G.S.Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 4

“When I die, the world will cry, but India would not shed a tear for me, I know them”, that’s what was quoted once by hockey wizard Late Dhyan Chand and while living upto what he said, the Punjab State forgot to remember his death anniversary which fell yesterday. Ironically, this day was let passed like any other day probably in whole of Punjab which happens to be the hub of producing hockey players.

Dejected by this “careless attitude”, Ashok Kumar, the son of late Dhyan Chand and himself a veteran hockey player said, “My father lives in hockey. If you want to remember him in real sense of word, try to survive the game only”.

But for a change, it was only the DAV college ground in Amritsar where the college hockey team alongwith their mentor and coach Paramjeet Singh Randhawa commemorated the hockey legend Dharam Chand.

Pargat Singh, Director, Sports, Punjab, when asked about any function or sports events organised on this day said, “But it does not mean that we do not remember him. We do celebrate his birth anniversary throughout as Sports Day.”

When questioned about justifying not to celebrate Dhyan Chand’s death anniversary, Pargat Singh, himself a Hockey Olympian retorted, “Yes, I admit it to be a big goofup and from the next year, I would make it a point to organise events on this day too.”

It is pertinent to mention that if India is remembered within the Olympic community today, it is still on account of eight gold medals in hockey and the contribution of this ace centre forward cannot be ignored.

Nevertheless, this has invited ire of local hockey lovers too. Paramjeet Singh Randhawa, a former hockey player who has authored many books on Hockey said, “It is really pathetic that no one bothered to remember the great hockey legend when the whole Nation cries for the revival of hockey which incidentally happens to be our National game. How can we expect Olympics gold medal in Hockey when the governing bodies of our country have such an attitude towards its players. The government never miss a chance to remember political or religious leaders but seldom made efforts to remember those sports persons who have brought India on global map,” he said.

Balwinder Singh Shammi, a 1975-hockey Olympian viewed that though the birth anniversary of Dhyan Chand is celebrated, but due importance should also be on the agenda of the government. Born on August 29, 1979, Dhyan Chand died of lever failure on this day in 1979. He was instrumental in bringing home three gold medals in Olympics (1928 Amsterdam; 1932 Los Angeles and 1936 Berlin).