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New Delhi | Jagran News Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that the Rajiv Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour in India, will now be called Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The PM, in a tweet today, said that he has been getting a lot of requests from the citizens to name the Khel Ratna Award after India Hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. 

The prime minister further said that respecting the sentiments of the citizens of India, it was decided to change the name of the sporting honour to Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Awards.  

"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!", PM Modi tweeted. 

He further said, "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."

This comes a day after the Indian men's hockey team won the Bronze medal after 41 years at the Olympic Games.

Dhyan Chand was a legendary hockey player known for his magical hockey skills. He was part of the Indian hockey team which struck gold in the Olympics of 1928, 1932, and 1936. On August 29, India celebrates National Sports Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand.

The Khel Ratna award was instituted in 1991-1992 and the first recipient was Chess legend, Viswanathan Anand. Among the other winners were Leander Paes, Sachin Tendulkar, Dhanraj Pillay, Pullela Gopichand, Abhinav Bindra, Anju Bobby George, Mary Kom and Rani Rampal in 2020.