New Delhi: The Modi Government has renamed the Khel Ratna Award, the highest sports award, after sports icon Major Dhyan Chand. Now the award will be known as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday.
The Khel Ratna award is the highest sporting honour in the nation. It was officially known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in Sports and Games.
The government’s decision comes a day after the Indian men’s hockey team ended the 41-year wait for an Olympic medal when it defeated Germany 5-4 and secured the first hockey medal for the country since the Moscow Olympics in 1980. The women’s hockey team has too performed well and finished 4th in the tournament.
PM Modi turning to the microblogging site clarified that he was getting many requests from citizens to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand.
“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,” said Modi in a tweet.
Home minister Amit Shah has lauded the announcement and termed it as a true tribute to a great hockey player.
