NATIONAL SPORTS DAY 2023: Major Dhyan Chand, one of the greatest to ever pick a hockey stick, was a crafty player. He was born on August 29, 1905, in Prayagraj, formerly known as Allahabad. The legendary player’s legacy is etched in India’s sporting history and his birthday is celebrated as National Sports Day. His contributions to sports are so important that the government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan award, the third highest civilian award in India, in the year 1956.
Often referred to as The Wizard, Dhyan Chand’s amazing abilities with a hockey stick are well-known and still cherished. His ability to score goals effortlessly was always his best asset. The way he controlled the ball was never seen before and hasn’t been matched since.
Dhyan Chand won three consecutive Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936, establishing India as the most dominant force in hockey, rarely losing a match.
Dhyan Chand’s father was a hockey player and served in the British Army. He, too, followed his father’s footsteps and enrolled in the British Army at the age of 16. In addition to that, he started playing hockey and later joined the Indian Army Team. He was so involved in the game that he was often seen practising after his duty timings to work on his skills.
He debuted for the Indian Army Team in 1926 when they toured New Zealand for a series. India dominated the series winning 18 matches on the tour with 2 draws and 1 loss. From there, he never looked back and ascended to greatness.
Because of his remarkable performances, Dhyan Chand was selected in the Indian Hockey Team for the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. India went on to win the Gold medal that year as The Wizard performed racked up goals.
India continued its dominance winning the 1932 Olympics held in Los Angeles.
Dhyan Chand was named the captain of the national side in the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin. India was not a favourite entering the tournament as the world believed that Europe had caught up with them. Dhyan Chand proved them wrong winning the Gold medal after defeating the hosts Germany in the finals by a margin of 8-1.
Dhyan Chand is undisputedly the greatest hockey player to play for India. He scored more than 400 goals during his international career and was the biggest reason behind India’s 12-year reign of dominance in the sport.
The Government of India renamed the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, paying respect to the legendary hockey player.
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