Two countries, two mothers & one sentiment win a billion hearts

Paris, NT Bureau: Motherly love is one of the most profound and powerful forces in the world, capable of bringing even the fiercest conflicts to a halt. This love knows no boundaries, not even between nations like India and Pakistan.

The mothers of Arshad Nadeem and Neeraj Chopra have shown us that a mother not only celebrates her own son's success but also wishes the best for his competitor, especially when they share a deep friendship.

Their example transcends borders and reminds us of the unifying power of a mother's love. Nadeem dethroned hopra as Olympic champion as he won the gold with a recordbreaking throw of 92.97m on August 8.

Meanwhile, silver medallist Neeraj Chopra won back-to-back Olympic medals with his season-best of 89.4m. Nadeem's mother Razhia Parveen celebrated her son's historic gold medal in the final of the men's javelin throw final at the Paris Olympics 2024.

Neeraj's mother, Saroj Devi, said that Arshad is also like her son. Arshad's mother has echoed the same sentiments, saying she sees Neeraj as her own son like Arshad.

The warmth they exuded was a refreshing change from the often vile discourse that accompanies any India-Pakistan sporting showdown, fuelled by the ever-outraged keyboard warriors on social media. Nadeem beat the Indian defending champion in Paris.

Chopra clinched a silver medal with a season's best throw of 89.45m after Nadeem pulled off an Olympic record-breaking effort of 92.97m on Thursday night.

Instead of bitterness, there were celebrations in both the countries and both Devi and Parveen deserve some credit for changing the discourse. The camaraderie between Neeraj and Arshad is for the world to see as the duo showcased mutual respect and love for each other.

Their mothers also presented their selfless nature and won the admiration of fans beyond borders with their heartfelt comments.

"We are happy with the silver. The one who got the gold (Arshad Nadeem) is also my child," Devi said, her words resonating with a sense of sportsmanship and shared humanity that often transcends the fierce competition on the field.

Her words reflect the deep respect and affection she holds for her son’s competitor, a rare and beautiful sentiment in the world of competitive sports.Their sentiments underscore the power of love and unity in a world often divided by national rivalries.

Echoing the same sentiment, Arshad's mother said in an interview with a Pakistani news channel: "He (Neeraj) is also like my son. He is Nadeem's friend and also his brother. Wins and losses are part of the sport. May god bless him, may he win medals. They are like brothers, I've prayed for Neeraj too."

She isn't off the mark. Chopra stood up for Nadeem when he became the target of social media trolls after a short clip of him sifting through javelins during the Tokyo finals was portrayed as an attempt to tamper Chopra's equipment.

The Indian also offered him support when Nadeem resorted to crowd-funding to finance a new javelin after the one he had was worn out following years of use. Both Neeraj and Nadeem are good friends off the field despite being fierce rivals on it.