Amal Dutta

Amal Dutta (4 May 1930 – 10 July 2016) was a former Indian footballer, coach and football manager.[1][2] He was born in Calcutta, then Bengal Presidency, British India. He was considered as the first professional football coach in India. He had a rivalry with Pradip Kumar Banerjee, during his coaching days in Kolkata club football.[3]

For the Indian politician, see Amal Dutta (politician).

Amal Dutta
Personal information
Full name Amal Dutta
Date of birth (1930-01-10)10 January 1930
Place of birth Jorasanko, Calcutta, Bengal, British India
Date of death 10 July 2016(2016-07-10) (aged 86)
Place of death Baguiati, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Sporting Union
1953–1956 East Bengal
National team
1953–1954 India 1 (0)
Teams managed
1960 Bengal
1963–1965 East Bengal
1967–1968 Orissa
1969–1971 Mohun Bagan
1976–1985 East Bengal
1980–1981 Orissa
1985–1987 Mohun Bagan
1987–1988 India
1989–2006 Mohun Bagan
2006–2007 Chirag United
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Amal Dutta made his debut in the early 1950s. He played for East Bengal FC in 1953, 1955 and 1956 seasons. He was part of the East Bengal team that toured Soviet Union and Europe in the '53 season. On 25 October 1953, Dutta made his national team debut against Pakistan in Rangoon during the Quadrangular Series, which was his only appearance for India. He was also a member of Indian squad in the 1954 Asian Games in Manila.

Coaching career

After retirement as a player he went to England for a one-year FA coaching course paid for from his own finances, where he was taught by the renowned Walter Winterbottom.[4]

On returning to India, Dutta started a coaching camp in Bally, Howrah. His first major assignment was to coach Railways in 1960 for the Santosh Trophy. His first assignment with a big club was in 1963 with East Bengal midway through the Calcutta league. He remained as coach with East Bengal in 1964 but a year later, he took the first of several bold steps in his chequered career. He quit the security of his job in the Indian Railways and opted to become a full-time football coach, the first-ever in India and a feat for which he has received little recognition.

In the early 1960s, he retired from the Indian Railways to become a full-time coach, a bold step in the amateur football scene of that time in India. Thus he is known as the first professional coach of India.[5] In his long coaching career he was associated with premier football clubs of India, and also became coach of India.[6]

Dutta coached all the 3 big clubs of the Kolkata maidan. With East Bengal, he won the CFL (twice), IFA shield (twice), Rovers Cup, Durand Cup, Darjeeling Gold Cup, Bordoloi Trophy, Airlines Gold Cup, Sanjay Gandhi Gold Cup and ATP Shield. He had more success with Mohun Bagan whom he coached to 4 CFL titles, 4 IFA Shield titles, 3 Federation Cups, 2 Durand Cups and also wins in DCM Trophy, Airlines Gold Cup, Sikkim Governors Gold Cup and Nehru Trophy. In a single season with Mohammedan Sporting in 1980, Dutta won Rovers, DCM and Sikkim Governors Gold Cup titles.

Dutta has also managed another Kolkata-based NFL side Tollygunge Agragami FC from 1999 to 2000.[7][8] In September 2006, Dutta was roped in as head coach of Chirag United in place of Belgian Philippe De Ridder.[9]

He was renowned for his bold and innovative tactics and formation, Diamond system. He was called as Diamond Coach of Indian football.

Death

Dutta died on 10 July 2016 at the age of 86. He is survived by a son and a daughter.[10]

See also

References
  1. Bhattacharya, Nilesh (23 July 2016). "Diamond Touch". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  2. Rampling, Ali (11 May 2020). "Mohun Bagan vs East Bengal: 5 of the Greatest Kolkata Derbies of All Time". www.90min.com. 90 Minutes. Archived from the original on 14 April 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  3. "Giving wing to dreams". Angshuman Roy. The Telegraph (Kolkata). Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  4. "Rahim, Amal Dutta, P.K. and Nayeem: The Coaches Who Shaped Indian Football" (PDF). la84foundation.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
  5. "Rahim, Amal Dutta, P.K. and Nayeem: The Coaches Who Shaped Indian Football" (PDF). la84foundation.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2010. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
  6. Bhattacharya, Rupayan (21 July 2016). "অমল আলোর কমল বনে [Amal Dutta and his days in Indian football]". eisamay.com (in Bengali). Ei Samay. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  7. Season ending Transfers 1999: India Archived 17 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  8. Season ending Transfers 2000: India Archived 17 February 2020 at the Wayback Machine indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  9. Chaudhuri, Arunava (18 September 2006). "NEWS FOR THE MONTH OF September 2006 - Amal Dutta replaces Philippe De Ridder". www.indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 8 August 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  10. "Former India footballer and coach Amal Dutta dies at the age of 86". Hindustan Times. 10 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
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