Dhyan Chand Biography
(One of the Greatest Field Hockey Players in History)
Birthday: August 29, 1905 (Virgo)
Born In: Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India
The winner of three Olympic gold medals in field hockey, Indian hockey player Dhyan Chand was undoubtedly one of the best sportsmen ever to have graced the game. He was a part of the highly talented Indian hockey team during the era when India dominated the world hockey. A sportsman beyond compare, his goal-scoring feats were simply out of the world. So much so that he was called “The Wizard” for his uncanny hockey talents! He exercised tremendous control over the ball and was an expert at dribbling. In fact his dribbling skills were so unbelievable that his fans fondly called him a magician with a stick. Opposition teams often broke open his stick to check if there was something special inside it. So much was the world in awe of this hockey player that it is rumoured that Adolf Hitler offered him German citizenship and the post of Colonel in the German Army following his splendid performance in the 1936 Berlin Olympics! His love affair with hockey began when he joined the army as a teenager. Initially he played for the Army teams where he made a name for himself. He was captain of Indian hockey team that went on to win gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics and was part of the earlier two Olympic Gold medal winning hockey teams, i.e., 1928 Amsterdam Olympics and 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.