Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award renamed after hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand

India’s highest sporting honour, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award has been renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today, announced the news through few tweets.

The move is aimed at recognising the ultimate hockey hero of India, Major Dhyan Chand. The Prime Minister informed that the decision was taken after he got numerous requests from countrymen for changing the name of the Khel Ratna Award and rename it after the hockey legend.

“I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to rename the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views. Respecting the sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Jai Hind” tweeted the PM.

The decision has come at a time when both the men’s and women’s hockey teams have created history in the ongoing Tokyo Olympics by reaching semifinals. While men’s team won bronze medal ending the 41-year medal drought in this sport, the women’s team reached semi-final for the first time and finished the campaign at fourth position.

The PM also hailed both the teams for their spectacular performances in the Olympic games that grabbed the attention of the countrymen. Besides, the Odisha government also garnered a lot of applause from everywhere across the country for its wholehearted support to the sport, as the state government sponsored both the men’s and women’s hockey teams after no corporates came forward to sponsor the teams.