Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (August 6, 2021) announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award will henceforth be called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. He said the decision was take “respecting the sentiments of citizens across the country”. 

On his official Twitter, Modi wrote: “I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views. Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! Jai Hind!”

Major Dhyan Chand was among India’s foremost sportspersons who brought honour and pride for India. It is fitting that our nation’s highest sporting honour will be named after him. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2021

Meanwhile, the exceptional performance of the men's and women's Hockey Team has captured the imagination of our entire nation. The prime minister claimed that the renewed interest towards the sport is a very positive sign for the coming times. 

The Khel Ratna award is the highest sporting honour in the nation. The prestigious award carries a prize money of Rs 25 lakh.

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