A “Wizard” or a “Magician” who refused Hitler’s offer!
Major Dhyan Chand (29 August 1905–3 December 1979) was an Indian hockey player and one of the greatest hockey players in the history of the sport. He was known for his extraordinary goal-scoring feats, in addition to earning three Olympic gold medals, in 1928, 1932 and 1936, during an era where India dominated field hockey. His influence extended beyond these victories, as India won the field hockey event in seven out of eight Olympics from 1928 to 1964.
Dhyan Chand was often called a ‘magician’ on the Hockey field. Such was his aura that it spread beyond India to Germany, Britain, Japan and Holland. In India, the Hockey player had defined the very nature of the sport, his birthday being commemorated as National Sports Day. While in UK, Dhyan Chand has a tube station to his name, in Vienna a statue has been erected to pay homage to the genius with sticks. While legends and myths have for long surrounded Dhyan Chand’s fame, a particular incident that happened in Germany during the Olympics is often talked about while discussing the Hockey star’s international repute.
