Info4Now– National Sports Day 2021: National Sports Day is celebrated on the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand. On this day, President hands over the Dronacharya Award, Arjun Award to the country’s achievements in the field of sports. To honor ‘The Magician of Hockey’ Dhyan Chand, Indian Govt. recently renamed The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself twitted this.

Let’s take a look at Major Dhyan Chand’s facts and his contribution to Indian sports –

1. Dhyan Chand was born on 29 August 1905 in Allahabad (currently Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh. Dhyan Chand’s family members played hockey for the British Indian Army. Father Someshwar Singh served in the army.

2. Dhyan Chand joined the British Indian Army in 1922. He was just 18 then. Due to lack of time, the legendary hockey star used to practice at night. That’s why his teammates used to call him ‘Chand’. He was promoted to the rank of Major of the Punjab Regiment.

3. Dhyan Chand graduated from Victoria College, Gwalior in 1932.

4. Dhyan Chand was mainly interested in wrestling at a very young age. Although later he concentrated on hockey. He played in 1928, 1932, and 1936 Olympics for the Indian hockey team under the British. Every time he brought gold to the country.

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5. From 1926 to 1949, in his entire career, Dhyan Chand scored over 400 goals. In 1956, the Government of India awarded him Padma Bhushan.

6. Dhyan Chand was the top scorer at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. Dhyan Chand got the title of ‘The Magician’ or The Wizard’ of hockey in this Olympics.

7. India defeated the United States 24-1 in a match at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. That record was intact until 2003. Dhyan Chand scored 8 goals in the match. His brother Roop Singh scored 10 goals. India scored 35 goals in that tournament. Dhyan Chand and his brother scored 25 goals.

8. Dhyan Chand was selected as the captain for the 1934 tour of New Zealand. He scored a total of 201 goals in 23 matches in that tour.

9. Even Hitler was impressed with Dhyan Chand’s game. Hitler wanted to grant him German citizenship, but Dhyan Chand refused to accept it. A statue of the legendary hockey star has been erected in Vienna, the capital of Austria.

10. Dhyan Chand played the last match of his life against Bengal. Dhyan Chand retired in 1956 at the age of 51.

11. Dhyan Chand was diagnosed with cancer at the end of his life. He breathed his last on December 3, 1979, at the AIIMS in New Delhi.

Sources: Wikipedia, ABP Network