By Paritosh Pramanik
ANOTHER major sporting event and one more big ‘assignment’ awaits Orange City’s Omprakash and Premlata Mundra.
The globetrotting couple will be leaving for Brazil on Wednesday to be part of one of the biggest sporting events on earth—FIFA
World Cup 2014 which kicks off from June 12.
Like many other mega events including Olympic Games, Winter Games, Confederations Cups, the Mundras will once again don the volunteers’ dress during the June 12-July 13 event in various cities of Brazil.
Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Omprakash, a steel businessman, said he is very lucky to get a chance to volunteer at the Brazil World Cup.
“I am really lucky to get this chance. I will be watching ‘the
beautiful game’ and the stars in flesh and blood.”
The couple will be volunteering at the famous Maracana stadium in Rio where final will also be played.
“It’s a dream come true to witness and volunteer at Maracana. Very few get a chance to volunteer at Maracana, the Mecca of Football,” said Omprakash, who along with his wife Premlata, would probably be the only married couple to volunteer during the World Cup.
Though Mundras have travelled round the globe and have immense experience of volunteering in several Olympics and football World Cups, it was not easy for them to get volunteers’ accreditation for Brazil World Cup. Their preparation for 2014 World Cup started immediately after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
“We were trying for volunteers’ job for last three years, immediately after the South Africa World Cup to be precise. Our efforts paid off and we both got volunteers’ accreditation from FIFA,” informed Omprakash, who had visited Brazil on three previous occasions which includes 2013 Confederation Cup.
The couple would also be attending exciting matches of Spain vs Netherlands (June 13 at Salvador), Argentina vs Bosnia (June 15 at Rio), Spain vs Chile (June 18 at Rio), Belgium vs Russia (June 22 at Rio), Spain vs Australia (June 23 at Curitiba), Costa Rica vs England (June 24 at Belo Horizonte), France vs Equador (June 25 at Rio).
“Apart from league matches I have purchased tickets of round of 16 matches at Rio, Fortaleza and of quarter-final matches,” said Omprakash, a hard-core fan of Brazil.
This will be for the fourth consecutive time that Mundras would be watching the FIFA World Cup.
“We have been at 2002 Japan-South Korea World Cup and also witnessed the Germany World Cup in 2006.
“In 2010 we went to South Africa and this would be our fourth straight FIFA World Cup,” Omprakash stated.
The accomplished travellers know how expensive it is to stay in foreign countries. They always try to keep their expenses to the minimum.
“We have rented an apartment with kitchen in Rio which is just 1.4 kms from Maracana Stadium. We will be staying with other volunteers there. This will also help us in preparing Indian food.
“It is very difficult to get Indian food in Brazil. In last couple of visits to Brazil I have made some good Brazilian friends and they too can cook vegetarian food. It will be like at home for us,” said 63-year-old Omprakash.
Mundra said that though there are protests going on in Brazil, it will die down when the tournament starts.
“There were protests during Confederation Cup 2013 too but all the matches witnessed a full house. During World Cup also, I feel that the tournament would be protest-free and a sell-out event.”
ANOTHER major sporting event and one more big ‘assignment’ awaits Orange City’s Omprakash and Premlata Mundra.
The globetrotting couple will be leaving for Brazil on Wednesday to be part of one of the biggest sporting events on earth—FIFA
World Cup 2014 which kicks off from June 12.
Like many other mega events including Olympic Games, Winter Games, Confederations Cups, the Mundras will once again don the volunteers’ dress during the June 12-July 13 event in various cities of Brazil.
Talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Omprakash, a steel businessman, said he is very lucky to get a chance to volunteer at the Brazil World Cup.
“I am really lucky to get this chance. I will be watching ‘the
beautiful game’ and the stars in flesh and blood.”
The couple will be volunteering at the famous Maracana stadium in Rio where final will also be played.
“It’s a dream come true to witness and volunteer at Maracana. Very few get a chance to volunteer at Maracana, the Mecca of Football,” said Omprakash, who along with his wife Premlata, would probably be the only married couple to volunteer during the World Cup.
Though Mundras have travelled round the globe and have immense experience of volunteering in several Olympics and football World Cups, it was not easy for them to get volunteers’ accreditation for Brazil World Cup. Their preparation for 2014 World Cup started immediately after the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
“We were trying for volunteers’ job for last three years, immediately after the South Africa World Cup to be precise. Our efforts paid off and we both got volunteers’ accreditation from FIFA,” informed Omprakash, who had visited Brazil on three previous occasions which includes 2013 Confederation Cup.
The couple would also be attending exciting matches of Spain vs Netherlands (June 13 at Salvador), Argentina vs Bosnia (June 15 at Rio), Spain vs Chile (June 18 at Rio), Belgium vs Russia (June 22 at Rio), Spain vs Australia (June 23 at Curitiba), Costa Rica vs England (June 24 at Belo Horizonte), France vs Equador (June 25 at Rio).
“Apart from league matches I have purchased tickets of round of 16 matches at Rio, Fortaleza and of quarter-final matches,” said Omprakash, a hard-core fan of Brazil.
This will be for the fourth consecutive time that Mundras would be watching the FIFA World Cup.
“We have been at 2002 Japan-South Korea World Cup and also witnessed the Germany World Cup in 2006.
“In 2010 we went to South Africa and this would be our fourth straight FIFA World Cup,” Omprakash stated.
The accomplished travellers know how expensive it is to stay in foreign countries. They always try to keep their expenses to the minimum.
“We have rented an apartment with kitchen in Rio which is just 1.4 kms from Maracana Stadium. We will be staying with other volunteers there. This will also help us in preparing Indian food.
“It is very difficult to get Indian food in Brazil. In last couple of visits to Brazil I have made some good Brazilian friends and they too can cook vegetarian food. It will be like at home for us,” said 63-year-old Omprakash.
Mundra said that though there are protests going on in Brazil, it will die down when the tournament starts.
“There were protests during Confederation Cup 2013 too but all the matches witnessed a full house. During World Cup also, I feel that the tournament would be protest-free and a sell-out event.”
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