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The Indian who captivated Hitler
Dhyan Chand was born on 29 August 1905 in Allahabad.While Indian hockey desperately tries to shed its underdog image, one man remains the guru of the game in the subcontinent. He is the mercurial Dhyan Chand.
The hockey wizard not only mesmerised millions within pre-Partition India but became a household name in all hockey-playing nations. His deft stick-work and amazing ball control left fellow players and spectators awestruck.
Legend has it that after seeing him play at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Adolf Hitler offered Dhyan Chand, a major in the British Indian army, German citizenship and a higher army post. The prolific striker politely turned it down.
Even after he turned 42, Dhyan Chand continued to score virtually at will, as he banged in 61 goals to help India win all its 22 matches in East Africa in 1947-48. It was then that he stopped playing international hockey.
After his playing days, Dhyan Chand earned a diploma in coaching from the National Institute of Sports, Patiala. But he was not as successful as coach; he found it difficult to explain things that came to him so naturally as a player.
Dhyan Chand won a number of awards and accolades during his illustrious career. One of the most touching gestures came from the residents of Vienna, who built a statue of the Indian with four hands and four sticks, signifying his unparallel control over the ball.
In 1956, the Indian government conferred on him the Padma Bhushan -- he was never presented the Arjuna award though -- and released a postage stamp on December 3, 1980, exactly a year after he died in hospital.
Even after he turned 42, Dhyan Chand continued to score virtually at will, as he banged in 61 goals to help India win all its 22 matches in East Africa in 1947-48. It was then that he stopped playing international hockey.
After his playing days, Dhyan Chand earned a diploma in coaching from the National Institute of Sports, Patiala. But he was not as successful as coach; he found it difficult to explain things that came to him so naturally as a player.
Dhyan Chand won a number of awards and accolades during his illustrious career. One of the most touching gestures came from the residents of Vienna, who built a statue of the Indian with four hands and four sticks, signifying his unparallel control over the ball.
In 1956, the Indian government conferred on him the Padma Bhushan -- he was never presented the Arjuna award though -- and released a postage stamp on December 3, 1980, exactly a year after he died in hospital.
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