Former Indian Footballer and coach Amal Dutta, who was keeping ill, passed away on Sunday at Kolkata hospital, his family said.
The veteran midfielder, aged 86-years, was suffering from age related illness.
As per sources, he was suffering from breathing problems, but was well till the morning. His condition deteriorated in the evening and was rushed to a hospital. The doctors tried a lot but could not save the footballer.
Amal Dutta represented India in the 1954 Asian Games at Manila, and after retiring from playing career, he did a one-year FA coaching course from England, and after returning back he started with coaching football teams.
His under-trainees included Railways in 1960, for Santosh Trophy, East Bengal in 1963, and Mohun Bagan also. Apart from the league and region based teams, he coached the Indian national team as well.
Reckoned as the country’s first professional coach, he was popular among footballers.
The football coach won almost all major trophies in Indian football and served as head coach and technical director of Indian national team at different time points. He was associated with Mohun Bagan a decade back but resigned midway into the season.