The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour of India, has been renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced today.
The PM said the move was based on the many requests he received from across the nation.
“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!” tweeted the Prime Minister with #JaiHind.
This major change comes at a time both men and women hockey teams of India have captivated the imagination of the country with their impressive performance at the Tokyo Olympics.
Dhyan Chand, whose birthday is observed as National Sports Day, won three Olympic golds for India. His career was spanned from 1926 to 1949.