National Sports Day is celebrated in India annually on August 29 as a tribute and mark of respect to the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand. He was fondly called 'Dadda' by sports lovers in the country. It is the birth anniversary of Dhyan Chand on August 29 who was born in 1905 and achieved unparalleled success in hockey for India.
He was a massive figure in India's historic gold medal triumphs in hockey at the 1928, 1932 and 1936 Olympic Games. On this day, India also recognises the achievements of the sportspersons in the country over the last 12 months. Over the years, the annual sports awards were also given by the President of India with a grand ceremony taking place at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
As a mark of respect Dhyan Chand and his contribution to Indian sports including national game hockey, the country's most prestigious sports award, Khel Ratna, was rechristened as Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award from Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna by Prime Minister Narendra Modi back in 2021.
On the occasion of the National Sports Day, Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya paid floral tribute to Major Dhyan Chand and it was followed by a plantation drive at the SAI Dhyan Chand Stadium.
The government of India has also used National Sports Day as a platform to launch various schemes including the Khelo India movement in 2018. Moreover, the government of Uttar Pradesh is also honouring Dhyan Chand with significant initiatives. The government is upgrading Jhansi's 'Heroes Ground' and establishing the Dhyan Chand Museum. The state's first-ever sports university in Meerut is also under construction and it will be named after the hockey legend.
