How can you make a line short without cutting it? It used to be an aptitude test for many in the entrance exams. And the answer is simple: draw a bigger line next to it! The government announced that it would rename the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour, after Major Dhyan Chand, unaware of the fact that an award in the name of the hockey legend already exists.
 

No doubt, Dhyan Chand stands out among all the sportspersons and played hockey during British rule in adverse situations. The Dhyan Chand Award for Life-time Achievement in Sports and Games was introduced in 2016. It honours Indians who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to help promote sports even after their retirement from active sporting careers. The awardee gets a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. Some of his other recognitions include: in 1956, Dhyan Chand was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian award; his birthday is celebrated as 'National Sports Day'; and several National Awards are also given in his name. 
 

Khel Ratna recognizes sportspersons who have outperformed at the international level over a period of four years, and honours them with a cash prize of Rs 25 lakhs. Which award is bigger? One gives a better cash prize, and the other is a reward for one’s lifetime achievement. Both the awards are granted annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. In contrast, Dada Sahib Palke award is the ultimate Lifetime Achievement Award in the Bollywood industry. 
 

The Shiv Sena has now set up IT awards in the name of Rajiv Gandhi for his initiative in the digital sector. In an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Sena said Major Dhyan Chand could have been honoured "without insulting the sacrifice of Rajiv Gandhi" and accused the Centre of indulging in "political games".
 

"A bigger award could have been announced in the name of Dhyan Chand. Had that happened, the Modi government would have been applauded," the editorial stated. It said the sacrifice of two former Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, who had contributed immensely to the progress of the country, "cannot become a subject of ridicule". "Indira Gandhi was assassinated by terrorists. Rajiv Gandhi lost his life in terrorist attack. There is room for differences in democracy, but the sacrifice of the Prime Ministers, who have contributed immensely to the progress of the country, cannot become a subject of ridicule," the editorial added.
 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi justified the renaming saying that he had been receiving requests from people across the country to rename the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. “Respecting their sentiment, the Khel Ratna Award will hereby be called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award,” he said in a tweet. 
 

Congress general secretary Randeep Surejewala welcomed the move but criticised Modi’s politics. “We sincerely hope Modiji should not have used his myopic political motives to drag the name of a celebrated player like Major Dhyan Chand,” he said. Experts feel that for the first time, the Congress has diffused the ruling party’s move to provoke and engage the Opposition in a non-relevant issue, as the motive was to divert them from other burning issues.
 

The trend of renaming will have far bitter repercussions in the days to come. The same award may be needed to have a tagline as to when it was awarded, in which year and in whose name. Social media users pointed out that having two sporting awards in the country named after the same person could lead to confusion. Some of them reacted saying: “So just for the record, there are now two Dhyan Chand sports achievement awards”; “How logical is it to have two awards named after a same person?”; “Given the fiasco of two Dhyan Chand Awards in India, it is clear that the aim of the announcement was not to honour Dhyan Chand, but to dishonour Rajiv Gandhi.”
 

Welcoming the Congress stand, spokesperson Alka Lamba said that all the awards and stadiums henceforth need to be renamed in the name of sportspersons, starting with the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, which was recently renovated and named in the name of Narendra Modi. The BCCI secretary, Jay shah, should be removed immediately. Sammaan at the behest of any Aapmaan is intolerable. Reducing the sports budget by Rs 230 crore recently is a matter of worry. The intention is to divert the main agenda of petrol price rise, Pegasus spyware investigation, corona deaths, etc., she added. 
 

Senior journalist Ashok Wankhede said: “The present Government has nothing to do with the sports, and politics is the only motive behind their move. People were demanding Bharat Ratna for Dhyan Chand, why have you gifted him an old dress, worn by someone else. A new trend has started, henceforth the awardees will have to categorise the Khel Ratna award as that of Rajiv Gandhi, Dhyan Chand, or Mamata Banerjee era. Some of these sportspersons have brought the fame to our country at the cost of surrendering their land, keeping the house on mortgage and passing through several financial and mental struggles, which needs to be appreciated.” 
 

Playing politics is good but politics in sports is bad. Most of these players’ parents are farmers, who are on the borders for over seven months. When players from poor families play, none bothers, but when they win, many come to claim their support and affinity with them. At the right time, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik accepted the guardianship of two hockey associations after Sahara left the sponsorship of the Indian Men and Women Hockey Associations and has made the difference. Indira Gandhi had worked hard to bring the Asian Games to India, which was the beginning of sports for our country at the international level. In 1982, Rajiv Gandhi as the convenor of Asian Games conducted it meticulously.
 

Political leaders occupying several sports bodies are unwanted and uncalled for. What has happened in the past is history. We need to look into the future as to how can sportspersons be helped? At least give them the basic facilities. That is the least the government can do to help them perform better.