Double Olympic and World Championship medallist Neeraj Chopra has stepped into a new role off the field, launching his own athlete management company, Vel Sports, after ending a decade-long association with JSW Sports.
What does ‘Vel’ mean? The word “Vel” refers to the divine spear carried by Lord Kartikeya, also known as Murugan, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in Hindu mythology. The Vel is widely regarded as a symbol of strength, purpose, and victory. According to mythological tradition, the spear was gifted to Kartikeya by Goddess Parvati before his battle against evil forces. For Chopra, the connection felt immediate and personal. “I would like to share the story behind the name ‘Vel’ in VEL Sports Management. While working with my team, we came across several names, one of which was Vel. “When we looked into its meaning, we found out that the son of Shiva and Parvati, Murugan, carried a divine spear called the Vel. I also throw the javelin, and I noticed that Vel is part of the word. I felt a connection there, so we decided to go ahead with the name,” Chopra said in a video shared on the company’s website.
De Zerbi Leaves Olympique De Marseille By Mutual Consent After PSG Defeat The symbolism aligns naturally with his identity as a javelin thrower: an athlete whose sport revolves around a spear-like implement. The choice reflects an attempt to fuse cultural roots with sporting ambition. When did Neeraj Chopra launch Vel Sports? Chopra formally launched Vel Sports Management in January 2026 after his contract with JSW Sports ended in December 2025. Company records indicate that the firm was incorporated in December 2023, with Chopra and Surender Kumar listed as directors. Interestingly, sources have confirmed that the Neeraj Chopra Classic was initially considered to be named the “Vel Classic” before the final branding decision was taken.
Why is this significant? Chopra was among the earliest athletes signed by JSW Sports under its Sports Excellence Programme in 2016. The partnership spanned his historic Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020 and silver in Paris 2024. By launching Vel Sports, he signals a desire to take greater ownership of his commercial and sporting ecosystem. In naming the firm after a mythological spear, Chopra has effectively woven faith, identity, and performance into a single idea: strength with direction, ambition with grounding.
