National Sports Day 2017: Remembering 'The Wizard' Major Dhyan Chand on his birthday

August 29 is celebrated as India’s National Sport Day. While India is not known to rule the world of sports (except cricket maybe) but Indian athletes have come a long way by winning medals for the country in Olympics, Commonwealth and other major sporting events.

But there is a reason why August 29 is celebrated as India’s National Sport Day. It is the birthday of Major Dhyan Chand, one of the greatest field hockey players of all time.

Born on August 29, 1905 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, as Dhyan Singh, he joined the army at the age of 16. Chand was a title given to him by his army colleagues since he would practice hockey at night after the moon came out.

Between 1922 and 1926, Chand exclusively played army hockey tournaments and regimental games and was selected to tour New Zealand. The team won 18 matches, drew 2 and lost only 1, receiving praise from all spectators. 

After hockey was reintroduced in the Olympics, the Indian Hockey federation sent a team including Chand to the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.

On 17 May the Indian national hockey team made its Olympic debut against Austria, winning 6-0, with Chand scoring 3 goals. The next day India defeated Belgium 9-0; however Chand only scored once. On 20 May, Denmark lost to India 5-0, with Chand netting 3. Two days later, he scored 4 goals when India defeated Switzerland 6-0 in the semi-finals.

The Indian team won its country's first Olympic gold medal  by beating Netherland in the finals. Chand had scored 14 goals in 5 matches.

A newaspaper had reported that, “This is not a game of hockey, but magic. Dhyan Chand is in fact the magician of hockey.”

In fact, once in Netherlands the authorities broke Chand’s hockey stick to check if there was any magnet inside because of his superb ball control. he was asked by an elderly woman to play with her walking cane. And he still scored goals with it.

He was given the nickname, ‘The Wizard’ for his tremendous control of the hockey bat and the ball. Even the legendary cricketer Don Bradman said, "You score goals like runs."

In the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, India beat USA 24-1 and Japan 11-1 to win Gold again. He scored 12 goals while his brother Roop Singh netted 13 out of the 35 goals India scored. This led to them being dubbed the 'hockey twins'.

In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Dhyan Chand who was the flag-bearer, refused to salute Hitler. After India played its first match in the 1936 Olympics, Dhyan Chand's magical stickwork drew crowds from other venues to the hockey field. A German newspaper carried a banner headline: 'The Olympic complex now has a magic show too.' The next day, there were posters all over Berlin: Visit the hockey stadium to watch the Indian magician Dhyan Chand in action. During the 1936 Olympic final against Germany, it's said that Dhyan Chand removed his spiked shoes & stockings in the 2nd half and played with bare foot. He managed to score and scored three goals. India won 8-1. In Berlin, Adolf Hitler wanted to buy his stick after watching the final match against Germany.

Dhyan Chand played his final international match in 1948 and scored over 400 goals during his international career. 

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to the hockey icon and all sports enthusiasts across the country on the occasion of the National Sports Day.

I pay tributes to the exemplary Major Dhyan Chand, whose legendary sporting skills did wonders for Indian hockey.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2017

Several athletes and ministers took to twitter to pay tribute to the icon.

Remembering the 'Magician of Hockey' Major Dhyan Chand on his birth anniversary today which is being celebrated as the National Sports Day.

— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 29, 2017

Remember the hockey wizard ..... Happy birthday to dada Dhyan chand #NationalSportsDay pic.twitter.com/3GgcJTo9Fl

— sreejesh p r (@16Sreejesh) August 29, 2017

During 1936 Olympics, the whole city of Berlin had posters: “Visit the hockey stadium to watch the Indian magician Dhyan Chand in action.”

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 29, 2017

Remembering Major Dhyan Chand for his contribution to our National Game & extending my best wishes to sportspersons on #NationalSportsDay. pic.twitter.com/prla5T8S5S

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) August 29, 2017

Tributes to the legendary Major Dhyan Chand on #NationalSportsDay. Sports develop character, a never-say-die attitude & spirit of teamwork. pic.twitter.com/jR3AruL8fs

— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) August 29, 2017