National Sports Day Observed on 29 August

29 August 2013: National Sports Day

National Sports Day was observed across the country on 29 August 2013 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Indian hockey legend Dhyan Chand.

National sports day celebrated every year on 29 August to bring awareness about sports in public.
This year, events like walkathon and football tournaments were held across the country for the first time as part of the National Sports Day celebrations.

On the occasion of National Sports Day, a scheme known as Come and Play has been launched for general public to make optimal use of Sports Authority of India stadia. National coaching camps are being organised by the concerned federations in these stadia so that state-of-art facilities could be made available to sportspersons to enable them to achieve excellence in sports.

Major Dhyan Chand

• Major Dhyan Chand is an iconic Indian hockey player who is remembered as a magician of Indian hockey. He was the prime member of Indian hockey team which brought three Olympic gold medals in field of Hockey - in 1928 (Amsterdam), 1932 (Los Angeles) and 1936 (Berlin).
• He was honored with Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 1956 for his outstanding contribution to Indian Hockey.
• Major Dhyan Chand’s birthday, 29 August is celebrated as National Sports Day in India. Major sports awards like Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna, Dronacharya awards are presented on this occasion to the sportsperson who has shown tremendous commitment towards the game and made the Country proud.
• Dhyan Chand has scored more than 400 goals during his international career, which ended in 1948.