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Dhyan Chand

Dhyan Chand (29 August 1905 – 3 December 1979) was an Indian field hockey player. He is known as the greatest field hockey player of all time.[2][1][3][4] His skill is compared to footballer Pelé.[5][6][3]

Major
Dhyan Chand
PB
File:Dhyan Chand closeup.jpg
Birth nameDhyan Singh
NicknameThe Wizard
Born(1905-08-29)29 August 1905
Allahabad, United Provinces, British India
Died3 December 1979(1979-12-03) (aged 74)[1]
Delhi, India
Allegiance22x20px India
 India
Service/branch22x20px British Indian Army
22x20px Indian Army
Years of service1921–1956
Rank20pxMajor
UnitPunjab Regiment
Dhyan Chand
Sport
SportField hockey
PositionCentre-forward
Medal record
40px
Men's Field Hockey
Representing 22x20px India
Olympic Games
80px
Gold 1928 Amsterdam Team Competition
Gold 1932 Los Angeles Team
Gold 1936 Berlin Team

His birthday, 29th August, is celebrated as National Sports Day in India every year.[7][8] He received the Padma Bhushan from the Government of India in 1956.[9]

Chand earned three Olympic gold medals in field hockey. These were at the 1928, 1932, and 1936 games.[10]

Early life

Dhyan Chand was born on 29 August 1905 in Allahabad. His father was in the British Indian Army, and he played hockey in the army. The family moved often because of army transfers. The family finally settled in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India.[1]

Chand joined the Indian Army at the age of 16.[5] The Hindi word Chand literally means "the moon". Dhyan was given the nickname Chand because he would wait until the moon was out so that he could practice hockey.[4][5]

International competitions

Chand's first international competition was with the Indian Army in New Zealand.[1] The army later gave Chand permission to compete for a place on the Indian Olympic team for field hockey.

During the 1928 Olympics, Chand was the top scorer of the tournament, scoring 14 goals in five 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.”[4][5]

Chand was selected for the 1932 Olympic team without a tryout.[11] The team once again won the gold medal. In the final on 11 August, India played against hosts USA. India won 24-1, a world record at the time.[12]

Chand was again selected without tryout for the 1936 Olympic team.[13] India defeated Germany 8-1 in the final for the gold medal. Chand scored three goals.[14]

Legacy

The Dhyan Chand Award is given in India for lifetime achievement in sports.[15] The National Stadium, Delhi was renamed Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in 2002 in his honour.[16][17]

Family

Chand's younger brother, Roop Singh, played on the Indian Field Hockey team in the 1932 and 1936 Olympics.[18] His son, Ashok Kumar (field hockey), won an Olympic bronze medal in 1972 for field hockey.[19]

autobiography, Goal!, was published by Sport & Pastime, Madras in 1952.[12]

Dhyan Chand Media

  • Padma Bhushan Ribbon.svg

    Padma Bhushan Ribbon

  • Dhyan Chand at Berlin Olympics.jpg

    Indian hockey captain Dhyan Chand at 1936 Berlin Olympics

  • Dhyan Chand with the ball vs. France in the 1936 Olympic semi-finals.jpg

    Dhyan Chand in action against France at the 1936 Olympic semi-finals

  • Dhyan Chand 1936 final.jpg

    Dhyan Chand scoring a goal against Germany in the 1936 Olympics hockey final

  • Dhyan Chand 1980 stamp of India.jpg

    Dhyan Chand on a 1980 stamp of India

  • Dhyan Chand statue at Jhansi city, Uttar Pradesh.jpg

    Dhyan Chand statue at Sipri hill, Jhansi.

Other websites

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Dharma Raja, M.K.. "Hockey Wizard Dhyan Chand Remembered". Press Information Bureau (Government of India). http://pib.nic.in/feature/feyr2000/faug2000/f220820002.html. Retrieved 29 November 2017. 
  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  7. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  9. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  10. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  11. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  13. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  14. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  15. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  16. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  17. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  18. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
  19. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities at line 38: bad argument #1 to 'ipairs' (table expected, got nil).
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