On National Sports Day, we remember legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand

Every year, August 29 is celebrated as National Sports Day in India. On this day, the entire nation revels in the achievements of various sports persons, and acknowledges the importance of physical activity in our lives.

It is also that time of the year when the President of India gives away the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna, and Dronacharya awards to sports persons for their achievements.

But the man behind National Sports Day is none other than legendary hockey player, Major Dhyan Chand, who is widely regarded as the greatest hockey player of all time.

Known as the ‘Wizard of Hockey’, he was popular for his brilliant goal-scoring feats and his mastery over the control of the ball. Chand scored more than 400 goals in his international career and also bagged three Olympic gold medals for the country in 1928, 1932 and 1936.

Recognising his contribution, the Government of India awarded him with India’s third-highest civilian honour, the Padma Bhushan, in 1956.

As we commemorate his 114th birth anniversary this year, let’s find out more about the luminary.

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The Wizard of Indian Hockey

Born in the holy city of Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, Dhyan Chand followed his father’s footsteps and joined the British Indian Army when he was just 17. Since he used to practise the game of hockey right under the illuminance of the moonlight every evening, his friends began calling him ‘Chand’ (a word for moon in Hindi). Starting 1922, he started playing in hockey tournaments and regimental matches.

After observing Chand’s performance on the field, he was selected to play for the Indian Army team in New Zealand. On his return he was promoted to the rank of Lance Naik. A few years later, he was given the opportunity to participate in the Olympics, and he outdid himself in three consecutive tournaments. Chand was the leading scorer with 14 goals at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, 12 goals at the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Olympics, and three hat-trick goals over Germany in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Reports say that German dictator Adolf Hitler was so impressed with Dhyan Chand’s game that he offered the hockey player a position in the German Army. However, Chand politely refused to take it up.

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The end of an illustrious career

It was in the year 1948 that Dhyan Chand decided to step away from the game of hockey. Chand’s last match was the Rest of India team against Bengal, which he ended with a goal. But his love for hockey was so much that he could not disassociate himself from it completely. He took up the position of Chief Hockey Coach at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala for several years.

After his stint as a coach, he immersed himself into writing. His autobiography - titled ‘Goal!’ - was published in 1952, and received great responses from many.

Chand retired from the Army in 1956 at the age of 51 with the rank of Major, and decided to spend the rest of his life at his hometown in Jhansi. Chand passed away on December 3, 1979, due to liver cancer.

After the star player’s death, the British Government named a hockey pitch in London after Chand. The Government of India too renamed The National Stadium in Delhi to Dhyan Chand National Stadium in 2002 in his remembrance. They also introduced The Dhyan Chand award as the highest award for Lifetime Achievement in sports in the country. Even today, the award is given by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports every year to honour people’s contribution in the field of sports.

(Edited by Megha Reddy)

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