Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium

The Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, often called National Stadium, is a field hockey stadium located in New Delhi, India. It was named to honor Dhyan Chand, a famous Indian field hockey player known for his amazing skills. This important stadium was used for the 1st Asian Games in 1951, making it a key place in the history of sports in India. Today, it continues to be a special venue for exciting field hockey matches and other big events.

History

The Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi was built in 1933 as a gift to the city from the Maharaja of Bhavnagar. It was first called the Irwin Amphitheatre and was designed by Anthony S. DeMillo. The stadium opened with a ceremony led by Lord Willingdon. Before the 1951 Asian Games, it was renamed National Stadium, and later in 2002, it was changed again to honor the famous field hockey player Dhyan Chand.

Major renovations

The Dhyan Chand Stadium hosted the 2010 Men's Hockey World Cup and the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Before these events, the stadium had a big renovation. On January 24, 2010, it was the first venue for the Commonwealth Games to be shown to the public. The old dirt stands were torn down, and new seats were built instead.

Later, from December 8 to 10, 2017, the stadium was used for Jashn-e-Rekhta, a festival celebrating Urdu language and culture in India.

Stadium features

The Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium covers a large area of 17,500 square metres. It has three special grass fields for playing, two of which meet international standards and one for practice. The main field can seat about 16,200 spectators, and there is a smaller field with space for more seating.

The stadium is modern, with good lighting for TV broadcasts and comfortable areas for players. It is air-conditioned and has lifts, making it easy for everyone to move around, including those who need special access. The stadium has backup power to keep everything running smoothly.