Dhyan Chand Bharat Ratna Award:
Dhyan Chand, the Indian hockey player known worldwide as the wizard of hockey, mesmerized audiences with his exceptional skills. Every time his stick touched the ball on the field, opponents were left in awe. Such was his prowess that people believed his stick had a magnet inside. It was even broken to check for magnetic magic, but nothing was found. This hockey wizard led India to gold at three consecutive Olympics (1928 Amsterdam, 1932 Los Angeles, and 1936 Berlin), earning admiration from all quarters.
Today marks the 119th birth anniversary of Dhyan Chand, born on August 29, 1905, in Allahabad. Every year, India celebrates National Sports Day on this date in his honor. While he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian honor in 1956, the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, continues to elude him.
The most significant discussion around this emerged in 2014 when President Pranab Mukherjee awarded the Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar, at 40, became the first sportsperson to receive this honor.
During that period, many believed that Dhyan Chand deserved to be the first sportsperson to receive the Bharat Ratna. His contributions to sports far surpassed Tendulkar's. His family, too, felt Sachin deserved the honor, but Dhyan Chand should have been posthumously awarded as well.
Dhyan Chand’s Son, Devendra Dhyan Chand, on Bharat Ratna:
In a conversation with
aajtak.in
, Devendra Dhyan Chand, the tenth of Dhyan Chand's eleven children, expressed his views. He currently resides in Lucknow.
Source: aajtak
Asked about the many recommendations for his father for the Bharat Ratna honor, yet no award, he said, ‘The entire nation remembers him today; he is the reason we celebrate National Sports Day. The decision to award the Bharat Ratna lies with the government, and we hope he will soon be honored with this award.’ Devendra Dhyan Chand, now 65, is a retired Air India employee.
Source: aajtak
When asked if the government has provided any recent assurances regarding this, he responded, 'No recent assurances have been given.’ However, in 2021, the government renamed the 'Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award' to 'Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award' in tribute to his contributions.
Source: aajtak
When Dhyan Chand’s Bharat Ratna Nomination Was Made:
On December 22, 2011, the Indian Hockey Federation recommended Dhyan Chand for the Bharat Ratna. Led by cricket legend Bishan Singh Bedi, a delegation met then-sports minister Jitendra Singh on July 12, 2013, to present Dhyan Chand’s biography, anticipating an announcement within months. However, the proposal did not materialize.
In August 2014, another recommendation was made. The Home Ministry approved the Sports Ministry's proposal, with Minister of State for Home Kiran Rijiju announcing this in Parliament. Unfortunately, it was shelved once again.
The following year, in 2015, the Modi government awarded the Bharat Ratna to Atal Bihari Vajpayee and posthumously to Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, but overlooked the legendary hockey player again.
Source: aajtak
Magnificent Display Before Hitler at Berlin Olympics:
On August 14, 1936, the final hockey match of the Berlin Olympics was set between India and Germany. Due to rain, it was rescheduled to August 15. Among 40,000 spectators in the Berlin stadium was the formidable dictator, Adolf Hitler.
By half-time, India led by one goal. Dhyan Chand then removed his spiked shoes and played barefoot, showcasing extraordinary skills. India bombarded goals continuously, winning 8-1. Dhyan Chand scored three goals. Prior to the 1936 Olympics, in a practice game, India had lost 4-1 to Germany. Dhyan Chand, in his autobiography ‘Goal,’ wrote, 'I will never forget this defeat. It shook us so much that we were sleepless that night.'
Source: aajtak
When Hitler Wanted Dhyan Chand for Germany:
Thrilled by his display, Hitler invited Dhyan Chand for a meal, proposing he play for Germany and offered him a colonel’s position in the German army. Dhyan Chand politely responded, 'India is my homeland, and I am happy there.'
Fascinating Facts About Dhyan Chand’s Career:
- Interestingly, young Dhyan Chand was more interested in wrestling than hockey.
- Since he practiced mostly at night, his team would nickname him 'Chand' due to his nocturnal sessions under the moonlight.
- When asked about his best match, he mentioned the 1933 Beighton Cup final between Calcutta Customs and Jhansi Heroes.
- During the 1932 Olympics, India defeated the USA 24-1 and Japan 11-1, with Dhyan Chand scoring 12 of the 35 goals and his brother Roop Singh scoring 13. This led to them being called the 'hockey twins.'
- Once, failing to score, Dhyan Chand questioned the goal post's size, proving it was smaller than the official minimum width.
- He played for India for 22 years, scoring over 400 international goals. They said, ‘When he played, the ball seemed glued to his stick.’ His stick was even broken to check for glue and magnets in Holland.
- Dhyan Chand passed away on December 3, 1979, in Delhi. His last rites were performed at the field in Jhansi where he practiced hockey.
