Dhyan Chand

Dhyan Chand

Nickname(s) - The Wizard, The Magician 

Nationality - Indian

Position - Center forward

Dhyan Chand (29 August 1905 – 3 December 1979) was an Indian Hockey player, who is considered as one of the greatest Hockey players in the history of the sport.

 He is known for his extraordinary goal-scoring feats, in addition to earning three Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932, and 1936) in field hockey, during an era where India was the most dominant team in Hockey. His influence extended beyond these victories, as India won the men's field hockey gold medal in seven out of eight Olympics from 1928 to 1964.

Such was his aura that it is believed that after India defeated Germany in the 1936 Olympics final 8-1, Hitler offered him a senior post in the German Army after witnessing his splendid performance to which he refused and stated that India was and will be his country.

In the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympics, Chand was the top scorer of the tournament, scoring 14 goals in 5 matches. A newspaper report about India's triumph said

“ This is not a game of hockey, but magic. Dhyan Chand is in fact the magician of hockey.”

Chand's birthday, 29 August, is celebrated as National Sports Day in India. The President gives away sport-related awards such as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award and Dronacharya Award on this day at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, India.The 20th National Award 2012, the Gem of India, awarded by the Union Minister of India, was given to Dhyan Chand. The award was received by Dhyan Chand’s son, Ashok Dhyan Chand (a hockey Olympian in his own right) on behalf of his deceased father. The award was given by Journalist Association of India under the flagship of Journalists Federation of India, Sirifort Auditorium, New Delhi, India, on 22 September 2012.

India's highest award for lifetime achievement in sports is the Dhyan Chand Award which has been awarded annually from 2002 to sporting figures who not only contribute through their performance but also contribute to the sport after their retirement. The National Stadium, Delhi was renamed Dhyan Chand National Stadium in 2002 in his honour.

Dhyan Chand was part of the Indian hockey team that won three Olympics and throughout his hockey career; he scored more than 1000 goals, 400 of which were international goals from 1926 to 1948.

    Berlin Olympics 1936 - Major Dhyan Chand (Rare Video)

Dhyan Chand’s statue is in Vienna depicting his master control over the ball.

In Holland, the authorities broke his hockey stick to check if there was a magnet inside.

Chand helped India win three Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936 when India was the most dominant team in the sport. He was the captain of the gold medal winner Indian Hockey Team in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

He once met cricket legend Don Bradman in Adelaide in 1935, when the Indian hockey team was in Australia. After watching Dhyan Chand in action, Don Bradman remarked

"He scores goals like runs in cricket"

He published an autobiography titled "Goal", published by Sport & Pastime, Chennai, 1952.

In India he is often referred to as 'Hockey ka Jaadugar' with translates to "Magician of the game of Hockey". It is also rumored Chand used to practice ball control by sprinting along the length of railway tracks while balancing the ball on the track rail.

In 1951 Chand was honored at India's National Stadium with the inaugural Dhyan Chand Tournament, which he attended to the admiration of the spectators. Chand retired from the army in 1956 aged 51, with the rank of Major. The Government of India honoured him the same year by conferring him the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour.

After retirement, he taught at coaching camps at Mount Abu, Rajasthan. Later, he accepted the position of Chief Hockey Coach at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, a post he held for several years. He  was an Indian hockey player, considered to be the greatest field hockey player ever.

source : topendsports, wikipedia

url : https://www.topendsports.com/athletes/field-hockey/chand-dhyan.htm

        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhyan_Chand