February 2010 ::
Many firsts to credit for this would be Professional Sports Manager
He is on his way becoming ‘first ever’ qualified professional sports manager from Kashmir and the first and only Kashmiri inducted in list of officials deputed by umbrella body of football in the country, All India Football Federation, for prestigious Nehru Cup, the only international event on Indian Soil.
Majid Dar, currently pursing one-year full time post graduate diploma course at Naval Tata Institute of Sports Management, Kolkata the only institute in India dedicated to the cause of sports management shares some moments with REALITY bites.
This Jammu and Kashmir bank member has thrice been a feature of Santosh Trophy, the biggest football gala of India, including the one played on his native soil back in May 2007 and Durand Cup. The world seems to be endless for optimistic Majid as he lists among the players undergone C-License training camp of Asian Football Confederation in a bid to develop an understating which, he believes, could prove handy in smooth manager-coach relation for a prosperous and successful team.
He could also, in much probability become a national football coach as he is also contemplating for ‘valued’ high-level B-License course soon after he completes his post graduate diploma.
Fate has had much more in its offing for Majid. In 9th Asian games at Kolkata, he was entrusted with responsibility of managing entire event of World Archery Youth Championship and he is set to mark his slate with important assignments including event management in Hockey World Cup qualifying events in December, academy management with Tata Institute of Football Academy Jamshedpur and in team management he is going to work with leading football clubs of India like East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and Mahindra United as a management trainee.
Why did he opt out-of-the box course and how did this bug occur to him? There is no denial in the fact that India, in general and valley, in particular lacks qualified professional managers. Even after years of playing, Majid “didn’t come across” any such person who contains all essential features to be an ideal sports manager.
“I haven’t seen even a single qualified professional manager throughout my life and this urged me to opt for the course”, says Majid. The course is all about managing the event, managing players, teams, venues, associations, marketing of events, points Majid. He added that the course is designed in such a way that one gets lot of practical exposure.
During his duty as AIFF official for Nehru Cup, he was assigned with official countdown where he had to make Indian team ready in time before the match, like dressing, prayers, warm-up and lineup of teams……then after the match would start he was to accompany media personals and provide them technical information of the match like card-showing, score, changing and likewise.
It was a proud moment for Majid to share time with members of senior Indian national team and he could see one of his friends and a regular feature of Indian team, Mehrajuddin Wadoo at a stone’s throw playing with Indian side. Like any other player, Majid too had an aspiration of reaching the same fame as Wadoo; however, he is quite bold to admit that “not everyone could become Mehraj”.
There has been ever increasing tendency among players to move out of state to hone their skills and develop their game. This trend motivated Majid to take up management course at Tate Institute of Sports Management - Kolkatta, which has already placed its products in international sports arena. “The institute started functioning in 2004 and since then has placed almost all of its wards in international events like prestigious Common Wealth games and Nehru Cup,” points Majid.
Majid is quite a techno-savvy person and he likes to keep himself updated about latest happenings in sports world, especially football. It was during internet surfing that he came across the institute. “The dearth of sports professionalism in valley was always in the back of my mind and I at once decided to go for the course when I got to lean about it through internet,” he says.
The institute is presently offering management skills in eight different games including, football, cricket, horseacing, motor sports, tennis, archery and basketball, adds Majid.
In a country like India where cricket is treated as the ultimate sporting entertainment, there remains less room for football and other games. Arguably, the biggest market for European football outside Europe is definitely India. Majid believes that such sports management courses would create a lot of jobs in the sports industry in times to come.
Growing up
He is a second generation footballer and has inherited skill from his father, Mohammad Yusuf Dar who holds the reputation of being first ever international footballer from Kashmir and also captaining the home side in first ever Santosh Trophy played in valley back in early seventies.
However, he did not let such things dance their way easily into his head, he pulled up his socks and went on to book a berth in top notch football club of valley - The Jammu and Kashmi bank Football Club, through his gripping performances before proving his metal in some of the oldest football clubs of valley with the likes of State Road Transport Corporation Football Club and Iqbal Sports Football Club.
Being born and brought up in a football-loving atmosphere, Majid attributes his success to his father who, he says, went all-out in supporting him and motivated him to carry on the legacy of family. “My interest in football grew up seeing my father playing and imparting training to players, some of whom gained huge fame”, says Majid.
He added that his father is his inspiration. “I am thankful to Almighty who has bestowed me with such parents.” Early in his career Majid had an opportunity of rubbing shoulders with today’s superstar Baichung Bhutia when he was one among the only two boys from Kashmir in 80-member batch who were offered scholarship from Sports Authority of India. The scholarship continued and so did his spirit and passion for the game backed by unconditional family support.
“I was the only boy in my category who, never had to face any family restrictions”, points Majid, adding even my father didn’t stop me from making an important visit to Delhi to play Subroto Cup ahead of my matriculation examination.
Majid actually started out as midfielder and with passage of time leapt to right wingback position which turned out to be a regular spot for rest of his playing career. It is not that life has offered only bed of roses to Majid. He too had a tough time at some point of his career when he wasn’t included in playing XI despite being a key component of state team for 2007 Santosh Trophy.
Whatever the reason, the fact is that it was a nerve breaking time for Majid as he had weaved dreams of living the moment of his father, who had been the captain of state team for the same trophy. It could have been a career threatening moment for him but somehow he managed to keep his cool and continued to strive with excellence.
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