Neeraj Chopra once requested a student to ask question in Hindi. Years on, Olympic champion taught himself to speak English. Here's how

At the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, the press conference room was buzzing. Neeraj Chopra responded to a flurry of questions from the media, his answers were crisp and confident. But before the next question could be asked, he would turn towards the foreign athletes sitting besides him. With ease, Neeraj began translating what had just been said—switching from Hindi to English without missing a beat. It wasn’t just a translation; it was a bridge between two worlds, built entirely through his own self-taught journey in English. And that journey didn’t start with a private tutor or at any institution. It began with nothing more than curiosity, a phone app, and a determination as unshakable as his javelin arm.

Several years back, Neeraj Chopra was part of a panel at an event when a student asked him a question in English. Neeraj smilingly asked him and said, “Hindi aati hain aapko, Hindi mein hi pooch lo aap?” (Do you know Hindi? Please ask the question in Hindi).

Here's the video of Neeraj asking student to speak in Hindi

In the world of sports where the competitors frequently have teams of tutors and interpreters, Neeraj went DIY. No grammar classes, no lessons—just sharp ears, good coaches, and the Duolingo owl on his phone for company. And though the gold medals might be the most dazzling, his own path to learning English is a story of grit, humility, and some laugh-out-loud language gaffes.

Recently, Neeraj Chopra opened up—not about training methods or medal wins, but about his relationship with the English language. As it turns out, Neeraj did not get to take advantage of fancy tutors or pricey language lessons. No, instead he learned English from his coaches, his teammates, and—his phone. “I started learning by listening to my coaches speak. Then, I used Duolingo whenever I had time,” he was quoted saying in an interview with Duolingo English Test takers.

Neeraj's learning of English wasn't about communication alone—it was about confidence. “At first, I was hesitant. But I kept practicing. That’s all you need—consistency and belief,” he added.

Training with foreign coaches introduced Neeraj to a mix of languages, ranging from German to Swedish. He even learned phrases to interact with them better. But not all his efforts were effortless.

“I once greeted someone in German with full confidence,” he laughed. “But when they replied fluently, I panicked and switched back to English immediately!”

The anecdote left everyone in stitches—and established this: even world champions make mistakes, and that's perfectly fine. Neeraj Chopra's story is a reminder that language should not be an obstacle—it should be a bridge. Whether it's just throwing a javelin 90meters or just speaking your first full English sentence, it all begins with one thing: putting in the effort.

Here's the link to the full video:

Speaking to students preparing to embark on their journeys abroad, Neeraj shared heartfelt advice. He said, “I come from a small village, and I had a dream to represent my country and play for India. If you have a dream, don’t just keep it as a dream. Work hard for it, and make the people who matter in your life believe in it too. Their support makes everything stronger. It may take time, but if you keep working at it, it will happen.”