Dhyan Chand

 Dhyan Chand

Dhyan Chand was one of the eminent Indian sports personalities who achieved world fame. Dhyan Chand attained international stature in the field of hockey and is counted among the greatest sports legends . It is said that what Pele is to football and Muhammad Ali is to boxing, Dhyan Chand is to hockey. He remains the greatest hockey player of all time. Till the arrival of Dhyan Chand, the Europeans and the Americans were the leading masters of the game. Dhyan Chand shocked the Europeans and the Americans with his splendid performance in three Olympics.

This great hockey player was born as Dhyan Singh in August 1905 into a Rajput family in Allahabad. The turning point of his life came when he joined the British Indian Army at the age of 16.

The Army gave him much needed opportunity and facilities to practice hockey. He preferred to do his practice sessions at night after his duty hours. He often waited for the moon to come out so that the visibility in the field improved. His practice sessions coincided with the rising of the moon and so, Dhyan Chand came to be called Dhyan Chand by his fellow players. His coach also predicted that he would one day shine like the moon . He gave him the title Chand. ( Chand is a Hindi word for moon).

A few years later in 1928, he led the Indian hockey team to win the first Gold Medal for India in Amsterdam. He won his second Gold in the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. The last Gold came to him in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin where he led the Indian team. He also won the title of " hockey personality of the country" there.

Dhyan Chand was given the nicknames ' The Wizard ' and ' The Magician of Hockey ' for his superb ball control. During his sporting career spanning twenty three years (1926 to 1949) , he scored a total of 570 goals in 18 matches, according to his autobiography titled Goal.

The Government of India awarded him the national honour of Padma Bhushan in 1956. He passed away at the age of 74 in Delhi on 3 December 1979. Very appropriately, his birthday 29th August is celebrated as National Sports Day.

1. Let's find out how much we have understood:

(a) With which other sportspersons is Dhyan Chand compared?

Ans: Dhyan Chand is compared with Pele and Muhammad Ali.

(b) Who were the leading masters of hockey when Dhyan Chand started his career?

Ans: The Europeans and the Americans were the leading masters of hockey when Dhyan Chand started his career.

(c) When did the turning point in Dhyan Chand's life come?

Ans: The turning point in Dhyan Chand's life came when he joined the British Indian Army at the age of 16.

(d) How did Dhyan Singh become Dhyan Chand?

Ans: Dhyan Chand started his practice sessions with the rising of moon and so he came to be called Dhyan Chand by his fellow players. His coach also predicted that he would one day shine like the moon. He gave him the title Chand. 

(e) Where did Dhyan Chand win the title "hockey personality of the country"?

Ans: In Berlin Dhyan Chand win the title "hockey personality of the country".

(f) What is his birthday celebrated as?

Ans: His birthday is celebrated as National Sports Day.

(g) Why was he given the nicknames,' The Wizard ' and ' The Magician of Hockey '?

Ans: Dhyan Chand was given the nicknames ' The Wizard ' and ' The Magician of Hockey ' for his superb ball control.