National Sports Day 2024: National Sports Day is celebrated in India every year on August 29. The date honours the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, one of the greatest field hockey players in the history of the game. Dhyan Chand is famously known as the 'wizard of hockey' and one of the finest athletes that India has produced despite India not being an independent nation for most of his playing years.
Dhyan Chand played a pivotal role in helping India win their first Olympic Gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympic Games. But that is not the only gold medal he won, he won to add two more gold medals for India in field hockey in the 1932 and the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Dhyan Chan was born on August 29, 1905 which means that August 29, 2024 happens to be the legendary hockey player's 119th birth anniversary. While the hockey player lived most of his life in obscurity despite being India's foremost global sporting superstar with the even the likes of Adolf Hitler being his fan, it is on his birthday that one of the fastest growing economies of the world, strives to take giant steps towards excellcence in the sporting sphere.
National Sports Day: Date
To honour Dhyan Chand's achievements and to mark his birthday every year, the government of India started observing August 29 every year as the National Sports Day. The decision was taken by the goverment in 2012. The date also comes around as a reminder to promote sports and fitness across the country.
National Sports Day: Why Is Dhyan Chand Know As 'Wizard Of Hockey'
Notably, Dhyan Chand came to be known as the 'Hockey Wizard' and 'The Magician' because of his superb skills with the hockey stick as well as his understanding of the game. His career started from 1926, ending in 1948 and he went on to become one of the greatest players of all time.
National Sports Day: Celebrations and Significance
The government of India uses National Sports Day to launch various schemes. The Khelo India Movement, for example, was announced on this date in 2018. On National Sports Day, achievements of Indian athletes are celebrated with the President Of India also presenting the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award, the highest sportijng honour in India. In addition, there are several inter-school and inter-college sports fests on this day as well as fitness camps and public awareness campaigns among other ways of celebration.