RAJIV GANDHI KHEL RATNA RENAMED AFTER DHYAN CHAND

NEW DELHI: India’s highest sporting honour, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, has been renamed as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, in honour of the hockey legend after India’s performance at the Tokyo Games this year, the government announced on Friday. “It is fitting that our nation’s highest sporting honour will be named after him (Chand),” PM Modi tweeted. The Congress welcomed the move, but accused the government of indulging in a “myopic political motive”.

NEW DELHI: The Union government renamed the country’s highest sports award, the Khel Ratna, after hockey legend Dhyan Chand on Friday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeting that the decision was taken on popular demand, a day after the Indian men’s hockey team won a bronze at Tokyo 2020, the country’s first Olympic medal in 41 years.

The award was established in 1991-92 and named the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, after the former prime minister who was killed during an election rally in May 1991.

Dhyan Chand is revered as a hockey wizard in India for his stick work and dribbling skills and spearheaded India’s Olympic wins in 1928, 1932 and 1936.

“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,” Modi tweeted on Friday. “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,” he further tweeted.

The Khel Ratna award comprises a medallion, certificate and a cash prize of ₹25 lakh.

Union finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, welcomed the announcement. “Honouring the popular sentiment, a timely decision by Hon. @Pmoindia Khel Ratna Award shall now be known as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. #motivation #Teamindia,” she tweeted.