Thirty former hockey Olympians to be honoured on Monday

BHOPAL: To celebrate the platinum jubilee of the ‘golden’ victory by the Indian hockey team in Berlin Olympics on August 15, 1936, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will honour thirty former Olympic hockey players of the country on Monday.

“On the occasion of platinum jubilee of India’s historic victory at Berlin Olympics, the state chief minister will honour thirty former hockey Olympians at a function in the local Tatya Tope Nagar Stadium,” hockey player, Ashok Dhyanchand told reporters on Sunday.

Bollywood actor Raza Murad, who was present on the occasion, said that as a citizen of Bhopal, it is a matter of pride for him to be associated with this historic event.

Former hockey Olympians Sameer Daad, Abdul Gafoor and Altaf-ur-Rehman Dhyanchand were also present at the conference.

Gurubax Singh, Mukhben Singh, Inaam-ur-Rehman, Charles Cornellius, Ajit Singh, Ashok Dhyanchand and Aslam Sher Khan, are some of the players who will be honoured by the chief minister.

Earlier, these players will also play a friendly-match on the astro-turf ground at Shivaji Nagar.

“By winning the gold medal in Berlin Olympics on August 15, 1936, in the presence of the then ruler of Germany, Adolf Hitler, Indians have proved their mettle and exactly after 11 years on August 15, 1947, the nation got Independence from the clutches of slavery,” said Murad.

“Our team had created a world record in hockey by remaining champion from 1928-1959 in the Olympics and the country had not lost a single match during those 31 years,” Murad added.