Khandra, a
small village of barely 2,000 residents in the Indian state of Haryana, got national
attention on Saturday as javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra became the second Indian
individual Olympic gold medallist, and the only one to win gold in an athletics
event.

The village
united in delirious celebrations as Czech Jakub Vadlejch’s javelin landed
nearly a metre off Neeraj’s monster throw of 87.58m, confirming a historic gold
medal for the 23-year-old. The village witnessed scenes that are commonplace in a metropolis, with dozens of media vans choking the streets and a considerable crowd
gathered near the giant screen where the Olympics events were being broadcast live.

Also Read | 100 years, 3 stories, 1 dream: Neeraj Chopra’s win is more than just a gold

The scenes
were chaotic for a while after Neeraj’s win, with his mother Saroj saying she
had never seen such fanfare before. White markers all around the village led to
the giant screen that had particularly been set up to watch the javelin throw
final. Villagers began gathering at the spot since hours before the event, with
children bickering over the front-row seats.

Also Read | Neeraj Chopra dedicates historic Olympic gold to Milkha Singh

The crowd
was well-versed with the sport and interactive as the event unfolded. As Germany’s
Johannes Vetter came up for his throw, a youngster shouted “Yehi hai wo! (He’s
the one!)”. They knew he was the one to beat.

Crackers were
burst, sweets were distributed, music was blasted from giant speakers to which people
danced as the result was confirmed. And nearly everyone involved in the celebrations
had a story to tell about Neeraj, about how they met him, how he used to practice,
his early life and much more.  

Neeraj’s
uncle Bhim recalled the years of work that led to this moment. “This is the
result of years of sacrifice. We as a family did everything to help him do well
in the sport. I am really proud of what our son has done today,” The Indian
Express quoted him as saying.

Also Read | What you need to know about Neeraj Chopra, India’s Golden Boy

One story about
Neeraj recalls how he got the nickname of ‘Sarpanch’ (village chief). As per
the story, Neeraj’s father had gifted him a crisp white kurta one day, which he
wore to school. The kurta was so neat and crisp, that Neeraj’s friends
started calling him ‘Sarpanch’ and the name stuck with him ever since.

Another
story recounted how Neeraj burnt down the kitchen while trying to swat away bees.
He also tied the tail of a cow in a knot. His uncle Sultan said that Neeraj was
an “over-pampered boy” and that he was hardly assigned any work in the fields.

“He wasn’t
allowed to do any household chores. We didn’t send him to work in the fields.
He was the first kid in our family and he was like a doll for us.”

Also Read | Neeraj Chopra’s gold and India’s rocky road to an Olympic medal in athletics

He was the
eldest child in the joint-family of 17 members, which meant his grandmother
would always ensure he got the lion’s share of milk, butter and cream in the
house, which Neeraj was never too shy to turn down. As he gained weight, he was
sent to a gym, and we all know what that has eventually led to.

His father
Satish says the family always ensures Neeraj stays grounded to his roots. “For
us, he will always remain a child. Whenever he comes, we try to make sure that
we don’t praise him much because we don’t want his success to go to his head.
Even now if he comes, you’ll find him working in the fields.”