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At the age of 16, after completing his schooling Dhyan Chand joined the Indian Army, where he was noticed by Subedar Major Bhole Tiwari for his vibrant skills in hockey and knack for scoring goals. Soon he was chosen to play in the Inter-provincial championships and from 1922 to 1926 Dhyan Chand regularly represented his regiment in a number of army events.
After his dramatic victory in 1925, he earned the nickname "hockey wizard". During the final of the Punjab Indian infantry tournament, Dhyan's team was losing with 4 minutes to go. Dhyan Chand took the ball on his stick and dribbled through the entire defense to score a goal. He then scored a second, and then a third, in a four-minute span to snatch a dramatic last minute victory.
The following year, at 21, Dhyan Chand earned his first international cap when he was selected for the Indian team touring New Zealand. B y the end of the tour India returned home with 18 wins from 21 games.
While touring England in 1927, Chand exhibited his great skills by netting 36 of India's 72 goals in 10 matches and in 1932, when India scored 338 goals in 37 matches, he contributed 113 to the total. During the tour of New Zealand and Australia he scored 201 goals out of the team's tally of 584 in 43 matches. Don Bradman perhaps the greatest cricketer all times, remarked after watching Chand in action that "he scores goals like runs in cricket".
Dhyan Chand was the only Indian who captivated even Hitler! After his impressive performance during the 1936 Summer Olympics at Berlin, Adolf Hitler supposedly offered to make him a field Marshal in the German Army, but the latter politely turned it down.
The adept Hockey player was part of 3 gold medal winning Indian teams at the Olympics- in Amsterdam (1928), Los Angeles (1932) and Berlin (1936), where he was captain.
Every year, 29th August, is celebrated as National Sports Day in India. The president gives away sports related awards such as the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the Arjuna Award and the Dronacharya Award on this day.
To commemorate this skillful player, the Government of India has instituted the Dhyan Chand Award which is presented each year to sports personalities who not only contribute through their performance but also contribute to sports after their retirement.
Achievements : Olympic Gold medalist in 1928, 1932 & 1936, recipient of the Padma Shri
Birth Place : Prayag, Uttar Pradesh             Birth Date : August 29, 1905
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhyan_Chand
www.indianetzone.com/9/dhyan_chand.htm
http://in.sports.yahoo.com/sportz/hockey/dhyan_chand.html
- 23/07/2008 13:10 - Norman Pritchard
- 23/07/2008 13:09 - P.T. Usha
- 22/07/2008 13:20 - Lt. Col. RVS Rathore