Family on oath of secrecy, friends in dark: How Neeraj Chopra pulled off the secret wedding

New Delhi: A family that took an oath of secrecy, a national federation which kept mum despite claiming to know everything and his closest friends in dark -- one of India's most iconic athletes, Neeraj Chopra, got married in complete secrecy at a time when even mildly popular celebrities struggle to keep things private.

The amiable youngster, a bonafide giant of Indian sports with two individual Olympic medals against his name, left the country wonder-struck on Sunday night and this time his sporting prowess had nothing to do with it.

It was all about how easily he managed to dodge the constant glare of traditional as well as social media to complete an important life event.

He eventually dropped the news to the world at a time of his choosing, which was a good 48 hours after solemnising his union with US-based tennis player and coach Himani Mor.

The 27-year-old shared photos from the intimate ceremony that featured only the two families and sought the world's blessings.

They landed in heaps on social media but most of his over 10 million followers across social media platforms also wondering, "just how did he do it?"

His paternal uncle Bhim Chopra had some if not all the answers.

"Neeraj aur Himani pehle se ek dusare ko jaante the (Both of them knew each other for a while). It happened around two years back through some friends. Both families have also known each other for some time," he told PTI.

The wedding preparations had been on for the past several months but none of the build-up could reach the media, which follows Neeraj's life and career rather aggressively ever since he first burst on to the scene in 2016 with a junior world title.

"Only the members of both families were there in the marriage because Neeraj wanted it that way and both families also wanted it this way. The couple has now left the country," Bhim Chopra said.

The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) claims it was aware of what was brewing and complied with the superstar and his family's wish for privacy.

"Yes. He informed the AFI about his marriage. He wanted to do it in private with very close ones," a top AFI official said.

"He will celebrate it with all after this season is over." The ceremony did not happen at his sprawling home in Khandra village near Panipat in Haryana.

The exact venue for the festivities is not known but it was some place in Himachal Pradesh a state that is in the grip of a bitter cold wave after a fresh round of snowfall.

The bride and groom opted for pastel shades for the wedding look and the pictures that Neeraj shared showed them sitting with folded hands and eyes closed amid traditional hindu rituals.

It was the only glimpse that his fans got of the man on his big day, on which he demonstrated how fiercely he guards his private life.

It was also in complete contrast to the celebrity weddings of current era in which every detail is shared or leaked online for the gratification of forever-curious fan clubs and media.

Last year, Neeraj became one of the most followed track-and-field athletes in the world on Instagram when he hit nine million followers, a number that has swelled considerably.

After his Tokyo Olympics gold, he was also the most written-about track and field athlete in 2022, displacing Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt from the top of the list, according to World Athletics, the global governing body.

Their friendship and eventual relationship may go back a couple of years but almost no information exists in the online space to indicate that the two were close or even knew each other.

His uncle too refused to divulge any information on how Neeraj and Himani started seeing each other.

Neeraj's season will likely start in the next three months with Diamond League and will end only in September. The World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, which is the most important event of this year and where he will defend his title, will be held from September 13-21.

The Bride

In complete contrast to Neeraj's stardom is the profile of his 25-year-old bride, who hails from Larsauli, near Sonepat, which is barely 75km from New Delhi.

A tennis player, who achieved a career-best national ranking of 42 in singles and 27 in doubles in 2018, Himani is currently a graduate assistant at Amherst College in the US, managing and overseeing the institution's women's tennis team.

She is also pursuing an Masters degree from McCormack Isenberg School of Management under the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Himani is an alumni of Delhi's Miranda House college where she completed her bachelor's degree in Political Science and Physical Education. Her brother, Himanshu, is also a tennis player.