Dhyan Chand was an Indian player. Who is widely considered to be the best hockey player. Dhyan Chandβs ability to score was amazing. During his play, India won three gold medals in hockey (1928, 1932 and 1936) at the Olympics. This was the time when India was the best team in hockey.
Why is Major Dhyan Chand calling the magician of hockey?
Dhyan Chand is called the magician of hockey for his control with the hockey ball. Dhyan Chand played the last international match in 1948. He scored more than 400 goals during his international career. The Indian government now conferred the third and second place civilian honor Padma Bhushan in 1956. His birthday is celebrated on 29 August as National Sports Day in India.
Early Life of Dhyan chand
Dhyan Chand was born on 29 August in Allahabad (Uttar Pradesh). Born in a Rajput family, Dhyan Chand was the elder brother of a hockey player named Roop Singh. His father Sameshwar Singh was in the British Indian Army and played hockey for the Army. Another brother of Dhyan Chand was named Mool Singh.
Due to frequent transfers of his father, Dhyan Chand had to drop out after class six. His family eventually settled in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
How did Major Dhyan Singh get the name Dhyan Chand?
As a child, Dhyanchand had no attention to hockey and loved wrestling. Dhyan Chand joined the Indian Army at that time he was 16 years old. He used to practice sports at night and also wait for the moon to come out because he could see only after the moon came out. There was no light outside at that time. Due to the wait for the moon, his friends started calling him Chand and his name was Dhyan Chand.
How did Dhayn chand become Hockey Player?
Between 1922 and 1926, Dhyan Chand played only army hockey and regiment games. Later he was selected for the Indian Army team which was to go to New Zealand and play. This team won 18 matches, 2 were drawn and the team lost one match. All the spectators who came to watch became fans of the team. On his return to India, Dhyan Chand was made Lance Naik.
After sending the best team to the Olympics, the newly formed Indian Hockey Federation began building a fine team for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. In 1925, tournaments were held between several states. Five teams participated in it, in which the Army allowed Dhyan Chand to play in a team named United Provinces.
In the very first match of the Indian team in 1928 at the Olympics in Amsterdam, Dhyan Chand scored 3 goals against Austria. The next day, India beat Belgium 9β0, although Dhyan Chand had scored just one goal. India won the next match against Denmark in which Dhyan Chand scored 3 goals out of 5 in total. Two days later, Dhyan Chand scored 4 goals against Switzerland and led the Indian team to victory.
Dhyan Chand was the highest goal scorer in the Olympics
The final match was against the Netherlands on 26 May. Good players of Indian team Firoz Khan, Ali Shaukat, Kher Singh were ill. Even Dhyan Chand was in poor health. Despite this, India managed to win the match 3-0. Dhyan Chand scored 2 goals in this. In this way India won the first gold medal of hockey. Dhyan Chand was the highest goal scorer in the Olympics.
A newspaper wrote for Dhyan Chand, βHockey was not a match but magic. Dhyan Chand is actually a hockey magician.
Why is Dhyan Chand called Major?
In 1951, the Dhyan Chand tournament was held at the National Stadium in honor of Captain Dhyan Chand. After participating in several successful tournaments, in 1956 at the age of 51, Captain Dhyan Chand retired from the Army with the rank of Major. The Government of India honored him with the Padma Bhushan in the same year.
After this retirement, Major Dhyan Chand passed away on 3 December 1979 at the All-India Institute of Medical Science, Delhi in Mount Abu, Rajasthan. His Regiment Punjab Regiment performed his last rites with full honours.
He continued to serve as a hockey coach. After this, he became the Chief Hockey Coach at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala. Here he remained in this position for many years. During the last days of his life, Dhyan Chand lived in his hometown Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh).
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