Dhyan Chand: Field Hockey
Dhyan Chand (29 August 1905 – 3 December 1979) was an Indian hockey player, considered to be the greatest field hockey player ever. Chand helped India win three Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936 when India was the most dominant team in the sport.
Greatest Sporting Achievements
Dhyan Chand was part of the Indian hockey team that won three Olympics and throughout his hockey career; he scored more than 1000 goals, 400 of which were international goals. In 1956, he was honored India’s third highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, for his contributions to the field of sports. He was the captain of the gold medal winner Indian Hockey Team in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Why Was He So Good?
Chand was nicknamed “The Wizard”, who became the sport’s magician, for his outstanding ball control. He rose to worldwide hockey fame like a meteor and kept shining like the sun, going on huge heights in the sport and accomplished great feats. His name will always be synonymous with hockey.
Dhyan ChandWhat You May Not Know
- In 1936, he married Janaki Devi and had seven sons with her.
- During the last years of his life, Chand was forgotten, short of money and had suffered from liver cancer.
- His birthday, August 29, is celebrated as National Sports Day in India.
- Dhyan Chand’s statue is in Vienna depicting his master control over the ball.
- In 1956, at the age of 51, he retired from the army with the rank of Major.
- In Holland, the authorities broke his hockey stick to check if there was a magnet inside.
- He once met cricket legend Don Bradman in Adelaide in 1935, when the Indian hockey team was in Australia. After watching Dhyan Chand in action, Don Bradman remarked "He scores goals like runs in cricket"
- He published an autobiography titled "Goal", published by Sport & Pastime, Chennai, 1952.
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