India celebrates National Sports Day, Dhyan Chand birth anniversary

India is observing National Sports Day on August 29, the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. The Times of India reports that the day, established in 2012, honours the 'Hockey Wizard' who scored over 400 goals and was central to India's three consecutive Olympic hockey gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936. The occasion also marks the presentation of top sporting awards, including the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, and activities under the Khelo India programme and the Fit India Movement launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2019.

The Siasat report, instead of profiling Dhyan Chand, lists India's top sporting achievements in 2026 so far. It highlights India's T20 World Cup win at Ahmedabad in March, where Sanju Samson scored 321 runs in the tournament. At the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, India finished fourth with 39 medals, including seven boxing golds, a record for any nation at a single edition. Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won her third consecutive Commonwealth gold, and Gulveer Singh became the first Indian track athlete to win two individual medals at one Games.