Football consultant Dr Shaji Prabhakaran was appointed as the new Secretary General of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) today. The newly-elected AIFF President Kalyan Chaubey proposed the name of Prabhakaran in the Executive Committee meeting of the National football body in New Delhi and was unanimously approved by all the members.

“The previous experience of Dr Shaji as FIFA Regional Development Officer will bring in new and fresh ideas which will provide the much-needed fillip to Indian Football,” Chaubey said. Prabhakaran is also functioning as the President of the Delhi Football Association.

AIFF Vice-President NA Haris, Treasurer Ajay Kipa, all other newly elected Executive Committee members, and the six eminent footballers co-opted in the Committee, except Bhaichung Bhutia, were present in the meeting.

Welcoming the members, the AIFF President said: “This is the first time that six former eminent players are part of the Committee as per the order of the Honourable Supreme Court. We need to work together, and at no time should any personal ego come as a roadblock on our endeavour to take Indian football forward together. Discipline is the key to success, and we need to be accountable as per the deadlines set.”

The Executive Committee also unanimously appointed Sunando Dhar as the new Deputy Secretary General of the AIFF. The Committee decided to appoint IM Vijayan as the Chairman of the new AIFF Technical Committee. Former Odisha woman international Pinki Bompal Magar, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Climax Lawrence, Harjinder Singh and Arun Malhotra will be the other members of the AIFF Technical Committee.

Meanwhile, former India captain Shabbir Ali was unanimously named as the Chairman of the Advisory Committee.
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PHOTO: File picture of the new AIFF Secretary General Dr Shaji Prabhakaran.