family and a small circle of friends when his stardom matched that of the big cricket names. His mentions on social media were in millions and his followers grew by lakhs overnight.
Aman Shah has been working closely with Chopra over the past four years and was with him during most of the post-Olympics travel. Shah is part of the team which manages him at JSW Sports. Being in the public eye came at a cost for Chopra. But he took it in his stride, says Shah.
When the attention got a little too much, Chopra needed a little help. Before flights, a request was made to the protocol officer at the airport to allow him an easier passage to the aircraft, away from the common area. But the pilots often gave away who was on board.
“On airplanes, they used to announce ‘we are thrilled to have the Olympic gold medallist on board.’ Not once did I see him get angry with anyone despite people being invasive,” Shah describes.
