Insight Bureau: Every year on August 29, National Sports Day is observed to honor hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. Major Dhyan Chand Singh, who won gold medals for India in Olympics in 1928, 1932, and 1936, was born on this day.
During his illustrious career, Major Dhyan Chand scored 570 goals. The day also commemorates the nation’s sports heroes and champions, acknowledging their valuable contribution and dedication to bringing glory to the country.
The day’s objective is to raise awareness about the principles of sports, such as discipline, persistence, team spirit, and team building, and to encourage the wider populace to engage in sports and make it a part of their lives, while highlighting the significance of staying fit and healthy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted people on National Sports Day, saying that the last few years have been fantastic for sports. On the occasion of Dhyan Chand’s birth anniversary, he also paid tribute to him.
Dhyan Chand is considered to be the greatest Indian field hockey player of all time. He was the man who had everyone spellbound with his silky stickwork, earning him the moniker “hockey wizard.” Dhyan Singh, born on August 29, 1905, in Allahabad to Sharadha Singh and Sameshwar Singh, a soldier in the British Indian Army, was drawn to hockey at a young age. He, like his father, joined the army at the age of 16 and continued to play his favorite sport there.
On Dhyan Chand’s birthday (August 29), the great nation observes National Sports Day, and he is the sole hockey player to be recognized with a commemorative postage stamp and a First-Day Cover.
The Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports, named after the hockey legend, is a national sporting honor. The national stadium in New Delhi is also named after him, and Dhyan Chand’s legend remains an inspiration to many hockey players.