National Sports Day 2020: Here’s all you need to know

Team Udayavani, Aug 29, 2020, 2:33 PM IST

National Sports Day is observed on 29 August to commemorate the birthday of Indian hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. He was born in 1905 in the Prayagraj formerly Allahabad.

Dhyan Chand joined the Indian army as the soldier in 1922. He started his career in Hockey with the regimental team of the British Indian Army. Dhyan Chand was an integral part of 1928, 1932, and 1936 Olympics Gold medal-winning squad.

He represented India in 185 matches, scoring more than 400 goals. In 1956, the Indian government conferred him with Padma Bhushan, third-highest civilian award. Dhyan Chand bid adieu to this world on December 3, 1979.

National Sports Day was celebrated for the first time in 2012. Various sporting events are organised across the country to commemorate National Sports Day. But, this year amid Covid-19 all of them have been cancelled and the celebrations are expected to be low-key

Also, annual national awards were given to the achievers in an unparalleled online ceremony amid the during which athletes logged in from multiple cities to be honoured by President Ram Nath Kovind. This year around 74 were picked for the national honours, including five Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratnas and 27 Arjuna awardees.