Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award renamed Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday announced that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award will now be known as the  Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

He said the move was based on the numerous requests he received from across the nation.

The Prime Minister tweeted, ” 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!”

The Khel Ratna award is the highest sporting honor in the nation.

The government’s decision comes a day after the Indian men’s hockey team won an Olympic bronze after a wait of 41 years and on the day Indian women’s hockey team narrowly missed out on a bronze medal.