In a heartwarming gesture, Mohak Nahta, the Indian-origin CEO of US-based visa startup Atlys, has kept his promise to offer free visas to all Indians for a day, even though Neeraj Chopra won a silver medal instead of gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Nahta had earlier announced that if Chopra secured a gold medal, Atlys would provide free visas for a day to anyone applying for a visa to any country, without any charges. Despite Chopra finishing second behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem in the men’s javelin throw, Nahta chose to honor his commitment, highlighting the spirit of the sport over the color of the medal.
In a LinkedIn post, Nahta explained his decision: “I promised a free visa if we won gold. Today, it’s clear—it’s not the color of the medal but our spirit that shines. To celebrate this achievement, I’m going ahead with our original offer of free visas for all Indians today.”
He further assured that those who had commented with their emails on his previous posts would soon receive instructions on how to redeem this offer. The gesture has been met with widespread appreciation and excitement from the Indian community.
Chopra’s silver medal marks him as the second Indian male athlete to win two Olympic medals in an individual event post-independence. Despite the competition, Chopra and Nadeem have maintained a strong friendship off the field, with Chopra previously supporting Nadeem’s quest for a quality javelin.
Nahta’s initiative has resonated positively with many, as evident from user comments expressing gratitude for the free visa offer. One user shared, “Thank you, Mohak Nahta Sir, for fulfilling your promise and giving me the opportunity to apply for a visa. I successfully applied for a Canadian tourist visa absolutely free under the Neeraj Chopra Olympic Medal Scheme.”
However, some users encountered technical issues with redeeming the free visa offer. One user noted, “Thank you for keeping your promise. I received the email, but upon logging in, I can’t see any free visas; everything still shows a $ value.” Another commented, “Really appreciate the initiative. However, the website doesn’t show the visas as free. I hope you can extend the application timeline if this takes longer to fix.”
Nahta’s gesture, celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship and honoring a commitment, has made a significant impact, reinforcing the connection between the Indian community and the global sporting event.