India celebrates National Sports Day on August 29, the birth anniversary of hockey hero Major Dhyan Chand. In 2012, the day was declared India’s National Sports Day. Major Dhyan Chand was a legend in Indian and international hockey. With victories at the Summer Olympics in 1928, 1932, and 1936, he was instrumental in helping India complete their first hat-trick of Olympic gold medals.Dhyan was so dedicated to his art that he used to practice hockey at night after his regular daytime tasks were over, earning him the nickname Dhyan ‘Chand.'
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SPORTS DAY
Major Dhyan Chand, a field hockey player, is recognized by many to be the greatest field hockey player ever. Dhyan Chand was born on August 29, 1905, in Allahabad, India, to a Kushwaha Rajput family. He was the son of Sharadha and Rameshwar Singh. Dhyan Chand had two brothers — Mool Singh and Roop Singh. The latter, also a hockey player, was a member of the Indian field hockey team, which won gold medals for India at the Olympic Games in 1932 and 1936.
Chand’s father served in the British Indian Army, where he was a member of the hockey team. Chand was well-known for his superb ball control and goal-scoring abilities. India won the field hockey event in seven of the eight Olympics from 1928 through 1964, demonstrating his influence beyond these successes.
According to his memoirs, Chand played internationally from 1926 until 1949, scoring 570 goals in 185 matches during his home and international career. In 1956 he retired from the army with the rank of major, and in the same year, the Indian government awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian honor.
To mark his birthday, India established National Sports Day in 2012. The purpose of the celebration is to honor the sporting legend and create awareness about the importance of sporting activities in everyday life, with a focus on fitness and health. The President of India bestows key honors on this day, including the Khel Ratna, Arjuna Awards, Dronacharya Awards, and Dhyan Chand Awards, to famous sports luminaries. Dhyan Chand passed away on December 3, 1979.
