Major Dhyan Chand Biography, Birth Anniversary, Achievements

India commemorates National Sports Day, paying tribute to one of its greatest sports icons, Major Dhyan Chand, whose birthday on August 29th stands as a celebration of his incredible contributions to hockey. Born in Allahabad in 1905, Dhyan Chand’s unmatched skill and dominance on the field earned him the title of the “Hockey Wizard.”

Major Dhyan Chand Biography

Major Dhyan Chand: Dhyan Chand Singh played hockey for India and is regarded as the all-time best player the sport of hockey has ever produced. He was likely the first Indian athlete to ever compete at a level of skill in any sport which led to numerous misconceptions about his hockey playing prowess.

Dhyan Chand Singh was born to Sameshwar Singh and Sharada Singh in Allahabad on August 29, 1905. In India, the anniversary of his birth is honoured as National Sports Day. For the civil services exam, read more about the incredible Indian athlete Dhyan Chand in this edition of This Day in History.

Major Dhyan Chand Birth Anniversary

Major Dhyan Chand was born in Allahabad on August 29, 1905. He goes by the name of Major Dhyan Chand. His mother’s name was Sharda Singh and his father’s name was Sameshwar Dutt Singh; he is also referred to as a hockey wizard. His father served as an army subedar. The oldest of three brothers, Dhyan Chand, was. He had two further brothers, Mool Singh and Roop Singh.

Major Dhyan Chand’s Early Life

Dhyan Chand’s early life was humble, and his love for sports developed at an early age. His father was a soldier in the British Indian Army, and following in his footsteps, Dhyan Chand enlisted in the army at the age of 16. However, it was his passion for hockey that set him apart. He began honing his skills while playing for the army, and soon, his talent became evident.

It wasn’t long before he earned a place in the Indian national hockey team. In the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, Dhyan Chand made his mark by scoring 14 goals, leading India to win its first Olympic gold medal. This was just the beginning of his extraordinary career.

Important Facts Related to Major Dhyan Chand

Famous Indian hockey player Major Dhyan Chand played the game. He continues to be regarded as the greatest hockey player India has ever produced. Following in his father’s footsteps, Dhyan Chand enlisted in the Indian Army at the age of 16. His impressive success in the regimental games and army hockey competitions revealed his untapped talent as a superb hockey player. He was selected without debate for the Indian Army team that will visit New Zealand.

Major Dhyan Chand: Introduction to Hockey

Although he loved wrestling a lot, Dhyan was not a big sports fan when he was little. With his companions, who had previously made hockey sticks out of tree branches and balls out of tattered garments, he began playing the sport. When he was 14 years old, he and his father went to a hockey game when one team was trailing by two goals.

Dhyan scored four goals for the team after insisting that his father play on the losing side and an Army Officer complied. Dhyan was 16 years old in 1922 when he was enlisted as a Sepoy in the Punjab Regiment after the officer was impressed by his abilities and offered him a place in the army.

In the Army, Subedar-Major Bhole Tiwari of the Brahmin Regiment served as Dhyan’s tutor and instructed him in the fundamentals of the sport. Dhyan Singh’s first coach, Pankaj Gupta, foretold that Chand, or the Moon, as it is known in Hindi, will one day shine brightly. As a result, Dhyan Singh later adopted the name Dhyan Chand.

Check here Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awards List which was earlier known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Awards.

Major Dhyan Chand Career Life

• Enlistment in the Army (1922):
  • On August 29, 1922, Dhyan Chand enlisted in the British Indian Army.
  • He played in the Army Hockey Tournament and Regimental Games from 1922 to 1926 for the Punjab Regiment.
• Tour of New Zealand (1926):
  • Selected for the Indian Army team that toured New Zealand.
  • The team won 18 matches and lost just one during the tour.
  • They won one of two Test matches against the New Zealand team.
• Promotion and Recognition (1927):
  • Upon returning to India, Dhyan Chand was promoted to Lance Nayak in 1927.
• 1928 Amsterdam Olympics:
  • The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) formed a team to compete at the 1928 Olympics.
  • Dhyan Chand was chosen to represent the United Provinces (UP) team.
  • India defeated Austria 6-0 in their Olympic debut, with Dhyan Chand scoring three goals.
  • Dhyan Chand scored four goals in India’s 6-0 win over Switzerland.
  • India won its first Olympic gold medal by defeating the Netherlands 3-0 in the final, with Dhyan Chand scoring twice.
• 1932 Los Angeles Olympics:
  • India defeated Japan 11-1 in their opening match.
  • Dhyan Chand and his brother Roop Singh scored three goals each.
  • In the final against the USA, India won 24-1, setting a world record.
  • Dhyan Chand scored 8 goals, Roop Singh scored 10, and the brothers were dubbed the “hockey twins.”
  • India secured their second Olympic gold medal.
• Captaincy and Continued Success (1934-1936):
  • Dhyan Chand received his first captaincy in December 1934.
  • Under his captaincy, India won 40 out of 48 games.
  • Dhyan Chand scored 201 goals in 23 games as captain.
• 1936 Berlin Olympics:
  • Dhyan Chand led India to another gold medal, defeating Germany 8-1 in the final.
• Post-Retirement Achievements:
  • After retirement, Dhyan Chand coached and mentored young players.
  • He won the first Dhyan Chand competition in 1951 at the National Stadium in India, where he was honored for his contributions to the sport.

Major Dhyan Chand & Beginning of Legendary Days

There are numerous instances that highlight the magnificence of Dhyan Chand’s incredible abilities as a fantastic hockey player. In one of them, he scored three goals in the final four minutes of a game when his team was trailing by two goals, giving them the victory. This was the Punjab Infantry Tournament’s championship game in Jhelum. Dhyan Chand was dubbed the “Hockey Wizard” following this game.

In the first Inter-Provincial (National) Hockey competition, which was held in 1925, Dhyan Chand performed brilliantly. The competition featured five teams: Central Provinces, Punjab, Bengal, Rajputana, and United Provinces (UP). He was chosen for the Indian international hockey team based on his performance in the competition.

Awards and Honors of Major Dhyan Chand

In 1956, he received the Padma Bhushan, the nation of India’s highest civilian honour. In 1956, Dhyan Chand received the Padma Bhushan for his contributions to sports. He was born on August 29, 1905, in the United Provinces and British India’s Allahabad. India’s National Sports Day has been proclaimed to fall on his birthday. The Arjuna and Dronacharya Awards are given out on this day as part of the national recognition for excellent athletic achievement. The Indian Olympic Association named Dhyanchand the player of the century.

Achievements

• Won 3 gold medals in Olympic games
• Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956

Major Dhyan Chand’s Death

His final years were spent in Jhansi, where he was born and raised. It is heartbreaking to learn that this renowned player was entirely overlooked and forgotten by the country for which he played in his final days. By the time it was all through, he was even unable to receive appropriate medical care. On December 3rd, 1979, this honourable Indian citizen quietly departed for heaven.

Major Dhyan Chand UPSC

Dhyan Chand gave his all to hockey even after bidding farewell to the pitch by playing and coaching the future players under his supervision. The Government of India recognised him with the third Indian civilian award, “Padma Bhushan,” for his honest efforts to advance the game of hockey in India after he retired from the Indian Army as a “Major” in 1956.

In fact, many renowned figures as well as up-and-coming stars have looked up to Dhyan Chand as the blazing star of the hockey world. With his legendary stick, he will always control hockey fans’ hearts as he once controlled the pitch.

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