GOLDEN SPEARHEAD

Neeraj’s Historic Win Propels India To Record Medal Haul

- Biju Babu Cyriac

The Indian national anthem was heard across the world on Saturday. Its rousing bars, echoing from the National Stadium in Tokyo, rose and rose until it swirled into each Indian home. The man responsible for this unusual experience stood on the podium below. He stood, flanked by two Czech competitors who had slugged it out among themselves as if in some intra-former Eastern bloc contest, leaving the main spoils – the lion’s share – untouched for the man in the middle.

Neeraj Chopra, of the unruly mane, shoulders of steel and knee-weakening dashing good looks, had just done India a turn that had left the nation first stunned, and then euphoric. Not since 2008 had the national anthem been played at the Olympics. Not since 1980 was it being played in an open stadium, and certainly never in India’s 121-year history at the Games had it rung in the athletics stadium — the site of competitions considered the blue-ribbon events of the Olympics.

For decades, India had lived with epic, operatic “nearly there” stories. Now, in the most minimum fuss manner, we were suddenly handed a gold in track & field. It felt like an early Diwali and Christmas rolled into one.