THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Pradip Dutta, an associate professor at Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education (LNCPE) here, recently travelled to North Korea. Not many are lucky to have their passport stamped with the seal of one of the world’s most isolated nations.
Dutta travelled to the country last month to conduct a week-long FIFA Football Fitness Course on the behest of world football’s governing body at the 70,000-seater Kim Il-sung Stadium in Pyongyang, the largest city and capital of DPR Korea.
The first Indian to be named a FIFA Conditioning Instructor, Dutta, like the 200 odd qualified FIFA instructors in the world, is asked to help football coaches across the globe by FIFA -- a job that has taken him to places like Tanzania in East Africa and Cambodia in South East Asia.
However, the trip to the Korean peninsula was quite a different experience for the instructor. Taking an Emirates flight to Pyongyang via Dubai and Beijing, Dutta reached the international airport where he met his interpreter -- an official from the DPR Korea Football Association.
“He was with me throughout the trip as I was not allowed to leave my hotel without a state-employed guide. There was also strict instructions on what can be and cannot be done while you were in the country,” said Dutta.
“Some tourists were not allowed to carry their smartphones and laptops by the security guards at the airport. However, I could get past the security check with my gadgets as I was on a diplomatic visa which was arranged by FIFA via the local football association,” he said.
Dutta stayed at the famous Hotel Koryo, which has a revolving restaurant atop of one its twin towers, where he had minimal connection with the outside world. Though he still managed to visit Tower of the Juche Idea, Kim Il-sung Square, Arch of Triumph and Mangyongdae. the birthplace of Kim Il-Sung, the grandfather of current leader Kim Jong-un.
Though things were rather edgy off the field, the football was enjoyable as always. “We had 21 coaches who were working at the academy and club level for the course. There were also a few coaches from the national team setup,” said Dutta.
Dutta also watched the young side of North Korea compete in the AFC U-23 Qualifiers at the Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, the second largest stadium in the world that can seat over 1.5 lakhs. “They are a team that competed in the FIFA World Cup in 2010. All the coaches were hard-working and disciplined. It was a pleasure teaching them a thing or two,” he said.