Major Dhyan Chand, ‘The Wizard Of Hockey’ And Why He Deserves The Bharat Ratna

Major Dhyan Chand. The player who stood up to Hitler’s Germany in the dictator’s own country.

Legend has it that after seeing him play at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Sir Adolf Hitler was so impressed that he offered Dhyan Chand, a Major in the British Indian Army, a German citizenship, and a higher army post.

But, the ‘wizard of hockey’ politely declined his offer and replied in chaste Hindi, “India is my Country, and I am fine there”.

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So basically, who is Dhyan Chand?

Dhyan Chand, a Lance Naik in the Indian Army, is inarguably one of the greatest hockey players who ever lived. For those who prefer cricket, think of him as hockey’s Don Bradman.

So impressed was Bradman by Dhyan Chand’s play that after watching the magician at Adelaide in 1935, the Australian great remarked, “He scores goals like runs in cricket”.

What did he do?

He inspired. 🙂

Why is he a legend?

I’ll tell a small story on him in order to tell a large one.

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Date: August 15, 1936
Event: Berlin Olympics
Gold Medal Match: India vs Germany

In 1928, Team India won its first Olympic gold medal and then went on defeat the hosts USA 24-1 in the final of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. In 1936, they faced Hitler’s Germany in the finals. Germany had made great strides in their game. But what happened after that will certainly leave you shocked.

The ‘Hockey ka Jaadugar’ wanted to play the match under the India tricolor which was officially adopted by the Congress but sadly had to play under the British Indian flag. After a dull first half, Team India got into their rhythm in the second half. Dhyan Chand scored in the opening minutes of that half and four goals in five minutes sealed the fate of the match.

Dhyan Chand, a magician, who never held onto the ball for even a second more than necessary was seen in a rare selfish mode, that day. Such was his confidence that he asked his teammates to pass the ball to him and he would do the rest. As the ground was slippery due to overnight rain, he discarded his shoes and played with bare feet. His incredible stick work and the way he moved with the ball puzzled all those who were present. The German players started to play aggressively and even broke one of his teeth in a clash.

At some point, the Indian captain instructed his team not to score any more goals. ‘We must teach them a lesson in ball control’, he exclaimed. The Indian players took the ball to the German ‘D’, but did not score, instead passed the ball among themselves, thus humiliating the Germans in front of the home crowd. The final score read:

India – 8
Germany – 1

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Not only that, even Dhyan Chand forced Hitler to leave the stadium halfway through the match as he just could not see his team lose. But, he wanted to play for an Independent India and despite the victory he was sad. Exactly 11 years later after the final, India got independence on August 15, 1947.

Until 1956, the Indian men’s team remained unbeaten in the Olympics, winning six gold medals in a row.

He was so charismatic in the hockey field that everyone around the world doubted whether his stick was made of something else other than wood. Once, the authorities in the Netherlands broke his hockey stick to check if there was a magnet inside, while, in Japan, they thought that it was glue. In a sports club in Vienna, there is a statue of Chand with 4 arms and 4 sticks to illustrate how magical his skills were.

I think, the ‘hockey wizard’ who powered India to 3 Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936 should have been the first sportsman to be conferred with Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award.

Here’s wishing a Happy Birthday to the hockey maestro, Major Dhyan Chand. 🙂

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