Every year on August 29, India celebrates National Sports Day or Rashtriya Khel Divas, a tribute to Major Dhyan Chand, the legendary hockey player who was born on this day in 1905.
National Sports Day: Origin and Significance
The tradition of celebrating National Sports Day began in 2012. By marking this day, the nation honours its sports stars, with the president presenting prestigious awards including the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, and Dhyan Chand Awards. The main objective of the celebration is to raise awareness about the importance of incorporating physical activity into our everyday lives.
The Government of India organizes numerous programs, events, and seminars to emphasize the significance of the day, helping to further increase public awareness of the importance of sports in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Life and Achievements of Major Dhyan Chand
Major Dhyan Chand, widely recognised as ‘The Wizard of Hockey,’ was born on August 29, 1905, in present-day Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. He represented India at three Olympic Games as the centre forward, winning Gold Medals in Amsterdam (1928), Los Angeles (1932), and Berlin (1936), where he also captained the team. Additionally, he was part of the first Indian overseas army team that toured New Zealand in 1926.
In his illustrious career, spanning from 1926 to 1948, Major Dhyan Chand scored more than 400 international goals and nearly 1,000 goals overall. To honour this great player, the Government of India decided to designate his birthday as National Sports Day in 2012. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honour in India, in 1956. He sadly passed away on December 3, 1979, after falling into a coma.
Laureus World Sports Award: Facts
In the year 2000, the Laureus World Sports Awards were established as a premier global sports event that honours the greatest and most inspirational sporting triumphs of the year. In its inaugural edition, American golfer Tiger Woods was conferred with the first award. Contrary to popular belief, Men’s Football Team players have won this award the most times (six times). Swiss tennis player Roger Federer has won it five times, followed by athletes Usain Bolt and Novak Djokovic, who have each won four times.
32nd Summer Olympics: Key Details
The 32nd Summer Olympic Games, also referred to as Tokyo 2020, took place from July 23 to August 8, 2021 — a year later than originally planned due to the Covid pandemic. The motto for these games was “United by Emotion,” symbolizing the power of sports to unite people from diverse backgrounds and bridge differences.
The Tokyo 2020 games featured a total of 46 sports including Rugby, Sport Climbing, Fencing, Football, Skateboarding, Handball, Surfing, Karate, Baseball, and others.
