One of the most prestigious awards that are also one of the highest sporting honor of India is today renamed after Major Dhyan Chand. The prestigious award is now the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award and Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced today that the renaming will always recognize the ultimate hockey hero. Well surely Dhyan Chand is one of the greatest heroes and legends of the entire history of sports in our country and as per prime minister Narendra Modi, he got many requests from across the nation to change the awards name.
In his official Twitter account, he wrote that “I have been getting many requests from citizens to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views. Respecting their sentiments, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. Prime Minister and his tweet with Jai Hind!
Well as it is a known fact that the change has now come around the time when the Indian hockey team was performing in the prestigious Tokyo Olympics 2020. The women’s hockey team missed the bronze medal and also the men’s hockey team at the same time won an Olympic bronze medal after a gap of a whole 41 years in the entire Olympic history. Before announcing the news of renaming the procedures award, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in his official Twitter account that “the exceptional performance of the men’s and women’s hockey team has captured the imagination of an entire nation. There is a renewed interest in hockey that is emerging across the length and breadth of India. This is a very positive sign for the coming times.”
Well, the announcement quickly hit the headlines because of so many people commenting and reacting to it. Sports minister Anurag Thakur reacted to the announcement of renaming the award and tweeted that ” Major Dhyan Chand is India’s most legendary and loved sporting icon; it is only benefiting India’s highest Sporting honor named after him. His life and achievements have inspired generations of sportspersons who have achieved glory for India. The award was initially launched in the year 1991-92 and it consists of a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of 25 lakh rupees. The very first person who got the Khel Ratna award was none other than the famous chess legend Viswanathan Anand. Some of the prestigious known personalities who are owners of this award include cricketer Rohit Sharma, women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal, wrestler Vinesh Phogat and others.
Major Dhyan Chand is truly one of the greatest players that the country witnesses to date and he was also a very important part of the team that brought three Olympic gold medals to the country from the year 1928 to 1936. His contribution to the country is not easy to catch up for sure and thus he for once honored with the Padma Bhushan in 1956 and 29th August is famous as the national sports day every single year in India because the day is his birthday.
