Today is 29th August and the nation celebrates National Sports Day today to commemorate the birthday of the great Dhyan Chand, the magician of hockey. In normal times this event was celebrated with great pomp all over the country. The last two years have been quiet in that sense but the event coincided with online innovations. However, the celebration in Jhansi did not change as Major Dhyan Chand’s son Ashok Kumar ensured that several activities were organized during the day.
After the Khel Ratna was renamed after Major Dhyan Chand, the ceremony will now take place after a gap of two years. A galaxy of international hockey stars like former goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi, Zafar Iqbal descended on Jhansi to take part in the day long festivities.
Ashok Kumar said, “Apart from my father’s birthday, we will also celebrate 100 years of Hero Hockey Club for which my father played.” News18.com from Jhansi. In honor of Major Dhyan Chand, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to install an artificial surface in Jhansi, the official announcement of which is expected in a couple of days.
According to Ashok Kumar, “it is always an honor to see the whole of India celebrate my father’s birthday with such pomp”, despite being described as the first family of hockey.
“Like every other fan, I am also a small part of this big event. It is celebrated by lakhs of people across India and I am just one of them,” said Ashok Kumar.
Although the government celebrates Major Dhyan Chand’s birthday every year, the National Sports Day was officially declared on August 29, 2012.
“It was a long campaign by hockey lovers over the years before the government decided to give it an official tag. I remember somewhere in the mid-2000s, the 1975 World Cup winners played against the 1998 Asian Games gold medalists in an exhibition match in Mumbai and we called it National Sports Day. It was then that the government took notice and started the process of making it official,” recalled Ashok Kumar.
Ashok Kumar further said, “The government has given us a gift to celebrate this day as National Sports Day and to inculcate the love of sports among the youth. The aim was to inspire aspiring young sportspersons in the country. To pave the way and provide opportunities to these youth. Involving parents in sports. And it has had an effect. But the kind of awareness we should have seen somewhere in our schools and colleges, it seems neglected.
“The reason is lack of facilities, non-availability of Aadhaar. So those who want to play hockey do not have facilities. If a youth wants to play football, where does he go? Athletics has been reduced to a mere formality. Just draw some parallel lines and make the youth run. this much only.”
Recalling the days of his father Major Dhyan Chand, Ashok Kumar said, “Though there was no atro-turf, special care was taken to prepare the ground for inter-university type tournaments. These tournaments used to be big. Where huge crowds used to throng to see youngsters in action. All that is missing now.”
Ashok Kumar is happy that the government has decided to rename the Khel Ratna award after his father Major Dhyan Chand.
“Dhyanchand belongs to the whole country,” Ashok Kumar further emphasized, “Sports awards should be named after sportspersons.
“An athlete sacrifices a lot to carry forward the legacy of the sport. So it is better to name the awards and stadiums after the players. An athlete who dedicates 8-10 years of his life to sports deserves to be honoured,” he said.
Speaking on India’s bronze medal win in Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Ashok Kumar said, “Winning bronze in Tokyo is a huge achievement for India. I have been saying that we are playing so well, but we were not getting medals for 40 years! But now we have got the medal. But with a medal comes a great responsibility. Because now we will be recognized as the Olympic medal winning team in the world.”
According to Ashok Kumar, this win in Tokyo should help Indian hockey regain its momentum. He said, ‘Now it is the responsibility of Hockey India to prepare their teams well. This will help in inculcating the desire to perform well in the teams of schools and colleges. This medal should serve as inspiration. Indian hockey has a bright future and we will continue to do well. It remains to be seen how hockey is promoted. Connect Central Government and State Governments and Hockey India to think big and show big heart for the game of Hockey. “
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