Khel Ratna Award, the highest award for any sportsperson in India would now be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

Initially the Khel Ratna Award was known as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and was established in 1991.

On the 6th of August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter and posted a tweet announcing the same. In the tweet, PM Modi said, “I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views. Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Jai Hind!”

In addition, Mr. Modi said, “Major Dhyan Chand was among India’s foremost sportspersons who brought honour and pride for India. It is fitting that our nation’s highest sporting honour will be named after him.”

The Khel Ratna Award was renamed after the legendary hockey player Dhyan Chand. The player is widely regarded as the greatest player in Indian hockey. He won three Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936 and played internationally from 1926 to 1949.

In the sports field of India, Major Dhyan Chand was one of the players who were honoured with the Padma Bhushan in 1956. In addition, his birth anniversary, the 29th of August, is celebrated as the National Sports Day in India.

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