India's highest sporting honour Khel Ratna Award, which was named after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was on Friday rechristened in the honour of hockey wizard Major Dhyan Chand.
The news came following the admirable performance of both men's and women's hockey teams in the Tokyo Olympics. The prestigious award carries prize money of Rs 25 lakh.
Making the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand.
"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.
PM modi further wrote, "Major Dhyan Chand was among Indiaβs foremost sportspersons who brought honour and pride for India. It is fitting that our nationβs highest sporting honour will be named after him."
India took to social media to thank PM Modi for this decision. Many opined that naming the award after ex-PM Rajiv Gandhi was anyway ill-fitting as he was not an athlete.
Here's what people are saying. Have a look.
With inputs from PTI.