A campaign rally was organised here on Wednesday to demand Bharat Ratna for hockey wizard Dhayn Chand.International sports star Dilip Tirkey, Olympian sprinter Anuradha Biswal, former Indian Football Captain Shradhanjali Samantray, former Indian coach and international basketball player AN Routray and martial art guru Hari Prasad Pattanaik were among a galaxy of sportspersons who participated in the rally.
Before the start of the rally, the eminent sportspersons spoke, vociferously demanding conferment of the highest civilian award of the nation on late Maj Dhyan Chand posthumously in recognition of his unique and commendable contribution to the game of hockey.
About 500 sportspersons drawn from various disciplines like football, basketball, kabaddi, athletics, rugby and karate participated in the rally.
Among others Everester Ganesh Jena, Rugby Association secretary Upendra Mohanty, cine star Somesh Mohanty, social activists Dr Dilip Srichandan, BAA secretary Dr SR Parija, Aravinda Nath Mitra, Brahma Mishra, OMA secretary Santosh Dash and football coach Nanda Kishore Pattnaik were present.
The rally stared from the Kalinga Stadium and terminated at the Commissionerate Police building.
A memorandum signed by about 1,200 sportspersons and sports lovers would be submitted by a group of sportsperson led by Dilip Tirkey to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for onward transmission to the Government of India to consider the demand of Bharat Ratna to Dhyan Chand.
Former hockey player and sports administrator Ashok Mohanty and sports physio Dr Mukti Prasad Dash organised the rally on behalf of all the sports lovers of the city.