| Dhyan Chand Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 7 in |
| Weight | 68 kg |
| Date of Birth | August 29, 1905 |
| Zodiac Sign | Virgo |
| Date of Death | December 3, 1979 |
Dhyan Chand was an Indian professional field hockey player who is renowned as the all-time greatest hockey player in the history of the game. He won 3 Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936, and made India one of the dominant hockey players in the world during this time.
Born Name
Dhyan Singh
Nick Name
Dhyan Chand, The Wizard of Hockey, The Magician
Age
He was born on August 29, 1905.
Died
He passed away on December 3, 1979, from liver cancer at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi at the age of 74 years.
Sun Sign
Virgo
Born Place
Allahabad, United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, British India (Present-day Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India)
Nationality
Education
He pursued his primary education only for 6 years before dropping out.
Chand was a student of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh before graduating from the Victoria College in Gwalior in 1932.
Occupation
Professional Field Hockey Player
Family
- Father – Sameshwar Singh (Played Hockey for the British Indian Army)
- Mother – Sharadha Singh
- Siblings – Mool Singh (Brother), Roop Singh (Younger Brother) (Hockey Player)
Position
Center forward
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 7 in or 170 cm
Weight
68 kg or 150 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Dhyan Chand had dated –
- Janaki Devi (1936-1979) – He tied the knot with Janaki Devi shortly before the 1936 Berlin Olympics. His wife gave birth to 7 sons named Brij Mohan Singh, Sohan Singh, Raj Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Umesh Kumar, Devendra Singh, and Virendra Singh. Moreover, the couple was also blessed with 4 daughters named Vidya Devi, Asha, Usha Singh, and Rajkumari.
Race / Ethnicity
Asian (Indian)
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Chin dimple
- Superlative ball dribbling abilities
Dhyan Chand Facts
- Every year, India’s National Sports Day is celebrated on his birth anniversary i.e., August 29th.
- Chand’s name was considered for India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna in 2014. However, the award was given to Sachin Tendulkar (on the eve of his 200th and last test match) and the chemist, C. N. R. Rao.
- He was conferred with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor, in 1956.
- As of 2023, Chand is the only Indian hockey player to have a commemorative postage stamp issued in his honor by the Government of India.
- While paying tribute to him, the BBC called him ‘the field hockey equivalent of Muhammad Ali‘.
- Chand managed to even impress the German dictator Adolf Hitler with his exceptional skills at hockey. In fact, Hitler even offered him a commissioned officer rank in the OKW (the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, the high command of Nazi Germany’s armed forces), which he politely declined.
- In spite of all the glory and worldwide recognition he received during his career, he was in a relatively poor financial condition at the time of his death, to the extent that he struggled to pay his hospital bills.
- The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award was renamed to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021. Moreover, the award is presented each year to extraordinary sports personalities on August 29th; his birth anniversary.
Featured Image by Faizhaider / Wikimedia / Public Domain
