Dukhiram Majumder Explained

Dukhiram Majumder
Fullname:	Dukhiram Majumder
Birth Date:	1875
Birth Place:	Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
Death Date:	16 June 1929
Death Place:	Calcutta, Bengal Presidency, British India
Position:	Centre-back
Clubs1:	Wellington Club
Managerclubs1:	Students Union
Manageryears2:	?–1928
Managerclubs2:	Aryan Club

Dukhiram Majumder (born Oomesh Chandra Majumder^[1] (Bengali: উমেশচন্দ্র মজুমদার); also Mazumdar; 1875 – 16 June 1929) was an Indian footballer, football manager, scout and club official, who is regarded as the first football coach in the country. He first understood the importance of Indian players wearing boots.^[2] During his coaching days, Majumder managed Calcutta Football League side Aryans Club, alongside nurturing talents like Gostha Pal,^[3] Shibdas Bhaduri,^[4] Syed Abdus Samad, Karuna Bhattacharya, and Balaidas Chatterjee.^{[5] [6]}

Early life and playing career

Dukhiram Majumder was born in a Bengali middle class family in Bosepara, Bagbazar, North Calcutta, in 1875. During the age of associations in Bengal, he became involved in football organizations and started playing.

A well-known centre-half during his time, he played barefoot against British army teams.^{[7] [8]} He later went on to play for Wellington Club, which was formed as merger of three native clubs: Boys Club, Friends Club, and Presidency Club — all founded by Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari.^{[9] [10]}

Foundation of Aryan

Majumder was one of the pupils (other being Kalicharan Mitra,^[11] Manmatha Ganguly and Haridas Seal) in the 1880s, who took football as part of life following Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari, the "father of Indian football".^{[12] [13] [14] [15]} As a youth, he formed Luner Club in Shyampukur. Majumder later founded a sporting organization named "Students Union" with his friends within Kirti Mitter's (also Mitra) marble palace named Mohun Bagan Villa.^{[16] [17]} That organization broke up due to disagreements over wearing boots and Majumder left Mohun Bagan Villa and went on to form Aryans Club in Maharaja Durga Charan Laha's Telipara field in Shyampukur.^{[18] [19]} Some of those who were against Majumder's Students Union, also left Mohun Bagan Villa and established Bagbazar Club. Those who were outside these two sides, continued to play without boots until the foundation of Mohun Bagan Athletic Club by Bengali aristocratic families of North Calcutta presided over by Bhupendra Nath Bose.^[20]

Aryans Club, now known as Aryan FC, began its journey as a multi-sports club in 1884, became one of the oldest football clubs in the country.^[21] They soon gained elite status and fought against British teams consecutively.^{[22] [23] [24] [25]}

Coaching career

Scouting and coaching

Majumdar was the father figure of Indian football during the pre-independence era. He made huge impact in the history of the sport in the country by bringing up India's earliest known legends. Among his students, India national football team's first captain Gostha Pal is the iconic name.^{[26] [27] [28]} Known for scouting players from various parts of Bengal,^[29] he gave formal training to "football jadukar" Syed Abdus Samad from Purnia,^[30] two brothers Shibdas and Bijoydas Bhaduri from Shyambazar,^[31] Surya Chakraborty from Jalpaiguri, Habla Bhattacharya (Karuna Bhattacharya) from Behrampore. He emphasized the physical toughness of players and team cohesion. Majumder guided and had taken care of his players in every way. To protect Samad from the fierce communal situation of the time, he arranged for him to stay in a Hindu family, naming him 'Santosh'.^[18] He also used to cycle daily a distance of about 15 kilometers to deliver purified drinking water to the home of a tuberculosis-affected player. Mohun Bagan was one of the clubs that kept an eye on his scouting.^[18] Some forgotten gems of Indian football, goalkeeper Purnadas, Haran Saha, Fakir Seal, Kshirprasad, all were scouted and trained by Majumder.

Majumder wrote a book named Hints to the Young Footballer, published in 1916, to properly guide and make the Indian youth enthusiastic about the sport.^[32] He is also known for coaching some of India's best cricket talents during his time, including the "grand old man of Indian cricket" Kamal Bhattacharya.^{[33] [34]}

In charge of Aryan

Majumder became team coach of Aryan in the late 1890s. With limited resources and facilities, the club became prominent in fighting against then European sides Dalhousie, Calcutta FC and other British regimental teams.^[18] He started Aryan's famous policy of bringing up unknown talented footballers, who subsequently established themselves in Calcutta maidan. When the Indian Football Association (IFA) permitted only two native clubs to join CFL Second Division in 1914,^[35] Majumder guided Aryan in the season, and they were promoted to the top division two years later.^{[36] [37]} He helped the team achieving fourth place in 1920–21 season of Calcutta Football League. Aryan with players like Balaidas Chatterjee,^{[38] [39]} later broke into the semi-finals of historic Rovers Cup in 1928.

He formed a coaching centre within the club which became the foremost pillar of Aryan. After the passing away of Majumder in 1929, the club followed the path shown by him, and his nephew Chone Majumder (who also became Aryan coach) succeeded him to run the centre.^[33] The club later in 1940, went on to clinch IFA Shield title defeating Mohun Bagan 4–1, their first major title.^[40]

Legacy

After the death of Majumder, his nephew Santosh Kumar "Chone" Majumder took over the responsibility of coaching in Aryans Club.^[41] The 'Majumdar Trophy', named after him, was once awarded to the winning district in the inter-district football competition in West Bengal.^[18]

A statue of Majumder was unveiled at the club tent of Aryan in Kolkata.^[42] Notable coach Achyut Banerjee began the "Dukhiram Football Coaching Scheme" in memory of him, which was incorporated in 1976 at the Mohun Bagan Ground before shifting to Aryan.^{[42] [43]}

Bibliography

• Chattopadhyay, Hariprasad (3 April 2019). স্যার দুখীরাম . Sutradhar Prakashani. Kolkata.
• Book: Majumdar . Boria . Mangan . J. A. . Sport in South Asian Society: Past and Present . 13 September 2013 . Routledge . Oxford . 978-1-317-99894-5 . 117 . en . 29 January 2023 . 3 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231103142845/https://books.google.com/books?id=sWfdAAAAQBAJ&dq=history+of+the+Bengal+Championships+tennis&pg=PA117#v=onepage&q=history%20of%20the%20Bengal%20Championships%20tennis&f=false .
• Book: Mitra . Soumen . 1 January 2006 . In Search of an Identity: The History of Football in Colonial Calcutta . Dasgupta & Co. Private Ltd. . Kolkata . 978-8182110229 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021163751/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/In_Search_of_an_Identity.html?id=fZbgPgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y . 21 October 2022 .
• Book: Kapadia . Novy . 2017. Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football . Penguin Random House . 978-0-143-42641-7 .
• Book: Sen, Dwaipayan. 2013. Wiping the Stain Off the Field of Plassey: Mohun Bagan in 1911. Bandyopadhyay. Kausik. Mallick. Sabyasachi. Fringe Nations in World Soccer. Routledge. 978-1-317-99810-5.
• Book: Sen, Ronojoy. 2015. The Empire Strikes Back: The 1911 IFA Shield and Football in Calcutta. Nation at Play: A History of Sport in India. Columbia University Press. 978-0-231-16490-0.
• Book: Martinez. Dolores . Mukharji . Projit B. 2009. Football: From England to the World: The Many Lives of Indian Football . . 978-1-138-88353-6 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220702174505/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=nbzhAQAAQBAJ&dq=kerala+footballer+in+Burma&source=gbs_navlinks_s . 2 July 2022 .
• Book: India's Football Dream . SAGE Publications India . Sharma . Nikhil Paramjit . Gupta . Shantanu . 4 February 2019 . 4 October 2022 . 4 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221004041830/https://books.google.com/books?id=-V6HDwAAQBAJ&dq=national+association+manmatha+ganguly&source=gbs_navlinks_s . 9789353283063 .
• Dutta, P. L., Memoir of 'Father of Indian Football' Nagendraprasad Sarbadhikary (Calcutta: N. P. Sarbadhikary Memorial Committee, 1944) (hereafter Memoir)
• Book: Majumdar, Boria . Bandyopadhyay, Kausik . 2006 . Goalless: The Story of a Unique Footballing Nation . . 9780670058747 .
• Ghosh, Saurindra Kumar. Krira Samrat Nagendraprasad Sarbadhikary 1869–1940 (Calcutta: N. P. Sarbadhikary Memorial Committee, 1963) (hereafter Krira Samrat).
• Book: Nath, Nirmal. History of Indian Football: Upto 2009–10. 2011. Readers Service. 9788187891963. https://web.archive.org/web/20220722172604/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/History_of_Indian_Football.html?id=QbUFaAEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y. 22 July 2022.
• Book: Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora. 2001. Frank Cass Publishers. London, United Kingdom. 978-0-7146-8170-2. Dineo. Paul. Mills. James. 25 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220725072732/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Soccer_in_South_Asia.html?id=71JHZiiP3hoC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y.
• Book: Portrait Of Indian Sport . P R Macmillan Limited, London . D'Mello . Anthony . 1959 .
• Book: Mukhopadhay, Subir . সোনায় লেখা ইতিহাসে মোহনবাগান . 2018 . 978-93-850172-0-9.
• Book: Banerjee . Argha . Basu . Rupak . মোহনবাগান: সবুজ ঘাসের মেরুন গল্প . 2022. Shalidhan . 978-81-954667-0-2.
• Book: Boria. Majumdar. Kausik. Bandyopadhyay. A Social History Of Indian Football: Striving To Score. https://web.archive.org/web/20210629140637/https://books.google.com/books?id=V-sMYjZkpigC&pg=PA69. 29 June 2021. Routledge. 2006. 9780415348355.
• Book: Jaydeep. Basu. Stories from Indian Football. https://web.archive.org/web/20221011131939/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Stories_from_Indian_Football.html?id=QeovtKLi-1sC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y. 11 October 2022. UBS Publishers' Distributors. 2003. 9788174764546.
• Book: Shreekumar, S. S. . THE BEST WAY FORWARD FOR INDIA'S FOOTBALL . 15 August 2020 . HSRA Publications . 9788194721697 . 3 February 2023 . 4 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230204051238/https://www.google.com/books/edition/THE_BEST_WAY_FORWARD/KdH7DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 . 244 .
• Web site: Football in Bengali culture and society: a study in the social history of football in Bengal 1911–1980 . University of Calcutta . . 35 . Bandyopadhyay . Kausik . 2008 . 10603/174532 . 7 October 2022 . 7 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221007174156/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/174532 .

Further reading

• Web site: Triumphs and Disasters: The Story of Indian Football, 1889—2000. . 20 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120813081005/http://pierretristam.com/pdfs/wc10.pdf . 13 August 2012 . dead.
• From recreation to competition: Early history of Indian football. . pp. 124–141. Published online: 6 Aug 2006. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
• Web site: Sengupta. Somnath. Tactical Evolution Of Indian Football (Part One): Profiling Three Great 2–3–5 Teams. Kolkata. 29 July 2011. 2021-03-16. thehardtackle.com. The Hard Tackle. en-US. 9 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211009112727/https://thehardtackle.com/2011/tactical-evolution-of-indian-football-part-one-profiling-three-great-2-3-5-teams/.
• Web site: The passage of football in India. ifawb.org. Indian Football Association. Kolkata. 11 September 2022. 29 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210129163914/https://ifawb.org/footballs-passage/.
• Bolsmann . Chris . Vahed . Goolam . 2017-11-02 . 'They Are Fine Specimens of the Illustrious Indian Settler': Sporting Contact between India and South Africa, 1914–1955 . Journal of Southern African Studies . 43 . 6 . 1273–1291 . 10.1080/03057070.2017.1379689 . 148862123 . 0305-7070 . 5 May 2022 . 3 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221003050545/https://cogentoa.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03057070.2017.1379689?cookieSet=1 .
• Web site: The Introduction of Football in Colonial Calcutta- Part 1 . 25 March 2015 . Ankan . Banerjee . 25 March 2015 . footballcounter.com . Football Counter . Kolkata . 23 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160123195412/http://www.footballcounter.com/2015/the-introduction-of-football-in-colonial-calcutta/ .
• Web site: Football — the passion play in Kolkata. https://web.archive.org/web/20120111155154/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/football--the-passion-play-in-kolkata/211371-55.html. dead. 11 January 2012. ibnlive.in. IBN Live. 13 December 2011. 11 August 2014.
• Web site: Kick, Score, Scream! The History of Football in Dhaka. Dhrubo. Alam. Dhaka. 16 July 2018. Ice Today. 6 October 2022. 1 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191101015051/http://icetoday.net/2018/07/kick-score-scream-the-history-of-football-in-dhaka/.
• Web site: History of Mohun Bagan – Presented by MohunBaganClub.com The Beginning: 1889–1909 . mohunbaganclub.com . 12 May 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150505103851/http://www.mohunbaganclub.com/history/history-1889-1909/ . 5 May 2015 . Kolkata .
• Web site: Mad about football. 22 February 2024. 22 August 2023. TNN. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. The Times of India. Kolkata. Nilesh. Bhattacharya. https://web.archive.org/web/20230823180930/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/mad-about-football/articleshow/102933485.cms. 23 August 2023.
• Web site: Football and the Big Fight in Kolkata. digital.la84.org. PDF. Amitabha. Das Sharma. 31 October 2023. 3 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231103082722/https://digital.la84.org/digital/api/collection/p17103coll10/id/8849/download.
• News: জাদুকর সামাদ: বাংলার একজন অতিমানব. roar.media. Roar Media News. Magician Samad: The Wizard from Bengal. 1 February 2019. 17 December 2023. Dhaka. bn. Rasel. Ahmed. 17 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210117025029/https://roar.media/bangla/main/sports/samad-wizard-of-football.

Notes and References

1. Web site: When Swami Vivekananda claimed seven wickets and other Eden Gardens tales. 17 November 2021. newindianexpress.com. Express News Service. 4 May 2019. Kolkata. Atreyo. Mukhopadhyay. The New Indian Express. https://web.archive.org/web/20230416020605/https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/cricket/2019/may/04/when-swami-vivekananda-claimed-seven-wickets-and-other-eden-gardens-tales-1972482.html. 16 April 2023.
2. Web site: Indian football: The tale of the unbeatable Mohammedan Sporting side of 1930s. Goal.com. 1 March 2021. 19 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210419165931/https://www.goal.com/en-in/news/indian-football-the-tale-of-the-unbeatable-mohammedan/1loskn0qvp1qj1e9u5uuucokf4. Ritabrata. Banerjee. 30 March 2020.
3. Web site: প্রাচীরের নাম গোষ্ঠ পাল. Rana. Chakraborty. ekhonkhobor.com. Ekhon Khobor Bangla. bn. The Wall Named Gostha Pal. Kolkata. 20 August 2019. 22 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221022164143/https://ekhonkhobor.com/2019/08/20/prachirer-naam-gostho-pal-rana-chakraborty/. 22 October 2022.
4. Web site: ইংরেজের বিপক্ষে বাঙালি ফুটবল দলের প্রথম বিজয়. The first victory of Bengali football team against Britishers. samakal.com. সমকাল বাংলা. 29 July 2022. 21 October 2022. Dhaka. Ikramujjaman. bn. https://web.archive.org/web/20220729112358/https://samakal.com/opinion/article/2207124048/%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%99%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%9F. 29 July 2022.
5. Web site: শিবদাস ভাদুড়ী, গোষ্ঠ পাল সকলেই তাঁর ছাত্র, বাঙালি মনে রাখেনি বাংলার ফুটবলের প্রথম কোচ দুখীরাম মজুমদারকে. banglaamarpran567383012.wpcomstaging.com. Bangla Amar Pran – The glorious hub for the Bengal. 4 December 2020. 13 April 2022. Avik. Mondal. Koustav. Biswas. https://web.archive.org/web/20220413052022/https://banglaamarpran567383012.wpcomstaging.com/untold-story-of-first-football-coach-of-bengal-sir-dukhiram-majumdar/. 13 April 2022. bn.
6. Web site: Sengupta. Somnath. Tactical Evolution Of Indian Football (Part One): Profiling Three Great 2–3–5 Teams. Kolkata. 29 July 2011. 2021-03-16. thehardtackle.com. The Hard Tackle. en-US. 9 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211009112727/https://thehardtackle.com/2011/tactical-evolution-of-indian-football-part-one-profiling-three-great-2-3-5-teams/.
7. Web site: ভাইপোকে পোস্টে বেঁধে লাথি মেরে ছিলেন স্যার দুখিরাম মজুমদার…. Xtratime Bangla. Webdesk. xtratimebangla.in. Xtratime Bangla. bn. Sir Dukhiram Majumdar tied his nephew to a post and kicked him.... Kolkata. 21 April 2020. 21 October 2022. 21 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221021061329/https://xtratimebangla.in/sir-dukhiram-majumder-kicked-his-nephew-by-tieing-up-with-a-lamp-post/.
8. Web site: A 19th century visionary: The legend behind one of India's first football scouts. Atanu. Mitra. scroll.in. Scroll. en. Kolkata. 9 October 2017. 21 October 2022. 23 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211023142230/https://scroll.in/field/852994/a-19th-century-visionary-the-legend-behind-one-of-indias-first-football-scouts.
9. Web site: বাঙালির ফুটবল প্রেমকে উস্কে দিয়ে. By inciting Bengali's love of football. radiobanglanet.com. Radio Bangla Net. 10 October 2021. 21 October 2022. Swati. Kolkata. bn. Chatterjee. https://web.archive.org/web/20211019024354/https://radiobanglanet.com/golondaaj-dev-dhrubo-banerjee-director/. 19 October 2021.
10. Web site: বাংলা ভাগের ক্ষত কিভাবে বিষিয়ে দিল মোহনবাগান আর ইস্টবেঙ্গলকে?. How did the wound of the partition of Bengal poisoned both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal?. Ayan. Bhattacharya. 7 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231107163804/https://inscript.me/how-east-bengal-mohun-bagan-became-rival-history-of-west-bengal-club-football-by-ayan-bhattacharya-robibarer-royak. inscript.me. ইনস্ক্রিপ্ট বাংলা নিউজ. Kolkata. bn. 10 September 2023. 7 November 2023.
11. Web site: IFAWB: Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari. 23 October 2022. Kolkata. Indian Football Association. ifawb.org. 22 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220922044307/https://ifawb.org/nagendra-prasad-sarbadhikari/.
12. Web site: মোহনবাগান এবং ভারতীয় ফুটবলের শুরুর কথা. Mohun Bagan and the beginning of Indian football. meghbangla.com. Megh Bangla Internet Magazine. 29 July 2020. 24 October 2022. Goutamranjan. Basu. bn. Kolkata. https://web.archive.org/web/20220405175744/https://meghbangla.com/2020/07/mohunbagan/. 5 April 2022.
13. Web site: Nagendra Prasad — The father of Indian football who removed prejudice from the sport. thebridge.in. The Bridge. 25 January 2020. 24 October 2022. Sarah. Waris. Kolkata. 24 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221024082132/https://thebridge.in/amp/featured/nagendra-prasad-the-father-indian-football-removed-prejudice-indian-sports/.
14. Web site: Utathya. Nag. 'Golondaaj' Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari: the father of Indian football. 1 November 2021. 6 September 2021. Olympics.com. 6 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210806144939/https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/nagendra-prasad-sarbadhikari-father-of-indian-football.
15. Web site: নগেন্দ্র প্রসাদ সর্বাধিকারীর জীবনের জানা-অজানা কাহিনী লেন্সবন্দি. 21 October 2021. eisamay.com. এই সময়. bn. 11 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211011133317/https://eisamay.com/entertainment/film-review/golondaaj-movie-review-superstar-dev-gives-brilliant-performance-as-father-of-indian-football-nagendra-prasad-sarbadhikari/moviereview/86925875.cms.
16. Web site: The Beginning – 1889 to 1909 . Mohun Bagan Athletic Club . 5 May 2022 . 5 May 2015 . https://archive.today/20150505103851/http://www.mohunbaganclub.com/history/history-1889-1909/ .
17. Web site: Mukherjee . Anita . MOHUN BAGAN VILLA – GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN . Breathing Roots . 10 July 2021 . 5 May 2022 . 3 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221003050014/https://breathingroots.co.in/2020/10/10/mohun-bagan-villa-gone-but-not-forgotten/ .
18. Web site: বাংলার ফুটবলে প্রথম 'স্কাউট': ফুটবলার গড়ার কারিগর দুখীরাম মজুমদার. Bengal's first 'scout' in football: Dukhiram Majumdar, the craftsman of making footballers. www.sillypoint.co.in. Silly Point. 24 August 2022. 21 October 2022. Mrinalini. Kolkata. bn. Ghoshal. https://web.archive.org/web/20221021175746/https://www.sillypoint.co.in/post/%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%AE-%27%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%89%E0%A6%9F%27--%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%96%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0/id/kOpqLOAmVzO0ia7T0rhE. 21 October 2022.
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