Introduction

National Sports Day is celebrated mainly to honour Major Dhyan Chand’s achievements in hockey- he won 3 gold medals at the Olympics for India! Now, isn’t that splendid? What’s more, he won them in 3 consecutive Olympic games held in 1928, 1932 and 1936 respectively. This day was celebrated for the very first time in 2012, and the Indian Government uses this occasion to roll out important sports schemes. There is a particular theme every year too. Dhyan Chand was also called the ‘wizard’ on the hockey field because of his extraordinary prowess and skill. 

The Importance of National Sports Day

The story behind why he was called ‘Chand’ is also interesting. He would practice hockey after his duty was done for the day. He was a prolific player- he represented India in 185 matches all over the world, and scored over 400 goals. The Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award was renamed the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021, and is awarded to outstanding athletes for their achievements, every year by the President of India. 

The theme for this year is ‘Sport for the Promotion of Peaceful and Inclusive Societies’. This initiative is a great way to unify communities and to break down barriers because we all love our sports and a competitive match, don’t we?

Sports Schemes By The Indian Government Are Useful

The various sports schemes that our government has rolled out include the following-

• Khelo India Programme – to encourage newcomers by providing appropriate training and the right sports facilities for them to achieve their full potential. 
• Fit India Movement– this initiative by the Indian govt is aimed at discouraging a sedentary lifestyle and aims to improve outcomes by encouraging everyone to indulge in some sort of physical activity every day. This is even more relevant now, as India is becoming a world capital of sorts for lifestyle and metabolic disorders like hypertension or diabetes. 
• The SAGS (Special Area Games) Scheme – This is to encourage youngsters staying in remote areas, by providing them access to sporting facilities.
• Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) – This scheme is for athletes who perform very well, and have the potential to represent India in the Olympics. 

Conclusion

This celebration is very much relevant now because we need to use sports as a way to improve our lifestyle. Our high work pressure environments and sedentary lifestyle increase our likelihoods of having metabolic issues like diabetes or hormonal disorders. It is also a good platform to recognise our national athletes, and ensure that they continue to get the resources they require to perform at their peak. This is an opportunity to understand more about the sports schemes that our government may initiate.

FAQs

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