PM Modi took to Twitter to made the announcement. “I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views. Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Jai Hind!” tweeted Modi.

It was in 1991-92 when the Khel Ratna award was first conferred to Chess genius Viswanathan Anand. The other winners who were honoured with the award were Leander Paes, Sachin Tendulkar, Dhanraj Pillay, Pullela Gopichand, Abhinav Bindra, Anju Bobby George, Mary Kom and Rani Rampal in 2020.

The hockey classic, Major Dhyan Chand, played international hockey from 1926 to 1949, scoring over 400 goals throughout his career. Dhyan Chand, born in Allahabad, was part of the national team that won gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics.

Apart from the Khel Ratna award, the country’s highest award for lifetime achievement in sports is known as the Dhyan Chand Award. It was inaugurated in 2002. In the same year, the National Stadium in New Delhi was renamed the Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

The post Khel Ratna renamed to Dhyan Chand award first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Achievements & Awards

• He had Scored over 400 Goals in 22 Years in the duration of 1928 to 1936.
• He earned 3 Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936 for his contribution towards India Hockey.
• He was also known as “The Wizard of the Hockey”
  Dhyan Chand Award is a lifetime achievement in sports and games in India.
• The Government of India also honored him with Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor in 1956.
• Additionally, the Government of India also celebrates his birthday as National Sports day on 29th August.

Here are some known facts of the Legend Hockey Player.

• This great legend was born in Allahabad, He was the elder brother of well known Roop Singh. His family had also played hockey for the British Indian Army.
• He was graduated from Victoria College in Gwalior in 1932.
• In his childhood days, He was not that not fond of sports, but he had an interest in Wrestling.
• Dhyan Chand Singh’s fellow players used to call him “Chand” since they noticed him practicing during the night after his duty hours.
• This player’s most rememberable year was 1928 when he had played as a leading goal scorer and scored 14 goals in Amsterdam Olympics.
• Beighton Cup final 1933 between Calcutta Customs and Jhansi Heroes was legend’s favorite Hockey match memory
• Dhyan Chand Singh once was offered German citizenship by then German dictator Adolf Hitler. However, he denied the offer.

Check Out some rare videos of this Legend-

The post A Tribute to Dhyan Chand on His 115th Birth Anniversary- National Sports Day 29 August first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.