Among the list, some athletes had full military services
India celebrates its 79th year of independence in August 2025, and therefore, it is essential to acknowledge the milestones the nation has achieved in these 79 years, including notable achievements in sports. Speaking of sports, the nation has long had a tradition of selecting gifted athletes from the army and training them into champions. Not to forget, there’s also the tradition of felicitating champion sportspersons by giving them designations into various units of the country’s defence forces.
In this article, we salute those sportspersons who have either had full military service or were honoured with a designation in the defence forces for their sporting achievements.
(Credit- Bollywood Shadis)
Milkha Singh, known as the “Flying Singh”, had a full career in the military. He was introduced to running while in the army and remains the only sprinter from India to have won a gold medal at both the 400-metre event in the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. In the sprint, the late Milkha Singh remains one of the only two runners to have finished in the fourth position for India in an Olympic event.
Former shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore also had a full military service, having graduated from the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. He even served in Jammu & Kashmir, taking part in various critical operations. Rathore was the first Indian to win an Olympic medal in shooting for India, starting a trend that was followed by the likes of Abhinav Bindra and Manu Bhaker.
Paan Singh Tomar did not win an international accolade like the others, but he served in the military for his entire life. During his military days, he was introduced to steeplechase, an event that was largely unknown to the general public in the 1950s. He represented the country in the 3000-metre steeplechase at the 1958 Asian Games and held the national record for 10 years. His life after retiring from the army gained headlines for the injustice he had to face at the hands of his extended family and police, because of which he became a rebel.
Neeraj Chopra doesn’t have a career in military service but is a product of the Indian Army, having been selected for the Mission Olympics Wing training at the Army Sports Institute in Pune due to his achievements as a youth athlete. Since 2016, Chopra has been part of the army, where he started as Naib Subedar and now holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
One of the few female athletes to serve in the army, Preeti Rajak became the first female Subedar in the Indian Army, who is also an excellent trap shooter. She made India proud in the field of sports by winning a silver medal at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou.
Although India has no dearth of talent, its sporting infrastructure and opportunities still fall short of supporting the numbers. Therefore, the army has always been an institution that athletes try to join not only to serve the nation on the border but also with the hope of winning medals for the country in the field of sports. As India celebrates its 79th Independence Day, let us hope and pray that the defence units produce more such brilliant athletes.
