Khel Ratna Award will now be called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Khel Ratna Award will now be called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award following many requests from citizens.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "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 honor will be named after him."

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PM Narendra Modi also said, "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!"

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It may be recalled that the Khel Ratna award was instituted in 1991-1992. The first recipient was Chess legend, Viswanathan Anand.

The other winners were Leander Paes, Sachin Tendulkar, Dhanraj Pillay, Pullela Gopichand, Abhinav Bindra, Anju Bobby George, Mary Kom, and Rani Rampal in 2020.

Now renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award comes with a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh.

A field hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, also known as The Wizard, played international hockey from 1926 to 1949, scoring over 400 goals in his career.

-PTC News