AIFF Awards: Ashalata Devi and Sunil Chhetri bag top honours

Indian men’s football team captain Sunil Chhetri and women’s footballer Ashalata Devi have bagged top honours at All India Football Federation (AIFF) 2018-19 awards. Chhetri was named as Men’s footballer of the year, while Ashalata Devi won the Women’s footballer of the year title.

Key Highlights

Sunil Chhetri: He is Indian captain and skipper, who scored a brace in India’s loss to Tajikistan in opening match of Intercontinental Cup 2019. He won AIFF award for 3rd consecutive year and for a record-extending 6th time (2007, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017). With 70 goals for India, he is also the 2nd-highest active international scorer only behind Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal. He currently plays for Bengaluru FC in Indian Super League (ISL).

Other Awardees are as follows:

AIFF Emerging Men’s Footballer of Year 2018-19: Sahal Abdul Samad (from Kerala)

AIFF Emerging Women’s Footballer of Year 2018-19: Dangmei Grace (from Manipur)

AIFF Award for Best Referee: R Venkatesh (from Tamil Nadu)

AIFF Award for the Best Assistant Referee: Joseph Tony (from Karnatak)a

Best Grassroots Development Programme: Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Football Association

About AIFF Awards

AIFF Player of Year has been awarded by All India Football Federation since 1992.

It is an annual association football award presented to best footballer in India.

AIFF is governing body of football association in India sicne its inception in 1937. It was one of founding members of Asian Football Confederation, which is overseer of football in Asia.

Month: Current Affairs - July, 2019