National Sports Day: Hockey magician Major Dhyan Chand who turned down dictator Hitler's offer

Posted on 29th Aug 2022 by rohit kumar

Sports Day 2022: The date of 29 August is very special for India. Today our country is celebrating National Sports Day. This day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of the great hockey player of the country, Major Dhyan Chand. The greatness of Major Dhyan Chand, who is called the magician of hockey, can be gauged from the fact that when he used to play hockey, it seemed as if the ball used to stick to his stick. The achievements of Dhyanchand had taken the history of Indian sports to a new peak even during British rule.

 

More than 400 goals in a career

 

Born on August 29, 1905, in Prayagraj (then Allahabad), Major Dhyanchand had no match in the whole world in the hockey game. He played hockey for India for about 22 years and scored more than 400 international goals during this period. In three consecutive Olympics (Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932, and Berlin in 1936), India won gold medals on its own in hockey.

 

joined the army at the age of 16

 

Major Dhyan Chand's father was in the army and used to play hockey for him. Dhyan Chand also joined the army at the age of 16. During this time, he too as if he had fallen in love with hockey. Dhyan Chand has received more than 400 awards from around 55 countries in the world. Due to these achievements, his birthday is celebrated as Sports Day in the country.

 

When Hitler's proposal was rejected

 

The story is from the 1936 Berlin Olympics. In the hockey match played against Germany, India registered an excellent 8-1 victory over it. Germany's dictator Adolf Hitler was also admired for Major Dhyanchand's game in the match. After the match, Hitler met Major Dhyan Chand and offered him a higher rank in his army. However, he politely turned down Hitler's offer. He had won praise from all over the world with this move.

 

The tales of sticking the ball to hockey were famous

 

It is believed that Major Dhyan Chand used to play hockey as if the ball used to stick to his stick. To allay this apprehension, his hockey stick was checked by breaking during a match in Holland (Netherlands). During a match in Japan, it was also said that his stick was glued.

 

Government of India gives Khel Ratna Award

 

In honor of Major Dhyan Chand, the Government of India honors the players who have performed well in sports for the country with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. There has been a demand to give him Bharat Ratna for a long time. However, till now the Government of India's reply has not come on this. The country's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also remembered him and congratulated the countrymen on Sports Day. He wrote- Hearty congratulations on National Sports Day on the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand Ji. Recent years have been very good for sports. This cycle continued even further. The game keeps gaining popularity all over India.

 

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