- Born
- Died
- Nickname
- The Wizard of Hockey
- Height5′ 8″ (1.73 m)
- Dhyan Chand (29 August 1905 - 3 December 1979) was an Indian field hockey player, who is widely considered as the greatest field hockey player of all time. Chand is most remembered for his extraordinary goal-scoring feats, in addition to earning three Olympic gold medals (1928, 1932, and 1936) in field hockey, during an era where India was the most dominant team in Hockey.
Known as "The Wizard" for his superb ball control, Chand played his final international match in 1948, having scored more than 400 goals during his international career. The Government of India awarded him the third highest (then second highest) civilian honor of Padma Bhushan in 1956. His birthday is celebrated as National sports day in India (August 29th).- IMDb mini biography by: Dibyayan Chakravorty
- Extraordinary ball dribbling abilities.
- Despite officially being India's greatest sportsperson of all-time, he died in exceptionally poor financial conditions, unable to pay even his hospital bills.
- His feats at the 1936 Berlin Olympics were so outstanding that local newspapers published a headline saying "The hockey arena of the Olympics is a magic show. If you want to witness for yourself, go watch Dhyanchand in action".
- Retired from Field Hockey altogether in 1948, with unaccounted but also unprecedented 800 goals to his name.
- Was the Guest Of Honor at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
- Although disgusted by the defeat of his hockey team at the hands of whom he thought were "racially inferior colonial people", German dictator Adolf Hitler was so impressed by Chand's mastery of the sport that upon knowing Chand was a corporal in the British Indian Army offered him a commissioned officer rank in the OKW. Chand politely turned down the offer.
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