Khel Ratna Award renamed as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award will now be known as the  Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, “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. It is fitting that our nation’s highest sporting honour will be named after him.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2021

देश को गर्वित कर देने वाले पलों के बीच अनेक देशवासियों का ये आग्रह भी सामने आया है कि खेल रत्न पुरस्कार का नाम मेजर ध्यानचंद जी को समर्पित किया जाए। लोगों की भावनाओं को देखते हुए, इसका नाम अब मेजर ध्यानचंद खेल रत्न पुरस्कार किया जा रहा है।

जय हिंद!

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2021

“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. Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Jai Hind!” Prime Minister Modi tweeted.The Khel Ratna award was instituted in 1991-1992 and the first recepient was Chess legend Viswanathan Anand.