Major Dhyan Chand was an Indian hockey player. He is considered to be one of the best and greatest hockey player that World has ever produced. He was known for earning three Olympic gold medals, in 1928, 1932 and 1936. Indian hockey dominated the world in his era, and from 1928 to 1964, Indian hockey team won seven out of eight Olympics. No one else had ball control and goal scoring ability like him.
Dhyan Chand, known as The Wizard or The Magician of hockey. He played 185 international matches from 1926 to 1949 and scored 570 goals and over 1000 goals in his entire domestic and international career. His birthday, 29 August, is celebrated as National Sports Day in India every year.
Dhyan Chand's Earlylife and Background
| Name | Dhyan Chand |
| Born | 29 August 1905 Allahabad, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India (present-day Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India) |
| Died | 3 December 1979 (aged 74) All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India |
| Father Name | Sameshwar Singh |
| Mother Name | Sharadha Singh |
| Allegiance | British India (1922–1947) India (from 1947) |
| Unit | 1st Brahmans 14th Punjab Regiment Punjab Regiment |
| Rank | Major |
| Years of service | 1922-1956 |
On 29 August 1905, Dhyan Chand was born in a Rajput family. He is the son of Sharadha Singh and Sameshwar Singh. His father was in British Indian Army and was in the army hockey team. Mool Singh and Roop Singh were his two brothers. Roop Singh was also a hockey player. Dhyan Chand could not resume his studies after 6th class as his family used to move from one place to another, before finally settling down permanently at Jhansi. Before graduating from Victoria College, Gwalior in 1932, he studied at the Aligarh Muslim University.
As a child, Dhyan Chand did not like to play hockey, he liked wrestling. He started playing Hockey with his friends who used to themselves make Hockey sticks from tree branches and balls from ragged clothes.
Early Career
Dhyan Chand enlisted in the 1st Brahmans of the British Indian Army on 29 August 1922 as a sepoy. He continuously played army hockey tournaments between 1922-26. He was selected for the Indian Army team which was to tour New Zealand. That team won 18 matches and lost just one match. In the test match , India won the first match and lost the second. In 1927, Dhyan Chand was promoted to Lance Naik.
For the 1928 Olympics, Indian Hockey Federation (IFL) organized a tournament in 1925 to select the best team. 5 teams took part in that tournament and he got the permission from the army to play for the United Provinces team.
International Career
1928 Olympics
Dhyan Chand was selected in the team for his ball control, speed and goal scoring abilities, for the 1928 Amsterdam Summer Olympics as center-forward. The Indian national hockey team made its Olympic debut against Austria on 17 May. India beat Austria by 6-0 and Dhyan Chand scored 3 goals in that match. In other group stage matches, India defeated Belgium 9–0, Denmark 5-0 and Switzerland 6-0 and Dhyan Chand scored 11 goals. The final took place between India and Netherlands on 26th May. The Indian team won its country's first Olympic gold medal by defeating Netherlands 3-0, Dhyan Chand scored 2 goals in that match. He scored14 goals in 5 matches and was the top scorer of the tournament.
1932 Olympics
On returning to India, Dhyan Chand was posted in Waziristan in the North-West Frontier Province with his new 2/14 Punjab Regiment as a naik (corporal) and was cut off from the IHF. To select the new Olympic team, the Inter-Provincial Tournament was being held and Dhyan Chand was selected by the IHF for the Olympic team without any formalities, but rest of his teammates had to prove their skills in the Inter-Provincial Tournament. Chand's brother Roop Singh was also selected in that squad.
India played its first match against Japan on 4th August 1932 and won by 11-0, Dhyan Chand scored 3 goals in that match. India played final against USA and defeated them 24-1 which was a World record at that time. Dhyan Chand scored 8 goals in that match.
After 132 Olympics, India played 37 matches on a hectic, winning 34, drawing 2, with one abandoned. Chand scored 133 of the 338 Indian goals.
Captaincy and 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics
India team went on New Zealand tour in December 1934, and Dhyan Chand was appointed as the captain of the team. India Played 48 matches (28 in New Zealand and rest in India against Ceylon and Australia) in that subsequent tour. India scored 584 goals and conceding only 40 and India won every match. Dhyan Chand played 23 matches out of these 48 matches and scored a total of 201 goals.
The Inter-Provincial tournament was held in December 1935 to select the Olympic team. On 5 August, India played its first Berlin Summer Olympic game against Hungary and won by 4-0. India won the rest of the group matches against the USA 7–0, and Japan 9–0. In the semi final, India defeated France 10-0. In the final, India defeated Germany 8-1. In 1936 Olympics, Dhyan Chand scored 13 goals in 5 matches.
After 1936 Olympics, Adolf Hitler, the German dictator offered Dhyan Chand a higher post in the German Army than the one he was holding in the Indian Army, but he politely denied the offer.
Final Years
Dhyan Chand joined his regiment, after returning from the Olympics. Between 1936 and the commencement of the War in 1939, He played only Beighton Cup tournament in 1937. He was made a Viceroy's Commissioned Officer on 16 March 1938 with the rank of jemadar. He was promoted to acting subedar by July 1942 and to the war-substantive rank by early 1943. He received an emergency commission as a second lieutenant in the 14th Punjab Regiment.
Asian Sports Association (ASA) of East Africa requested IHF to send a team to play a series of matches in 1947. India played 9 matches and won all. Dhyan Chand managed to score 61 goals in 22 matches in his forties and retired from the game in 1948.
After In dependence, Dhyan Chand hold his emergency commission in the Indian Army, with the service number IEC 3526. He retired from the Indian Army after 34 years of service as a lieutenant on 29 August 1956. After retirement he was appointed Chief Hockey Coach at the National Institute of Sports, Patiala.
On 3 December 1979, Dhyan Chand died from liver cancer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi.
Legacy, Awards and Achievements
- Dhyan Chand's birthday, 29 August, is celebrated as National Sports Day in India. The President gives away sports-related awards such as the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award and Dronacharya Award on this day at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, India.
- He was awarded as the Gem of India by the Union Minister of India in the 20th National Award.
- Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award is named after him.
- In 2022, The National Stadium, Delhi was renamed Dhyan Chand National Stadium in his honour.
- A hostel at Aligarh Muslim University, has been named after him.
- An Astroturf hockey pitch, at the Indian Gymkhana Club in London, named after him.
- He is the only Indian hockey player to have a stamp in his honour.
- Dhyan Chand is the highest scorer in hockey, scored over 1000 goals in his domestic and international career.
- Dhyan Chand award, A lifetime achievement award named after him.
