From a modest upbringing in West Bengal's industrial town of Rishra to becoming one of the top promoters of Kolkata's biggest global football events, Satadru Dutta's rise was swift and ambitious. But that journey took a dramatic nosedive on Saturday.
Less than a few hours after crowd trouble and vandalism marred Messi's opening leg of the 'G.O.A.T. India Tour' at the Salt Lake Stadium, Dutta -- the sole organiser of the programme -- was arrested at the airport while he was leaving for the Hyderabad leg.
The chaos has pushed him into an intense public and media spotlight and left Kolkata, long regarded as the Mecca of Indian football, red-faced globally.
From Rishra to global football
A commerce graduate, Dutta began his professional career in finance, working at Investmart -- later known as IL&FS Securities -- near Elgin Road in early 2000s.
But sport, especially football, remained central to his identity. In 2011, as Messi made his first trip to the city to lead lead Argentina against Venezuela in a FIFA friendly, Dutta left the security of corporate finance to pursue sports promotion.
That match 14 years ago, and an earlier visit by Diego Maradona in 2008, helped inspire a new generation of sports event managers.
Dutta openly acknowledged the influence of well-known organisers like Bhaswar Goswami of the Celebrity Management Group and slowly carved his own path, and that's how 'A Satadru Dutta Initiative (ASDI) came to existence.
Building ASDI
ASDI's breakthrough came in 2015, when it brought three-time World Cup winner Pele to Kolkata for the first time since 1977.
Despite his hip surgery, the Brazilian legend attended an Indian Super League match, visited grassroots tournaments, and met leading sports figures during his stay here.
In 2017, Dutta pulled off what many considered his biggest feat by organising Maradona's second visit to Kolkata.
Managing the mercurial Argentine was challenging, but the trip produced iconic moments, including Maradona's meeting with former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
"I was extremely nervous because you never knew Maradona's mood," Dutta later recalled.
"Thankfully, he was joyous that day. He hugged Dada repeatedly."
That meeting cemented Dutta's image as someone capable of bridging football and cricket, fandom and professionalism.
His bond with Ganguly grew over time, extending to organising international launches of the latter's memoir 'A Century Is Not Enough' and recreating the Lord's pavilion in Kolkata during the cricket legend's 50th birthday celebrations.
"When I'm around Dada, I'm constantly inspired," Dutta had said.
ASDI went on to organise visits by Cafu (2022), Ronaldinho (2023), and Emiliano 'Dibu' Martinez, Argentina's 2022 World Cup-winning goalkeeper, who even visited Dutta's Rishra home to meet his family.
Deeply influenced by Maradona, Dutta named his son Diego and invested heavily in his football training, building a professional-grade facility atop his residence.
The blemish
For Dutta however, Saturday's episode stood in stark contrast to the events he had pulled off in the past.
In the run-up to the Messi event, he would often say publicly that Cristiano Ronaldo "would be his final act".
"Er por bodda ke ene ami biday nebo," he said repeatedly, meaning he would sign off after bringing Ronaldo -- affectionately referred to as "Bodda" (big brother) by many Bengali Messi fans -- to Kolkata.
Following the latest turn of events at the Salt Lake Stadium, his future in big-ticket sports events stands uncertain, even as he faces heavy trolling on social media.
Dutta has consistently maintained that the Messi plan was the result of long, sustained effort.
In a Facebook post earlier, he claimed that the project took 993 days, involved 317 flights, and required months of working. It all ended in chaos on Saturday, leaving his business and reputation in jeopardy due to the fan outrage and potential legal issues he could be fighting in the coming times.
© 2025