Who is Satadru Dutta? Meet the organiser of Messi event as chaos erupts as Kolkata stadium

Satadru Dutta, the promoter behind Lionel Messi’s much-hyped India visit, found himself at the centre of attention on Sunday after scenes of chaos erupted at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, forcing the Argentina captain to leave the venue barely 20 minutes after arriving.

Dutta, a Kolkata-based sports organiser credited with bringing several global football icons to India over the years, was seen repeatedly appealing to crowds to clear space around Messi as tensions spiralled inside the stadium.

In 2011, he founded A Satadru Dutta Initiative, a platform that combines sports promotion, celebrity management and social causes. Over the years, he has been associated with bringing international football stars such as Ronaldinho, Cafu, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to India.

As the sole promoter of Messi’s ongoing “GOAT India Tour”, Dutta personally received the football legend at the airport and described the visit as historic for Kolkata and Indian football.

Police struggled to regain control as chairs were ripped out and thrown. Significant damage was reported at the stadium, which had earlier been renovated for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2017.

Their anger was directed at a group of nearly 100 people who surrounded Messi upon his arrival. The group included West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas, Mohun Bagan president Debasish Dutta, general secretary Srinjoy Bose, and members of Messi’s entourage, including Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul.

With most spectators confined to the stands and forced to watch Messi on giant screens, tempers flared.

“People have paid a lot of money to come and see Messi,” he said in Bangla, warning that the footballer would leave if those crowding him did not move away. The appeals went largely unheeded as guests and officials continued to surround the star, many attempting to take selfies.

As boos began to ripple through the stands, Messi was presented with a Mohun Bagan jersey amid the confusion. Moments later, he exited the stadium, cutting short what was meant to be a celebratory event.

“This time he is coming after winning the World Cup and his eighth Ballon d’Or,” Dutta said, adding that the visit had attracted unprecedented sponsorship interest. He argued that even a fraction of the commercial attention generated by Messi could help grassroots football in India.

However, Sunday’s chaotic scenes have now shifted focus from celebration to serious questions over crowd management, access control and event planning at one of Indian football’s most iconic venues.