Major D.C. Singh Was A Seminal Figure In The Indian Sports Community

India celebrated 29th August as the National Sports Day. This is celebrated every year since 2012 in order to commemorate the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand Singh, a hockey legend who put Indian hockey on the map.

This day is also about celebrating the contribution of athletes to shaping Indian society. This year marked the 12th year anniversary of the Rashtriya Khel Divas.

Who Was Major Dhyan Chand Singh?

Born on the 29th of August 1905 in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Major D.C. Singh started his career with the British Indian Army. He served in the Army from 1926 to 1948.

However, he was meant to be greater than what he started out as and ended his career with 400 goals across 185 matches.

In fact, Major Dhyan Chand Singh was the sole reason why India won three consecutive Olympic Hockey golds in the years 1928, 1932, and 1936.

Therefore, recognizing his efforts toward Indian hockey, the Indian government recognized his birth anniversary as National Sports Day back in 2012.

This move is a positive one for cultivating more sporting and fitness talents in the country.

The Significance

The Indian government believes that National Sports Day encourages people of all ages and classes to embrace fitness.

This is the latest move by the government to help cultivate hidden sporting talents from different corners of the country. It also helps in creating awareness in society about the need for sports in a child’s upbringing.

Hence, it creates a conducive environment for people who want to pursue sports as a full-time career. This day is also a reminder of the fact of how much India has progressed since its break from colonialism and how much it still aims to achieve.

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