"India is my Country, and I am fine there".

DHYAN CHAND &  HITLER  This is a real story of an Indian soldier when he  faced one of the most  feared Military Leaders of the modern  world.  15 Aug 1936 was not the Independence day for  India .  Nonetheless the  date is significant as it figures in the pages of world  history and is  worth sharing with our countrymen.  It was the  Berlin Olympics and  India  was to play the mighty   Germany  in the Finals of the Hockey tournament. Just before the  commencement of  the encounter the Indian Coach, Pankaj Gupta, got the  Congress Flag (Tri  colour with charka) into the teams dressing room. All  the players saluted  the Flag and sang Vande Mataram, the then  acknowledged National Anthem of  India.  When  India  had reached the hockey  finals, it was presumed that  Germany  would emerge the  winner. It was assumed that another gold medal was just  a matter of time  for the Germans. To boost the morale of his team, the  Fuehrer Adolf  Hitler decided to attend and witness the match.  By half  time  India  was leading 1-0. The playing conditions were not  conducive for  India  in the second half. Fearing defeat the  German  ground staff deliberately drenched and rendered the outfield wet  to slow  the fast dribbling Indians in their sub-standard canvas  shoes.  Dhyan Chand the captain of the Indian team was  facing acute difficulty in  running on the wet ground in his canvas  shoes. Dhyan Chand calmly took  off his shoes and started playing  barefoot.  India  won the Final match  and the Gold medal by  8-1, of which 6 Goals were scored by Dhyan Chand  himself. Hitler, left  the stadium halfway through the match, as he could  not bear to see his  team lose.  Later, when Hitler came to know about the magic of  Dhyan Chand, he  expressed his desire to meet Dhyan Chand. On being  informed by the German  Chancery, Dhyan Chand could not sleep the entire  night. Dhyan chand was  numb with fear as were every member of the team,  wondering what would  happen in the lion's den.  The next morning  Dhyan Chand found himself, before Hitler. Hitler took a  look at the  sub-standard canvas shoes of Dhyan Chand and enquired "what  else you do,  when not playing hockey?"  Dhyan Chand: I am in Army.  Hitler: What is your  rank?  Dhyan Chand: I am Lance Nayak  Hitler: Come over to   Germany  and I will make you a Marshal.  Dhyan Chand was in flutter, not understanding  whether it was an  instruction to him by the Supreme Commander of the  mighty German Army or  an offer. Breaking his silence after a few  seconds, Dhyan Chand replied  in chaste Hindi, " India  is my  Country, and I am fine there".  None of the Generals accompanying Hitler could  respond to the patriotic  rebuff rendered by the plucky Indian Soldier.  Hitler is said to have  taken his eyes off Dhyan Chand's canvas shoes  briefly and retorted, "As  you like it", and stomped away in a  huff.  We should be proud of the humble Lance Nayak of the Indian  Army who did  the Indians (then under the yoke of  Britain ) proud.  Indian Hockey is in  very bad shape today. But Dhyan Chand who was later  granted a Commission  in the Indian Army and ultimately retired as a  Major, is immortal in the  annals of Indian  Hockey.

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