Who is dhyan chand

For the first time I was captaining the Olympic team; will India lose the title under my charge? Hockey Federation only had Rs in its coffers According to the book, the Indian hockey federation needed Rs 40, to send the team and it required the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Gaekwads of Baroda to bail them out.

Nizam donated Rs , the rulers of Baroda gave GBP Rs INR then and, along with contributions from other princely states, ensured that the team boarded the ship. Interestingly, during the next Olympics in , Dara had migrated to Pakistan post partition and represented the new nation. This story is from August 6, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced his government's decision to rename the Khel Ratna award- the highest sporting honour of the nation - after Major Dhyan Chand.

Here are the key things to know about Dhyan Chand. In the final, facing host Germany, Dhyan Chand himself scored thrice as India thrashed the Germans to clinch the gold. It is said that the German dictator called up Dhyan Chand the following day and offered him a post in the German army based on his exploits in the final.

Dhyan Chand refused the offer from Hitler. His time in the force saw him play various army hockey competitions and regimental games between and The youngster would take to the game like fish to water, and develop into a fine craftsman for his side. His progress through the ranks saw him make the Indian Army team for a tour to New Zealand in The Indian side was firing on all cylinders in New Zealand, where they won 18 matches, drew two and lost just a solitary tie during the tour.

Their performance was lauded by many and Dhyan Chand, in particular, received a lot of praise for his show on his first international assignment. With the sport included in the Olympic fold for the first time, the newly formed Indian Hockey Federation IHF was eager to send the best possible team for the Games in the Netherlands.

The eight gold medals in hockey have often been termed as the millstone around the necks of the subsequent generation of players. The Europeans and Australians have become much more proficient over the decades, while the change of surface has put a premium on fitness, speed, stamina, and physical strength.

India had not managed to get into the top four at the Olympics since the boycott-affected Moscow Games in The later generations may have felt out of touch with the golden years, about which one could only read in books or listen to in tales of the protagonists and those who witnessed the heroics.

Renaming the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna after Dhyan Chand may ensure that the current and subsequent generations know about the original superstar of hockey. Click here to join our channel indianexpress and stay updated with the latest headlines. Tushar Bhaduri