Kurate (Japan): This kind of visit makes one stop and think, offering a deeply moving glimpse into one of humanity’s darkest chapters.A group of young Indian footballers, here on a Reliance Football Development League (RFDL) study tour of Japan, had a sobering experience after visiting the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum on Saturday. In the final days of World War II, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan—the Little Boy bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and the Fat Man bomb on Nagasaki three days later—that completely destroyed both cities and killed hundreds of thousands of people. “When I was a student, I read about this tragedy of the greatest magnitude. But seeing the pictures here now and feeling the human suffering on a day like this leaves me speechless,” FC Goa youth team coach Israel Gurung told the Times of India.“At the same time, the museum also provides timely education on how Japan got back on its feet and became a world power again after suffering such severe human destruction. From a sports perspective, it is also an important lesson. No matter how big the fall is, if you have the desire and strong willpower, no one can stop you from bouncing back and rebuilding yourself. This is the message I convey to my players when I visit this place,” said Gurung, a former winger and player. Won the I-League title with the Churchill brothers.Players from Bengaluru FC reserves under Renedy Singh and FC Punjab youth team under Praveen Kumar also participated in the museum tour along with their FC Goa counterparts.“Every photo, every item on display in the museum has a story behind it and is a reminder of how lives can change in just a few seconds,” said Punjab FC coach Praveen. He believed that large-scale destruction caused by nuclear weapons should always be avoided.He added: “Through this visit, we understand a dark chapter of history. War cannot solve our problems, we must live together in peace.” The three Indian youth teams, ranked among the top three in the 2025-2026 RFDL, have already played two games each against the Japanese U-18 team.Their final round of matches will be played on Monday. (The author came to Japan at the invitation of RFDL.)
