Olympic Champion Neeraj Chopra and Wife Launch Athlete-First Management Venture

Neeraj Chopra, India's Olympic gold medalist in javelin throw, and his wife Himani Mor, a former tennis player who represented India at the ITF World Juniors, have formally entered the sports management space. In January 2024, Chopra founded Vel Sports Management, with Mor serving as its managing director. Alongside this, the Neeraj Chopra Foundation aims to mentor the next generation of athletes.

The couple, who married in January 2023 in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, have known each other since 2016, when both trained at the Sports Authority of India centre in Sonipat. Their families had longstanding ties; Mor's parents were kabaddi players, and her father captained the Indian team at the first circle kabaddi world cup in Pakistan in 1983.

Vel Sports Management adopts an athlete-first approach, prioritising training and performance over commercial commitments. Mor explained, 'We want to keep athletes and their priorities at the forefront. We want to create an ecosystem that works around athletes' schedules, allowing them to balance training while maintaining professional commitments.'

Chopra echoed this vision: 'Athletes can work with brands when they are not training or competing. This way, there is a mutual understanding. An athlete's career or performance should not be affected.'

The venture currently operates with a small team. Mor's background as a competitive tennis player gives her firsthand insight into athletes' needs. The couple hope that both the management agency and the foundation will outlast Chopra's active career, creating a lasting legacy for Indian sports.