From MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar to Neeraj Chopra: Prominent sports personalities who are associated with Indian Armed Forces

MS Dhoni, the former captain of the Indian cricket team, is renowned for his impressive cricket skills and achievements. In 2011, he was honored with the title of lieutenant colonel, alongside Olympic medalist Abhinav Bindra, and is also a certified paratrooper after completing five jumps. Dhoni has participated in various activities with the Territorial Army, including playing volleyball and celebrating Independence Day. Additionally, he received the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award, from President Ramnath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Kapil Dev, nicknamed the "Haryana Hurricane," is celebrated for leading India to victory in the 1983 World Cup, where he delivered a remarkable innings of 175 runs against Zimbabwe. His triumph symbolized a turning point for Indian cricket. In 2008, he was honored with the title of honorary Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army.

Sachin Tendulkar, a legendary cricketer and inspiration for many, is the highest run-scorer in cricket history. In 2010, he made history by becoming the first athlete and non-aviator to be appointed as an honorary group captain in the Indian Air Force.

Abhinav Bindra is a motivated and disciplined person who made history by becoming the first Indian to win an individual Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. His victory brought immense pride to the nation, reminiscent of the last gold medal win by India's men's hockey team in 1980.

In 2004, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore made history by winning India’s first individual silver medal in double trap shooting at the Athens Olympics. He was commissioned in the Indian Army in 1990 and served in the Kargil war, receiving promotions to Lieutenant in 1992, Major in 2000, and Colonel in 2009. After his shooting career, he transitioned into politics, securing a seat in the House of Commons and later leading the Sports Ministry and the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. By the end of his athletic career, he had collected a total of 25 international medals, including two golds.

Milkha Singh, known as the Flying Sikh, made significant contributions to India's success in track and field. He won four gold medals at the Asian Games and one at the Commonwealth Games in 1958. His standout moment came at the 1960 Rome Olympics, where he finished fourth in the 400-meter final. Milkha also represented India in the Olympics in 1956 and 1964, and he received the Padma Shri award in 1959. He joined the Indian military in 1951 and later became a Junior Commissioned Officer after his success at the Asian Games.

Naib Subedar Deepak Punia is an Indian freestyle wrestler and Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army. He qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics by winning a silver medal in the 86 kg category at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships. Born in Jhajjar, Haryana, he is also the current Commonwealth champion, having won gold by defeating Pakistan's Muhammad Inam in the final at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Neeraj Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist and javelin thrower, has been honored with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel by the Indian Army, effective April 16. He joined the army as a Naib Subedar in 2016 and was promoted to Subedar in 2021. Neeraj has won several prestigious awards, including the Arjuna Award, the Khel Ratna award, and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal. In 2022, he was promoted to Subedar Major and also received the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award.