“Respecting the emotions of citizens across the country,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award will now be called as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The Khel Ratna award is the highest sporting honour in the nation.
“I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views. Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Jai Hind!” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.
Meanwhile, Union Sports Anurag Thakur welcomed PM Modi’s decision and described the legendary hockey player as the most loving sportsperson in the country.
“Major Dhyan Chand is India’s most legendary & loved sporting icons; it is only befitting that India’s Highest Sporting Honour be named after him.
His life and achievements have inspired generations of sportspersons who have achieved glory for India,” Thakur tweeted.
Union Cabinet Minister for Women & Child Development Minister thanked the prime minister for renaming Rajiv Khel Ratna Award as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Also read: Indian Hockey Team Wins Bronze In Tokyo Olympic
The announcement came a day after men’s hockey team won a historic bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. It was India’s first medal win in hockey at the Games since the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.
Dhyan Chand, whose birthday is celebrated as National Sports Day, won won three Olympic golds for the country.
He is regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time. India had dominated hockey for decades on the world stage and they were invincible at the Olympics. Dhyan Chand had played key roles in winning gold medals for India at the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympics.
Inaugurated in 1991-92, the award comprises a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh. The first recipient of the Khel Ratna was chess legend Viswanathan Anand. Some of the winners in recent years include cricketer Rohit Sharma, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal, among others.
