Early Life
Dhyanchand was born on August 29, 1905, Dhyan Singh became interested in hockey from a young age. At the tender age of 16, he joined the army, just like his father, and proceeded to play his preferred sport there.
Between 1922 and 1926, he participated in a number of army hockey tournaments and regimental games. The kid would pick up the game like a fish to water and become a skilled craftsman for his team. Due to his obsession and passion for the sport, Dhyan would practice hockey beneath the moonlight even after his shift ended, earning him the nickname Dhyan Chand.
Professional Career
Dhyan Chand joined the Indian Army squad on a tour of New Zealand in 1926 after rising through the ranks. The Indian team was in top form in New Zealand, when they won 18 games, drew two, and only lost one tie throughout the tour.
Many people praised India’s performance, and Dhyan Chand in particular garnered high appreciation for his performance on his first overseas assignment. Upon his return, he was given the rank of Lance Naik in the British Indian Army’s Punjab Regiment. Dhyan Chand would soon join the Indian hockey squad for the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, proving that his abilities and performance weren’t overlooked for long.
Major Dhyan Chand retired from the army in 1956, the same year he received the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honour. He quickly began coaching and was eventually designated the head coach of the Patiala-based National Institute of Sports (NIS). Although he passed away in the late 1980s at the age of 74, his tales are still heard by sports fans across the world.
Honors earned by Dhyanchand
On Dhyan Chand’s birthday (August 29), the country observes National Sports Day, which means that he is the sole hockey player to get both a commemorative postage stamp as well as a First-Day Cover in his honour. In commemoration of the legendary hockey player, a national sporting prize is titled the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports.
