New Delhi: Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi today announced the Centre’s decision to rename the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, one of India’s highest sporting honours. The award shall now be identified as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the PM declared. He took to his Twitter handle for making the information public.
PM Modi informed about the whole story behind the rechristening “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 tweeted from his handle.
The award was introduced in 1991-92 with Chess Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand as its first recipient, followed by stalwarts like Leander Paes, Sachin Tendulkar, Dhanraj Pillay, Pullela Gopichand, and Mary Kom, among others.
Major Dhyan Chand, during his tenure as an Indian hockey player i.e. between 1926-1949, won as many as three Olympic gold medals for India in 1928, 1932, and 1936, and therefore is regarded as one of the country’s best ever. He was awarded one of India’s highest civil honors, the Padma Bhushan in 1956 by the then government. Also, 29 August is celebrated as National Sports Day every year to commemorate his birthday.
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Meanwhile, soon after the announcement by PM Modi about the renaming of Congress and opposition leaders come out with criticism.
Former Olympian and Rajasthan Congress MLA Krishna Poonia slammed the Centre’s decision by saying that the government is playing politics over the sports wards naming. While speaking to the media she said that renaming of existing awards name is a waste exercise, rather, the Modi govt could have started a named award in the name of a legendary hockey player while demanding the Bharat Ratna award for Dhyan Chand.
Shiv Sena MP,, Arvind Sawant too have criticized Modi govt’s award renaming decision.
