RANCHI: Olympian Sylvanus Dung Dung, attributed his success to hockey wizard Dhyan Chand’s medium height after a chance meeting with the legend
in Patiala 36 years ago.

“It was during a practice match between Bihar Regiment and NIS trainees in 1973 when the hockey great graced the field to watch us,” Dung Dung, who made his international debut in 1977-78, said here.

“After the match Dhyan Chand applauded us,” Dung Dung said while paying rich tribute to the master of stick-work on his birth anniversary on Saturday.

Sharing his experience, Dung Dung, who was a member of the 1980 Moscow Olympic gold medal winning hockey team, said apart from those inspiring words “his medium height encouraged me to work hard.

“…After seeing him I thought if I am just about his height, why not take the game seriously and get into the national game.

“Till then I use to think only tall players could make it to the team,” said Dung Dung, who is now involved in coaching.

Representing India in the 1978 Buenos Aires World Cup and Bangkok Asian Games, he said it was a thrilling experience to send passes to winger Ashok Kumar, son of Dhyan hand.

Dung Dung also joined some former hockey players’ demanding conferring of ‘Bharat Ratna’ posthumously to the legend.