In 2021, the Centre renamed the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. But many wonder, why despite the public sentiment the country's highest civilian honour continues to elude the man who put Indian hockey on the world map.
PM Modi, Sports Minister Mandaviya lead tributes to Olympian Dhyan Chand on Thursday, August 29, his birth anniversary.
The Sports Ministry has written to the Prime Minister's Office, requesting Bharat Ratna for the late Dhyan Chand in what can considered be its latest push to bestow the hockey legend with India's highest civilian honour.
The prestigious award carries a prize money of Rs 25 lakh.
Indian hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand loved fishing and cooked for his wards when he was a coach, former Olympian Gurbux Singh said on the eve of the master's 105th birth anniversary, to be celebrated in the country as National Sports Day.
'We are a great sporting country but need to have a sporting powerhouse. We have to make sports as a way of life. To begin this movement on the birthday of Chand is the best tribute we can pay to him'
The discussion was part of a digital campaign which was launched by former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, actors Babushaan Mohanty and Rachel White last year to demand 'Bharat Ratna' for Major Dhyan Chand.
Indian hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand will be conferred with the 'Bharat Gaurav' Lifetime Achivement Award by NRI orgainsation Sanskriti Yuva Sangstha at the House of Commons inside the British Parliament of July 25.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has stirred up a storm, claiming the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the field of sports, should go to hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand and not Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.
The clamour may have been for Sachin Tendulkar, but the Sports Ministry has recommended hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand for the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civillian honour.
On August 29, India celebrates National Sports Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand.
'Awesome experiencing the glorious history of the Olympic Games.'
The Indian Cricket board has recommended former Test skipper Chandu Borde's name for the prestigious Dhyan Chand award.
Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan feels that superstar Shah Rukh Khan should make a movie on legendary hockey player Dhyan Chand and also essay his role on-screen.
JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari tells Rediff.com's Manu Shankar that hockey legend Dhyan Chand was more deserving of the Bharat Ratna than Sachin Tendulkar because he played without monetary gains and also suggested that the award be scrapped.
Legendary track and field sprinter Milkha Singh says hockey legend Dhyan Chand deserved the Bharat Ratna honour 'before anyone else', even as he proposed that cricket great Sachin Tendulkar be made the country's sports minister.
Janata Dal-United Member of Parliament Shivanand Tiwari on Monday questioned the government's decision to give the Bharat Ratna to Sachin Tendulkar and not to legendary hockey player Dhyan Chand.
Legendary athlete Milkha Singh expressed delight at the Home Ministry recommending hockey great, the late Major Dhyan Chand, for the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award.
Indian hockey skipper Rajpal Singh said on Monday that Major Dhyan Chand deserved to be the first sportsperson in the country to be bestowed with the Bharat Ratna.
The sports ministry on Wednesday forwarded the names of hockey legend Dhyan Chand, Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra and mountaineer Tenzing Norgay for the Bharat Ratna, but batting ace Sachin Tendulkar's was missing from the list as no recommendation had come from the BCCI.
Praveen Kumar, a para-athlete who overcame physical limitations to excel in high jump, will be awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions to Indian para sport. He is a Paralympic champion and Arjuna Award recipient.
If anyone qualifies to be called a legend in Indian hockey after Dhyan Chand, it's Balbir Singh Senior, said iconic Milkha Singh condoling the death of his 'great friend'. Balbir and Milkha competed together at the highest level for the country in their respective games and even worked together for Punjab Sports department in the 1960s.
The 73rd edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle saw participation from defence forces and citizens at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
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Hardik Singh and Navneet Kaur were named Hockey India Player of the Year in the men's and women's categories, respectively, at a ceremony in New Delhi. Several other players, officials, and member units were also recognised for their contributions to Indian hockey.
The National Sports Awards in India have been delayed due to a re-evaluation process aimed at ensuring only deserving athletes receive the honour. The Sports Ministry is reassessing Arjuna Award recommendations to maintain the award's value and avoid controversies.
The National Sports Awards have been delayed due to a re-evaluation process by the Sports Ministry to ensure only deserving athletes are honoured. The ministry aims to establish clearer criteria to avoid controversies and ensure deserving athletes are recognised without unnecessary hurdles.
Hockey star Hardik Singh lone recommendation for Khel Ratna; Divya, TJ & Mehuli for Arjuna
Veteran midfielder Manpreet Singh refutes rumours of a rift with Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, expressing his desire to surpass Tirkey's record and continue playing until the Asian Games.
'This game against Tottenham will be important for us... to be (around) the top of the league.'
Former champion Dinesh Khanna sees similarities between his 1965 Badminton Asia Championships win and Ayush Shetty's current run in the tournament.
Former Indian men's hockey team goalkeeper and member of the 1972 Munich Olympics bronze medal-winning side Manuel Frederick died in Bengaluru on Friday morning.
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Sachin Tendulkar marvelled at India's rise in newer disciplines, while Abhinav Bindra paid tribute to all those who "silently carry the athletes forward" as the two icons offered their views on India's sporting growth on National Sports Day.
For women's hockey goalkeeping stalwart Savita Punia, the Padma Shri is more than a national honour -- it is a quiet acknowledgement of years marked by sacrifice, resilience, and unwavering belief, both her own and that of a family that stood by her when the odds were firmly stacked against her.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya presented the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award to badminton stars Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.
The para-athletes outnumbered the able-bodied ones in the list this time due to the magnificent Paris Paralympics performance in which they returned with 29 medals, including seven gold and nine silver.
Akanksha, 26, will take on Delhi's teen sensation Anahat, who rallied to beat state-mate Tanvi Khanna 3-11, 11-5, 11-0, 11-9, in the title round.
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Padma Bhushan recipient PR Sreejesh, a legendary Indian hockey goalkeeper, expressed his gratitude for the honor, stating that India has given him more than what he has contributed to the sport.
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