Jhansi (झांसी) is a major railway junction in the state of U.P. While leaving from Bhopal towards Delhi in a train, one sees statue of a man standing on the top of a hill to the left hand side. The lonely statue on the top of the hill always troubled me every time I crossed that area, sitting on the doors of the train. I always thought it to be the statue of a landlord some political leader. Recently I got to know that the statue belongs to the Hockey legend, Major Dhyan Chand who single handedly won many medals for the country at the Olympics. He was known as the Wizard of the Hockey Stick, not only in India but across the globe, at least in countries where Hockey was a popular sport.
The Gold MedalistHowever, he stands alone on the top of that hill with birds singing to him his glory of the old forgotten days. Jhansi was his home town and this man from a small-town brought glory to the whole nation at the grandest stage. Now when the Indian government has played a political trick to divert attention of the nation from corruption by allowing sports-persons to be nominated for the Bharat Ratna, I personally feel that the first one to be awarded should be Major Dhyan Chand.
Next time you are on a train just try to spot his statue.