STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Former international player from Jammu, Arun Malhotra has been included in the six-member Techincal Committee by the core group of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday.
The high level decision making technical committee is led by IM Vijayan as chairman and included five members, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Climax Lawrence, Harjinder Singh, Arun Malhotra and Pinki Bompal as members.
Meanwhile, international coach form J&K, Sajid Yusuf congratulated Arun for the achievement. Member J&K Sports Council, Ranjit Kalra and Everest from J&K, Ram Singh Slathia and member trustee of Arun Sharma Sports and Social Welfare Trust, Ashutosh Sharma congratulated Arun.
A staffer of the ONGC always wanted to work for the game of football back home and this time he has got been assigned with the task to look after AIFF affairs. Important to mention here that Arun
Was promised an assignment in J&K sports by then Advisor to Governor, Vijay Kumar but after he left J&K nothing has been done by the present administration.
“I had never expected in my life such an honour by the AIFF. It was a news for me. My former teammate at Mahinder Club Mumbai, Kalyan Chaubey has got the vision to turnaround the Indian Football. Now, he has the backing of majority of states and the support from the Government too, I’m sure things would be different in couple of years,” said Arun while expressing his feelings to Sportsline.
Earlier, a day after the All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) Executive Committee came into being, with former player Kalyan Chaubey as its president, it took its first major decision, appointing Shaji Prabhakaran as the new secretary-general today.
Chaubey chaired his first AIFF Executive Committee meeting at its headquarters, the Football House, and welcomed all the new members, including six eminent footballers who were co-opted in the body.
All the executive committee members, including vice-president NA Harris, treasurer Ajay Kipa and the six eminent footballers co-opted in the panel, except Bhaichung Bhutia, were present in the meeting.
Welcoming the members, the Chaubey 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.”
He proposed Prabhakaran’s name as the new secretary-general of the AIFF, which was unanimously approved by all the members. IANS was the first to report on Friday that Prabhakaran was tipped to become the secretary-general.
“Dr. Shaji’s previous experience as FIFA Regional Development Officer will bring in new and fresh ideas which will provide the much-needed fillip to Indian Football, ” said Chaubey.
The Committee, as per the AIFF president’s proposal, also unanimously appointed Sunando Dhar as the new deputy secretary-general of the AIFF.
Meanwhile, former India captain Shabbir Ali was unanimously named chairman of the Advisory Committee.