PNN & Agencies
Bhubaneswar, July 11: If the history of Indian football is properly written, the name of Amal Dutta will be written in gold. The former India player and coach passed away late night Sunday, but his contributions in transforming the game and making the country aware of how modern football is played will always be etched in the minds of the football lovers. Dutta was 86 and had been bedridden for the last six months at his home in Baguiati, close to the Kolkata airport.
The modern day football fan in the country can always fall back on various TV channels to keep up with the likes of a Cristiano Ronaldo or a Lionel Messi and their feats. Then there is the social media also which satisfies the fans’ hunger for the game.
But when, Dutta decided to chuck up a lucrative Railway job and dedicate his life to coaching, he did not have such advantages. It was in the 60s and life turned really hard for him. Carrying a projector and screen on his shoulders, Dutta used to frequent various localities in Kolkata to show the 1966 World Cup final or for that matter any game involving the superpowers of football. All that for a paltry Rs 80 for a one-hour screening. Unbelievable it may seem now. But he was a man who loved the game and it only mattered to him. He would always prefer to buy a book on football rather than a shirt, such was his passion for the game.
A midfielder, who represented India at the 1954 Asian Games, the former Mohun Bagan and East Bengal footballer later made a name for himself as a tactical genius as he pioneered professional coaching in India. It was through his hands only that the country came to know about the ‘Diamond’ system, the modern version of which is the 3-5-2 formation. Dutta also coached the Orissa football team twice. In 1967, under his guidance Orissa reached the semifinals of the Santosh Trophy. Then again in 1980 he took the team to the quarterfinals.
“He was an institution in himself. We shall miss you. May his soul rest in peace,” Mohun Bagan said in their homage.
Meanwhile West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that a road and a stadium will be named after Dutta. “He was our pride. The loss is irreparable. We will name a street and an upcoming stadium after him (Datta),” Mamata announced while paying her last homage to Dutta at a well-known venue in Kolkata. Later on Dutta was cremated with full state
honours.