THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leader Remya Haridas MP on Monday responded to the Centre's move renaming Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna. "It takes no skill to change a name, but it takes skill to implement an idea. Respect should be shown not by renaming existing awards and stadiums but by starting new projects. Isn't that heroism," Remya wrote on Facebook.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award has been renamed after hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand. He said in a brief note posted on Twitter that the name change was in response to requests he had received from various parts of the country. Khel Ratna, India's premier sports award, has so far had 36 recipients.
I have been getting many requests from citizens across India to name the Khel Ratna Award after Major Dhyan Chand. I thank them for their views.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 6, 2021
Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award!
Jai Hind! pic.twitter.com/zbStlMNHdq