Sports fraternity demands Bharat Ratna for Dhyan Chand

Visakhapatnam: The biggest tribute that Indian hockey team can pay to the wizard of Indian hockey, the legendary Dhyan Chand would be to bring back India’s past glory in the national game hockey and the Union government to confer the country’ highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna on Dhyan Chand, feels the sports fraternity in Vizag.

To mark National Sports Day (August 29) on the birth anniversary of late hockey maestro Dhyan Chand, students of Andhra University and few other colleges and several sports associations of the Olympic Association, Visakhapatnam district took out a rally on Thursday morning from Aqua Sports Complex on Beach Road to the Dhyan Chand statue at Andhra University.

The rally, organised by Andhra University in association with the Olympic Association, Visakhapatnam district, was flagged off by Jaahnavi Sriperambuduru, the youngest girl in the world to have scaled the Stok Kangri, 6,125 metres (20,080) above sea level and the highest peak in the Stok range of Himalayas in the Ladakh region.

Garlanding Dhyan Chand’s statue, vice-chancellor of AU G.S.N. Raju said that Dhyan Chand was an all time great sportsperson who contributed immensely to the national game of hockey and must be honoured with the Bharat Ratna.

A large number of young hockey players and sports persons participated in the rally.  President of Olympic Association T.S.R. Prasad, president of AP Volleyball Association S. Kodandaramiah, Olympian M.V. Manikyalu and others also took part in the rally.