Rajiv Gandhi’s name removed from Khel Ratna Award, to be named after Dhyan Chand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour, will be named after former Olympic gold medallist hockey player Major Dhyan Chand. The Prime Minister said he has received many “requests from citizens across India” for the same, and that he was “respecting their sentiments”.

In another tweet, PM Modi 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.”

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He also lauded the performances of the Indian athletes at the ongoing Tokyo Olympics, singling out the men’s and women’s field hockey teams for their historic runs at the Games. 

“We are all overwhelmed by the stupendous efforts of Indian players in the Olympic Games. The willpower shown by our sons and daughters especially in hockey, the ardor shown towards victory, is a great inspiration for the present and future generations, he said. 

The prestigious award comes along with a Rs 25 lakh cash reward.

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The PM Mdi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) governemnt at the Centre has a history of changing the names of UPA-era schemes.

Among the prominent schemes the BJP have chaned the names to are the Indira Awas Yojana (to Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana), Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (to AMRUT), Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana (to Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana), Rajiv Awas Yojana (to Sardar Patel National Mission for Urban Housing), Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojana (to Pradhan Mantri Matritva Vandana Yojana) among others.