New Delhi, August 6
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award will now be known as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
The Prime Minister said that this was being done for “respecting the sentiments of citizens across the country”.
The Khel Ratna award is the highest sporting honour in the nation.
“Major Dhyan Chand was among India’s foremost sportspersons who brought honour and pride for India. Our nation’s highest sporting honour should be named after him,” the Prime Minister said.
“Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award!,” the Prime Minister added.
“I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views,” he concluded.
The BJP called this decision a “small token” of gratitude to India’s hockey legend, and sportsperson who have been bringing glory to the country.
Party leaders said that “everything in the country was named after the Gandhi family, and the decision was a fulfilment of crores of Indian aspirations”.
The decision coincides with India’s stellar performance in the sport in the ongoing Tokyo Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, sources said that the “time was right” to mark the change, and acknowledge sportspersons to deserve the credit and “not some political leader”.
