Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra strikes gold with endorsements
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Mumbai: Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra is adding momentum to India's non-cricket endorsement space following his recent win at the 2025 Paris Diamond League and the launch of the Neeraj Chopra Classic , India's first global javelin competition.Held on July 5 at Bengaluru's Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Neeraj Chopra Classic brought together top international athletes and drew several major sponsors, including Visa, Audi India, Duolingo English Test, and Snapchat.Chopra's rising influence off the field reflects a broader shift in India's sports marketing landscape. According to Kroll, his brand value is estimated at $30 million, placing him just behind the country's leading cricketers.Endorsements linked to emerging sports made up 14% of India's ₹1,224 crore sports celebrity endorsement market in the last year, a 46% increase that industry executives say is driven by athletes like Chopra.Brands such as Tata AIA, Audi India, Visa, Krafton and Under Armour have partnered with Chopra, whose endorsement roster now includes nearly 20 high-profile names.Karan Yadav, chief commercial officer at JSW Sports , which manages Chopra's commercial portfolio, said that the focus has always been on being selective. "Over the last fiscal year, we've seen a clear and strategic evolution in Neeraj's brand portfolio. The mandate from the very beginning has been to be focused, deliberate, and selective," he says. "Instead of maximising volume, our goal has been to align with brands that resonate with Neeraj's personality, values, and passions."One example is Chopra's recent tie-up with Audi India."Neeraj's authentic passion for automobiles made Audi a natural partner. The alignment was so strong that the collaboration became a seamless extension of Neeraj's identity," Yadav explains.
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