Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 29 (ANI): BJP MP Anurag Thakur participated in an event organised at the Anu Synthetic Track in Hamirpur to mark National Sports Day and paid tribute to hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.

Extending his greetings on National Sports Day, MP Anurag Thakur noted that the nation is honouring Major Dhyan Chand--the 'Wizard of Hockey'--on his birth anniversary, recalling how he secured three gold medals for India even before independence.

'Major Dhyan Chand ji, who was called the 'Wizard of Hockey'... on his birth anniversary, where on one hand we pay tribute to him, on the other hand, the youth of the country should also take pride in the fact that before India's independence, Major Dhyan Chand won three Olympic Gold Medals for India in the world of hockey,' he said while speaking to reporters.

Anurag Thakur said India's sporting ambitions extend beyond hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games as the country is going to bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics, while emphasising the country's aim to make continued progress in its medal tally across sports.

'India will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, and we are also going to bid for the hosting of the 2036 Summer Olympics. India wants that in every field where India's steps are advancing, our medals should also continuously move forward in the field of sports,' he said.

Thakur also highlighted the excellent results achieved by the SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Hamirpur in the field of sports over the past few years. Thakur added that under the 'Khelo India' and 'Khelo India 2.0' initiatives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has boosted athletes' morale by significantly increasing the budget and personally encouraging winners through direct interaction. (ANI)