IMAGE: PM Modi pays his respects to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. Photograph: Narendra Modi/Twitter
India's highest sporting honour, the Khel Ratna Award, which was named after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was on Friday rechristened in the honour of hockey wizard Dhyan Chand, following the admirable performance of both men's and women's hockey teams in the Tokyo Olympics.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement on Twitter.
"Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award! 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," he tweeted.
The prestigious award carries a prize money of Rs 25 lakh.
