India celebrates National Sports Day on 29 August every year. The day is dedicated to the Indian hockey great, Major Dhyan Chand, who was born on this day in 1905.

Major Dhyan Chand, known as the ‘Magician of Hockey’, had led Indian side to golden glory in Olympics three times.

On National Sports Day, I pay my tributes to the wizard of Hockey, Major Dhyan Chand on his birth anniversary & call upon people to make sports a part of their daily routine. We must encourage & promote sporting culture in country, especially from school level. #NationalSportsDay pic.twitter.com/goztTdi45l

— VicePresidentOfIndia (@VPSecretariat) August 29, 2018

Every year on 29 August, the President of India gives out all sports-related awards (Arjuna Award, Dronacharya Award, and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna) to honour athletes and coaches who have made the nation proud.

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Born in a Rajput family in Allahabad, Dhyan Chand the Indian Army at the age of 16. His real name was Dhyan Singh but his friends started calling him Dhyan ‘Chand’ (moon) as he used to practise in the moonlight.

Greetings to all sports enthusiasts on National Sports Day. Tributes to the phenomenal hockey player, Major Dhyan Chand Ji on his birth anniversary.

I urge people to give priority to sports and fitness related activities, which will contribute towards a healthier India.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 29, 2018

Dhyan Chand took up hockey after joining the Army. He had led the Indian hockey team throughout his national career and had guided them to three Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936.

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Dhyan Chand represented India for 22 years and scored 400 goals for the nation. In the final of 1936 Berlin Olympics, Dhyan Chand scored three goals and India registered a thumping win against Germany 8-1. The hockey final in Berlin is regarded as one of the finest performance by Indian side in the Olympics. After that match, people started regarding the Indian side as ‘a virtually invincible team’.

Today, we commemorate Major Dhyan Chand’s Birth Anniversary as #NationalSportsDay. Let us give our tributes to one of India’s greatest sports icons by inculcating sports as part of our lifestyle. pic.twitter.com/fOcMqHRejZ

— Rajyavardhan Rathore (@Ra_THORe) August 29, 2018

After taking retirement, Dhyan Chand was named the Hockey coach chief at the National Institute of Sports in Patiala for a while. Later, he also taught at many coaching camps in Rajasthan.