This was when Major Dhyan Chand’s charismatic hockey game made everyone go crazy. Among the best hockey players in the world, if one of India’s players was first named with honor, it was Major Dhyan Chand. He has achieved the same position in hockey as Don Bradman in cricket, Pele in football, and Mohammad Ali in boxing. He was India’s only hockey player to lead India to gold medals in three consecutive Olympics and lead India to medal-winning teams in all three Olympics.
The final hockey match between India and Germany was scheduled to be played at the Berlin Olympics on August 14, 1936. The match could not be played on that day due to incessant rain. But the people’s passion for that match was that the stadium was still packed when the match took place on the 15th of August the next day. At that time, German dictator Hitler was also present there. On the wet ground of ground, Major Dhyan Chand, without wearing shoes, played barefoot and defeated Germany badly. Dhyan Chand’s game, running barefoot on the field, made a dictator like Hitler his friend. He was so impressed by Dhyan Chand’s game that he offered him a high position in his army in exchange for playing for Germany.
Dhyan Chand politely turned down Hitler’s offer saying that India is his country which he wants more than his life. He said he will continue to play for India till the last minute. Call it the effect of Dhyan Chand’s personality that even after his offer was rejected, a dictator like Hitler did not get angry with him and he gave Major Dhyan Chand the title of ‘Hockey Wizard’.
