Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour in India, has been renamed after legendary Hockey player late Dhyan Chand.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday.
Modi tweeted, “I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views. Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Jai Hind!”
He added, “Major Dhyan Chand was among India’s foremost sportspersons who brought honour and pride for India. It is fitting that our nation’s highest sporting honour will be named after him.”
In an era where India dominated in hockey, Dhyan Chand earned gold medals in the Olympics in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
The Modi government’s decision came at a time India’s men’s and women’s hockey team showed bravery in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics 2020.
While the women’s hockey team narrowly missed a bronze medal, the same was won by the men’s unit.
The Khel Ratna Award was so far named after former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi.
