India woke up to celebrate the 14th National Sports Day on Friday, August 29, in honour of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. A soldier in the British Indian Army, Dhyan Chand, played a crucial role in the early years for India to be recognised as a sporting nation on the global map, having been part of the country's historic Olympic campaigns in 1932 and 1936. Having a stadium in his name, the highest Indian sporting honour in his name, Dhyan Chand is considered one of the greatest sportspersons to take birth in India.
Here are a few lesser-known and interesting facts about Dhyan Chand-
1. Earlier, Dhyan Singh was a soldier in the British Indian Army, born to Sharadha Singh and Sameshwar Singh in Allahabad on August 29, 1905. He got himself enrolled at the age of 16, just like his father.
2. Major Dhyan Chand got the 'Chand' in his name from his peers in the army, becoming popular in the group for practising hockey at night, under the moonlight, being drawn towards the sport from a very early age.
3. Major Dhyan Chand scored over 1,000 goals in his entire sporting career from 1926-1948. The modern statistics may officially not have the data, but his career stats across domestic and international hockey suggest so.
4. Dhyan Chand didn't get Bharat Ratna! The hockey legend was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956; however, despite several recommendations and considerations, Chand was not conferred the highest civilian honour of the country during his lifetime or posthumously.
5. National Sports Day is celebrated every year to honour Dhyan Chand's contribution to Indian hockey and sport. The announcement for the same happened for the first time in 2012.
6. Dhyan Chand decided to get rid of his spikes and stockings and played barefoot in the 1936 Olympics final against the hosts, Germany, stunning the local crowd in Berlin. India won the final 8-1.
7. During the Berlin Olympics in 1936, Adolf Hilter was so charmed by Dhyan Chand's hockey skills that he ended up offering him German citizenship and even a military rank, but the hockey player refused the same respectfully.
8. During one of the tours to the Netherlands, the authorities actually broke his stick to check if there was a magnet in there somewhere to attract the ball wherever he moved in the field, only to be disappointed, since he was just too good.
9. Scoring over 500 goals for India in 185 international appearances, Chand was part of the three-time Olympic gold medal-winning side in 1928 (Amsterdam), 1932 (Los Angeles), as well as (Berlin).
10. Despite taking India to monumental heights in the sport, Major Dhyan Chand lived most of his life and died as a commoner, with very little recognition during his post-playing days, as he struggled financially and was uncared for in the hospital.
