When you think about history of sports in India, one name that would immediately come to mind is Major Dhyan Chand, who is regarded as the greatest sports person that the country has ever produced. It was no surprise that the Government of India declared the National Sports Day on his birthday. He was the man who inspired many young Indians to take part in sports.

It is said that in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Dhyan Chand who was the flag-bearer, refused to salute Adolf Hitler. What a man !

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 29, 2017

Dhyan Chand was born on 29 August, 1905 in Allahabad. His father played hockey in the British Indian army and he also  joined the army at the age of 16 and  used to practice a lot during night after duty hours. During those days,  Dhyan Chand waited for the moon to come out for improved visibility and hence was called ‘ Chand’ by his fellow players.

Dhyan Chand helped India win India at the 1928 Amsterdam olympics, 1932 Los Angeles olympics and 1936 Berlin olympics. During the 1936 olympic final against Germany, it’s said that Dhyan Chand removed his spiked shoes in the 2nd half and played bare foot, scoring three goals in the match. He was known as “ The Wizard” for his superb ball control and played his final international match in 1948, having scored more than 400 goals during his international career. After retirement, he served as the Chief Hockey Coach at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala for several years.