India’s highest sporting honour Khel Ratna Award, which was named after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was renamed in the honour of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand.

The hockey legend

• Dhyan Chand is widely regarded as the greatest player in hockey. In his career that spanned from 1926 to 1949, he clinched three Olympic gold medals.

• He was born on August 29, 1905 in Allahabad and joined the Army at the age of 16. 

• He was a member of the first Indian overseas army team that toured New Zealand in 1926.

• He played as the centre forward at three Olympic Games for India winning gold medals at Amsterdam in 1928, Los Angeles in 1932 and Berlin in 1936, where he was the captain.

• In 1956, he retired from the Army. 

• Dhyan Chand was honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1956.

• He died in 1979, at the age of 74.

• The country celebrates his birthday — August 29 — as National Sports Day.

Khel Ratna Award

• It was launched in 1991-92. A medallion along with a cash award is given to sportsperson for his/her spectacular and most outstanding performance over a period of four years immediately preceding the year during which the award is to be given.

• In August 2020, the prize money for the Ratna Award was increased to Rs 25 lakh from the previous amount of Rs 7.5 lakh.

Winners of Khel Ratna in 2020:

• Rohit Sharma - Cricket

• Mariyappan Thangavelu - Para Athletics

• Manika Batra - Table Tennis

• Vinesh Phogat - Wrestling

• Rani Rampal - Hockey

Another award in the name of Dhyan Chand

Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games: It was instituted in 2002. This award is given to honour those sportspersons who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to contribute to promotion of sports even after their retirement from active sporting career. The awardees are given a statuette, a certificate, ceremonial dress and award money of Rs 10 lakh.

• Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium is situated in New Delhi.

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