National Sports Day 2023: National Sports Day is celebrated worldwide on August 29 every year. Sport is important for people’s physical and psychological well-being. Individuals who play sports stay healthy. India has produced many sports legends like PT Usha, also known as Udanpari, Sachin Tendulkar, also known as Master Blaster, and Major Dhyan Chand, also known as ‘Hockey Wizard’.
On the occasion of Sports Day, I congratulate all athletes. India is proud of their contribution to the nation. I also pay tribute to Major Dhyan Chand Ji on his birth anniversary.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi)
August 29, 2023
National Sports Day 2023: History
On August 29, 2012, India celebrated its first National Sports Day. Sports Day marks the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand who was born on this day. Widely known as the ‘Wizard of Hockey’ and ‘The Magician’, Major Dhyan Chand was born on 29 August 1905.
10 interesting facts about hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand
National Sports Day 2023: Significance
The primary motto of the National Sports Day is to promote awareness of the importance of sports and physical activity in everyday life. The Government of India also organizes various programmes, events, seminars etc. to create awareness about the significance of National Sports Day. According to the FIT Indian website, the day is celebrated to raise awareness of the values of sports: discipline, perseverance, sportsmanship and teamwork, and to encourage the general public to engage in sports and make it an integral part of their lives while emphasizing the importance of physical fitness and health.
Major Dhyan Chand
Widely known as the ‘Hockey Wizard’, India’s greatest hockey player, Major Dhyan Chand Singh, was born on August 29, 1905 in what is now Praygraj, UP. After completing his primary education, Dhyan Chand joined the Indian Army as a soldier in 1922.
Major Dhyan Chand was a true sportsman and was motivated to play hockey by Subedar Major Tiwari, himself a sports fan. Dhyan Chand started playing hockey under his tutelage.
For his outstanding performance in hockey, Dhyan Chand was named ‘Lance Naik’ in 1927 and was promoted to Nayak in 1932 and Subedar in 1936. In the same year, he became the captain of the Indian hockey team. He became lieutenant and captain and was eventually promoted to major.
Appearance of Major Dhyan Chand
Major Dhyan Chand was a great hockey player. If the ball hit his stick, he scored a goal. This was the reason that his stick was broken once during a match in order to check whether the stick had a magnet or something else in it or not.
Major Dhyan Chand was part of India’s triple Olympic gold medal winning hockey team. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Dhyan Chand was chosen as the captain of the Indian hockey team.
Major Dhyan Chand scored more than 400 international goals in his career from 1926 to 1948, while scoring almost 1000 goals in his entire career.
Wanting to honor such a legendary player, the Government of India decided to celebrate his birthday as National Sports Day in 2012.
Prior to this recognition, in 1956 the Government of India awarded him the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honor in India.
National Sports Day 2023: Quotes, Wishes, Messages, WhatsApp Status, Celebration & More
Celebration of the National Sports Day
National Sports Day is celebrated at the national level. Organized every year at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President of India presents the National Sports Awards to outstanding sportspersons in the country.
As part of the National Sports Awards, players and former players receive awards such as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the Arjuna Award and the Dronacharya Award. Along with all these honours, “Dhyan Chand Award” is also given on this day.
After the death of Major Dhyan Chand in 1979, the Indian Postal Department paid tribute to him and issued stamps in his honour. As a tribute to him, the National Stadium in Delhi was renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Stadium, Delhi.
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Source: newstars.edu.vn