Mamata Banerjee agrees to handover Rabindra Sarovar Stadium for U-17 World Cup

It is a great time for Indian Football as it is gleaming in excitement for bagging the much prestigious U- 17 FIFA World Cup which has been scheduled for the year 2017. Recently at the felicitation event of Atletico De Kolkata, AIFF President had urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to host some of the matches of U-17 World cup in Kolkata itself. The State Government has been quite instantaneous in responding to this proposal and Mamata Banerjee had agreed upon to assign the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium as one of the venues. This will be an international standard venue to host the Under – 17 FIFA World Cup.

AIFF President Praful Patel had already requested the Chief Minister at the felicitation event and had also mentioned that the AIFF is pitching for several other international tournaments like 2017 and 2018 Club World Cup and Under 20 World Cup by 2020. Banerjee has said that the government is happy to assign the Rabindra Sarovar Stadium to AIFF. She said this would be a dream come to true for West Bengal to have this kind of an opportunity. Patel sincerely congratulated the gesture of the Chief Minister saying that this decision would help AIFF to develop the required infrastructure.

Praful Patel contributions towards the development of Indian Football have been so far much commendable as international bodies like FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) are endorsing Indian Football wholeheartedly. Suggesting that a world class football stadium will be developed in Rajarhat New Town near the city, Banerjee requested the ATK owners to look into the venture while the state was ready to provide it land for the purpose. Mamata Banerjee is insisting to prepare an international standard infrastructure for the Under – 17 World Cup tournament.

Hero to sponsor Federation Cup and I-League

Hero MotoCorp Ltd is one of the world’s largest two wheeler manufacturers and one of the eminent corporate promoters of sports in India. Recently the organization has signed a three year deal with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) to become the Title Sponsor for the Federation Cup and the I-League. Mr. Pawan Munjal who is the Vice Chairman, MD and CEO of Hero MotoCorp Ltd said that football is not only the world’s most popular games but also it has become a phenomenon sweeping across the continents. He thinks that India cannot deny that it has a sharp potential and a strong undercurrent for football. Millions of youngsters are not only watching the game with enthusiasm but is also pursuing the game as a career option.

Hero MotoCorp, as claimed by Mr. Munjal, will take up the initiative to popularizing the game in the country and taking necessary logical steps for it. The company is about to become the pioneering catalysts in the process of the progress of the game. He further added that it becomes their responsibility to infuse the much needed professionalism into the game and promote it at the grassroots level to help identify and nurture local talent. AIFF President Praful Patel has already given high importance in the comprehensive implementation of Grassroots Development Program in the country to popularize the sport in the country.

Mr. Kushal Das, General Secretary of AIFF, expressed his excitement saying that this would be great opportunity for Indian football as Hero becomes the Title Sponsor of both the Federation Cup and the I-League. He also added, after the immense success of Indian Super League, it is a great moment that Hero is extending its full – fledged support to the premier league and cup competition of the country. He is also expecting that this collaboration of AIFF and Hero would prove to be a fruitful relation in propelling Indian Football to a greater scale in the days to come. Praful Patel profile has been quite an impelling force in professionalizing the sport and making it pitch for international events like 2017 / 2018 Club World Cup and Under – 20 FIFA World Cup by 2020.

Women Football is about to get impetus with AIFF

Indian Football is not complete without the women’s team taking a proactive role in redefining the course of its development. With the Women’s National Team winning the SAFF Championship at Islamabad, the team has received much adulation from the concerned people. Recently the Strategy and Key Priorities 2015-2018 has been launched where plans had been laid out for the development of Women’s Football as a whole.

This plan is a part of the AIFF Strategic Planning which was inaugurated by Jerome Valcke alongside AIFF President Praful Patel. The planning had focused on the development of the Indian Football from a grassroots level and to set up more number of academies which would train the new generation players with utmost skills and technical expertise.

Praful Patel has also talked about the development of Women’s Football as he called it to be an integral part of the entire process. General Secretary Kushal Das said that, “Developing Women’s Football means not only on the field but off it too. Social development, respect for Women is also issues that need to be dealt with.” Praful Patel profile has been quite important in terms of the progress of the sports. Das has expressed his concern on the building up of the infrastructure and resolving the financial issues with regards to development of women’s football.

All India Football Federation (AIFF) is also planning to organize a similar kind of league for women as that of the Indian Super League. Das said that whatever has been planned is although hard to achieve and would involve a lot of financial backup. The primary focus is to consciously take decisions to integrate Women’s development process with overall development process of the Governing Body.

AIFF Match Commissioner on the AFC List

Christmas became a merrier time for All India Football Federation (AIFF) Competition Manager Sanjay Kumar who had successfully passed the AFC Match Commissioner’s test, a statement from Asia’s apex football body. Along with existing Match Commissioner Mr. Prince Rufus and Mr. Ravishankar Jayaraman who also appeared for the test in this year’s AFC Match Commissioner (MC) Seminar 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Kumar, who was appearing for the first time as a new member made the inauguration.

Around the 72 Match Commissioner appeared for test held in Kuala Lumpur this earlier this month. Kumar had been elated told the reporters that this has been a proud moment in his footballing career. He had worked as Local General Coordinator (LGC) and Local Media Officer (LMO) in the past for AFC Champions League and AFC Cup. He expressed his gratitude AFC and AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das for selecting and inviting for the AFC Match Commissioners Seminar. Match Commissioner’s role in the context of organizing high level tournament remains important and it should ensure that the match is conducted smoothly without any infringement. Kumar believed that in this way it would motivate them to work even harder and complete the assignments on time.

AIFF President Praful Patel has already working in close connection with Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in pursuit of the development of Indian Football. The efforts of AIFF have already been acknowledged by AFC as it received the President Recognition Award. Kumar’s name has been included among the elite list of the Match Commissioners for the AFC Panel for 2015 and 2016.

On the other hand, AIFF is working dedicatedly for the progress of the Indian Football creating a roadmap for it in the world football. With Praful Patel contributions, the activities have become much easier as with the initiation of the grassroots programme, football is becoming more and more popular all across the nation.

Kolkata is ready for an ATK bash

The state government and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation are getting ready for a celebration for the victory of Atletico De Kolkata in the first edition of Indian Super League (ISL). The felicitation will take place at the Netaji Indoor Stadium on Wednesday. The co-owners of the team had met Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, at Nabanna to convey their gratitude for the support of the state government. Sourav Ganguly, however, did not accompany the ATK Team.

Mamata Banerjee is elated to at this win of the Kolkata team and she congratulated all the teams. She also shared her excitement about how ISL kicked off from Kolkata and also exhilarated about the winning of the team. The state government is felicitating the team on Wednesday and the occasion will be graced by AIFF President Praful Patel.

Mamata Banerjee also expressed her pleasure by posting on the Facebook wall saying, “My heartiest congratulations to Atletico de Kolkata for winning the first-ever ISL tournament. Congratulations and best wishes to the organizers, players and all members of the team for this great success. ISL as a sporting event popularizing Indian football and taking it to the grassroots level will be a great morale booster for football lovers in Bengal and beyond. Congratulations again! Let's all celebrate the victory of Atletico de Kolkata in a befitting manner.”

With Praful Patel profile as the AIFF chief and an ardent motivator of the Indian Super League (ISL), the tournament has gained overwhelming response and success from all across the world. The league has also proven to be one of the strong and motivating pillars for the Indian Football. It has been further declared that the team management has planned to set up a football academy in the city to train players at the grassroots level.

Praful Patel wants I-League to be strengthened

India always had the potential to be a great footballing nation and this has always been complied by the FIFA. Sepp Blatter, the President of FIFA, has always referred India as the ‘Sleeping Giant’ of the sports. All India Football Federation (AIFF) is putting its most sincere efforts to professionalize the sports and to make the maxim true for all times. The preparation has already started with the initiation of Indian Super League (ISL) which has already gained a remarkable response from the football fans all over the nation.

But AIFF President Praful Patel reiterated that although ISL is a huge success in the country, yet right kind of efforts should be taken to make I-League stronger and to make it a huge success. He stressed that ISL is simply a short term booster as I-League remains the premier football tournament of the country. He stated that, “As you know we have the I-League which is the principal league in the country. We have been working over the years to upgrade and professionalize the league, bring it on par with other leagues and to boost the popularity of football in the country.”

He emphasized that the focus should not be lost from the I-League as he called it to be the backbone of Indian Football. Only teams that will be participating in the I-League will be having the maximum chances to escalate in terms of AFC Championships and so on. However, ISL does not carry that opportunity. Praful Patel contributions behind the present success of Indian Football cannot be denied as he has been constantly boosting the AIFF to take the rightful measures behind its progress. He further added that only the I-League needs to be strengthened as “Once the following of the teams improve, we will have a better chance to bring in more youngsters in ISL teams which will help in offering exposure to our young players.” Patel also spoke of his plans to strengthen the link between the two competitions ISL and I-League. AIFF President was also of the opinion that if the I-League put as much as effort on the public relations as that of the ISL, the response will automatically augment and it will bring a mass appeal.

Tributes paid on Murli Deora’s demise

Veteran Congress Leader Murli Deora passes away, leaving a big hollow in the field of politics. With the death of the leader, politicians came in flock forgetting all their party differentiation and drifts. Each of them paid their homage and unanimously recognized Deora to be not only a brilliant leader but also an amicable figure among his colleagues and friends. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid his tribute calling him one of the reputed and stalwart leaders from the state. He said, “He leaves behind a rich legacy of political and social work.”

Former Congress MP Priya Dutta said Deora was like her mentor as she entered the field of Politics and was like a father figure after the demise of her father Sunil Dutt. On the other hand, Former Minister Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan said that Deora always encouraged young leadership and held dynamic perspective. He is one of the major factors who strengthened the party’s position in Mumbai.

The funeral ceremony of Murali Deora was attended by top leaders and renowned personalities from all works of life. NCP Leader Praful Patel spoke about Deora with high regards as he said that the man always groomed young talents. Rural Development Minister of Maharashtra Pankaja Munde said she was sad and was quite shocked to learn the news of Deora’s demise. She said that Deora’s dedication towards his responsibilities is unparalleled. BJP Leader Poonam Mahajan said that the deceased Congress Leader was a family friend as her father Pramod Mahajan and Deora were colleagues in Parliament.

Praful Patel profile as one of the leading members of National Congress Party (NCP) has led the party to become a prominent name in the field of politics. Other NCP leaders too attended the last rite ceremony of the leader and paid their tributes for the peace of the soul.

India wins SAFF Women’s Championship

Women Football has touched its peak with the recent SAFF Championship. The world witnessed a finest team who created history in the saga of football. Ranked 53rd in the world, Indian Team scored 36 goals in the five matches they have played. The Indian women's national team won its third straight South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship by beating Nepal 6-0 in the finale which held in Islamabad, Pakistan. All India Football Federation (AIFF) is thinking constructively in reshaping the condition of football in every parts of the country.

AIFF President Praful Patel did not miss the opportunity for this brilliant as he tweets by congratulating the team on their magnanimous victory. He said, “Congratulations girls. This triumph in Islamabad shows that there’s no dearth of talent as far as women’s football in India in concerned. All of you make us proud. Congratulations to all the players and the support staff.”

AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das also took a moment and celebrated the moment stating this victory is another feather in the cap of Indian Football as it marks a step ahead to the roads of development of Women’s football in India. Das elaborated further, “The victory further emphasises AIFF’s keenness to develop women’s football in India. The senior national women’s championship conducted earlier this year opened up the pool of talent and the results are evident. We now look forward for Indian women squads to further make an impact at the AFC (Asian Football Confederation) level.”

Praful Patel contributions, behind the success of the AIFF, are redesigning the stature of Indian Football. India’s Bala Devi scored 16 goals which was the highest number of goals in competition. This is the highest recorded in a single edition of the championship and found the back of the net four times against Nepal in the final with Kamala and Parameshwari Devi whose names also got enlisted in the scoresheet.

Official meeting between I-League and Fed Cup Committee at Football House

I-League and Federation Cup Committee official meeting was held recently at the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Headquarters Football House, Dwarka. A. R Khaleel was the chairperson of the meeting which was also attended by top officials and delegates that include Mr. Kushal Das, General Secretary, All India Football Federation; Mr. Subrata Dutta, Vice-President, AIFF; Mr. Ankur Datta, Deputy Chairman, I-League Committee and Mr. Sunando Dhar, Mr. Anupam Dutta, CEO, Indian Super League and Mr. Prasenjit Basu from Ten Sports along with Mr. Souter Vaz and Mr. Z.A Thakur.

AIFF’s venture and proposal of U-15 Tournament for I-League Clubs was much greeted with much applause by the Clubs. The inaugural edition of the Tournament will be held in the next year. This will be a 16 team event where besides the 10 I-League Teams, four other academies and two other AIFF Academies would be a part of the event. In the first edition 14 teams would be segregated into two groups and top three from each group would be joined by the two AIFF Academies in the final round. As per Kushal Das, the primary objective of the tournament is to enhance and endorse the talent for the 2017 FIFA World Cup. The venue and the schedule of the tournament of the Championship will be later intimated by AIFF after discussion with sponsor Coca Cola and marketing partner IMG – Reliance.

In a recent press meet, AIFF President Praful Patel had made it clear that AIFF will take every initiative to enhance the popularity of football all across the nation. More and more grassroots programmes will be introduced to make youth of the country even more interested in the sport. It was unanimously decided that the registration of Players would be done centrally through the State Associations and all ID Cards would be issued by AIFF.

Praful Patel profile as the President of AIFF has been quite relevant in the regards of development of the sport. He has always stressed that even though Indian Super League (ISL) has received remarkable response, yet I-League will always stand to be the principal league of the country. Patel has urged the clubs of ISL to participate and invest their interest in the reframing of the I-League.

FIFA confirms fundamental changes in Indian Football

Indian Football is surely going through its golden period as it is now open to an international exposure. All India Football Federation (AIFF) is surely taking football to a new height where sport is being made popular to every corner of the country and among all the aspiring players. No wonder, Indian Super League has received an overwhelming response from all the sports lovers. This has been a groundbreaking venture in which top footballers of international repute have joined and have given the league an outstanding stature. The IMG – Reliance organized tournament is surely opening gates for Indian Football to get sufficient exposure from FIFA who are planning to open up more and more academies for the infrastructural development of the sports in India.

AIFF President Praful Patel has recently said that it is good news that FIFA has recognized the developmental procedure of Indian Football. Undoubtedly, ISL has gained a TRP which is almost 50 per cent of the Indian Premier League (IPL) of cricket. Patel has challenged those critics who have shown their skepticism regarding the commencement of IPL. Apart from that AIFF is also setting a trend for training the youngsters with their comprehensive grassroots programs and courses. With the incorporation of the international stars in the matches, the kids are finding the national sport even more appealing as they are more inclined to the international tournaments.

Praful Patel contributions behind the progress of the sport cannot simply be denied. He acknowledged the fact India has a long way to go and make it even stronger before it can compete with the international stars and the best nation of the continent. He confirmed his passion for the progress of Indian Football and its development. The world football fraternity, according to the president, especially FIFA has acknowledged the fundamental changes happening in India. It is expected that the results will be seen within next three to five years. Patel signed off saying, “That's why we pitched for the World Cup under-17. After that, we'll go to World Cup under-20 so same kids will transition. By the time they are 23-24, we'll think of entering the World Cup. That is the thought.”

Bala Devi scores the highest at the SAFF Women’s Championships

Indian Football is not only making a glorious mark in terms of its men’s team, but women team is also making a grand mark to make the sports even more popular before the world. Defending champions is performing marvellously at the third edition of the SAFF Women’s Championship as they have been crushing their opponents on a wider margin. Few days back India defeated Maldives by a margin of 8-0 in a Group-A encounter in Islamabad. It is only yesterday itself it won a semis against Sri Lanka by 5 – 0 and is competing against Nepal at the finals today.

This is surely a boost to the development of Indian Football as it spreads its wings to every corner of the country. AIFF President Praful Patel is no wonder ecstatic about the team’s performance as he tweets congratulating the team for their magnanimous win in the semi-finals. All India Football Federation (AIFF) is keeping no stones unturned to develop the infrastructure of the Indian team so that it becomes completely groomed for participating in the international leagues and tournaments.

With Praful Patel contributions, AIFF is taking remarkable progress and is targeting to make football even more popular through its extensive Grassroots Development Programmes and Youth Development Programmes. These programmes are going to help football touch a pinnacle and will get the sports a wide and a global exposure. The upcoming and aspiring players are being trained in a way so that they can compete with their international counterparts.

AFC Medical Committee meets at the Football House

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held its Medical Conference and the important delegates of the AFC Medical Committee met the at the All India Football Federation (AIFF) Headquarters in Football House. It is a great opportunity and honour for India to play the host of this high profile “evidence based science & medicine” conference for the first time in South and Central Asia. The 5th AFC Medical Conference, organised every four years, is the first of its kind to be scheduled in India to be held from April 2 - 4, 2015 at JW Mariott, Aerocity, New Delhi, with an expected members of 800-1,000 including various International conglomerates.

A tripartite settlement has been signed among AFC, All India Football Federation (AIFF) Sri Ramachandra Arthroscopy & Sports Science Centre (SRASSC) by forming a medical institution of its kind to come on board for the mega conference on football medicine. The participants will have the exposure to the latest medical equipment and technologies, pharmaceuticals, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, fitness accessories along with health products during the three day programme.

AIFF President Praful Patel has initiated major programmes and planning for Indian Football to get a formidable position in the Asian Football Confederation. Patel has been emphasizing on the refurbishment of the I-League which he called the principal tournament of the country. According to him, it is very important to raise the bar of the tournament as par with the other football tournaments and make it even more professional in the country.

With Praful Patel contributions, AIFF is presently bidding for top international tournaments in the next five years. AIFF President has been quite enthusiastic about the on-going Indian Super League (ISL) but he has said that it is the primary focus of the AIFF to make I-League as popular event of the nation and gain a mass appeal for that.

I-League remains the principal league of Indian football

Indian Super League (ISL) is no doubt gaining immense popularity amongst the football fans and the sponsors of the sports. It has generated a mass appeal with the kind of glitz, glamour and extension which have led the officials think out of the box about the sport. It is the credibility of the IMG-Reliance that they have not only been able to pull in top celebrities, sports persons and businessmen from India, but have been able to garner the support of some of the renowned world cuppers from the world. These international football stars have not only supported the game but have also reassured to bring in a strong level of professionalism and technique in the teams.

All India Football Federation has, indeed, introduced a magnanimous event by venturing into ISL, yet AIFF President Praful Patel thinks on a larger platform. He has been quite affirmative regarding the ISL from the very beginning, since it was conceptualised. But on the other hand, he is keener to professionalise and reshape the pattern of the I-League.

According to Praful Patel information, AIFF is trying to bid for more FIFA tournaments which are to be hosted in India. AIFF is taking every necessary step in order to pitch in for an international level. The organisation is already preparing itself for the much awaited FIFA Under – 17 World Cup, slated in the year 2017. With this, AIFF is also targeting for holding Club World Championships in 2017 and 2018; along with this it will also bid for World Cup Under – 20 in the next five years. Praful Patel has confirmed that ISL has undoubtedly created a sense of enthusiasm in the Indian Football, but it is very important to make I-League a more professional tournament of the country.

Mumbai FC gets back to original home ground Cooperage Football Stadium

Mumbai FC has returned to their original home ground, the Cooperage Football Stadium in Mumbai, after a gap of four years and will be playing against Kenkre FC in the on-going MDFA Elite Division League. The last time the I-League played a match at the Cooperage was in 2010 where they had defeated Mohun Bagan by 2-0. This is, however, a historic stadium with the legacy of more than 100 years of Indian Football and has been the breeding field of many Indian football legends. Atul Badgamia, the Dy. Vice President of Mumbai FC, seemed to be pretty delighted on having the club playing at Cooperage again.

Badgamia considers it to be an honour for the players to play in this legendary stadium. He is hopeful that WIFA will get the permission of that is necessary to host matches in the stadium. The football enthusiasts are eagerly waiting for a thrilling match. The match against Kenkre FC and Mumbai FC will also mark the return of MDFA Elite Division after 2 years gap. All India Football Federation (AIFF) is also shaped up in its new avatar as it has already ushered in the era of progress and development. The credit of shaping up the sport in the country goes to AIFF President Praful Patel who has endeavoured much to take football to an international standard bagging prestigious FIFA U-17 World Cup.

The organisation is taking sufficient initiatives to develop the infrastructural ground for the tournament. It has been hoped that, under Praful Patel profile as the chief mentor of AIFF, this tournament will change the face of the sport in the country. This would be a kind of international tournament which will help Indian football gain a global exposure.

Delhi Dynamos FC and Chennaiyin FC clash in New Delhi

The capital city is all set to witness the head on clash between the Delhi Dynamos FC and Chennaiyin FC. The country is fastening their seat belts up and is waiting to how the two titans find their way a step ahead in the league. Delhi is eager to find their first win and is simply gearing up to face their southern opponents. On the other hand the Chennai boys have straightened their chords in order to experience the taste of their hat-trick. The Chennai team wants to use their marquee player Brazilian Elano and make their way to the cup even easier.

AIFF President Praful Patel has appreciated the response which the ISL has received from the football fans all over India. He thinks that the league is going to prove to be a positive factor in the development of the game and will help the game in getting back its track in the hearts of the fans. Commercially too, ISL will be a great venture as it will help Indian Football to get much attraction from the sponsors and will prove to be money-spinning. The connoisseurs, although, think that the league is still in its nascent stage and it is a matter of time to determine its success graph.

Praful Patel profile is an important factor in terms of the success, development and modernisation of the Indian Football. Being the President of All India Football Federation (AIFF), Patel has taken every measure to turn the wheel into the modern era. Recently, in the launching ceremony of AIFF’s Strategic Planning, Patel has specifically said that the I-League will work as a short term booster, but the real tournament of the country will always be I-League. The ceremony was graced by FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke who has urged the government to do the rightful investments for the growth of the sport in the country. Not only so, both Patel and Valcke had stressed majorly on the grassroots development of football in the nation which will help in redefining the course of the game from its very core

I-League remains the principal league of Indian football

Indian Super League (ISL) is no doubt gaining immense popularity amongst the football fans and the sponsors of the sports. It has generated a mass appeal with the kind of glitz, glamour and extension which have led the officials think out of the box about the sport. It is the credibility of the IMG-Reliance that they have not only been able to pull in top celebrities, sports persons and businessmen from India, but have been able to garner the support of some of the renowned world cuppers from the world. These international football stars have not only supported the game but have also reassured to bring in a strong level of professionalism and technique in the teams.

All India Football Federation has, indeed, introduced a magnanimous event by venturing into ISL, yet AIFF President Praful Patel thinks on a larger platform. He has been quite affirmative regarding the ISL from the very beginning, since it was conceptualised. But on the other hand, he is keener to professionalise and reshape the pattern of the I-League.

According to Praful Patel information, AIFF is trying to bid for more FIFA tournaments which are to be hosted in India. AIFF is taking every necessary step in order to pitch in for an international level. The organisation is already preparing itself for the much awaited FIFA Under – 17 World Cup, slated in the year 2017. With this, AIFF is also targeting for holding Club World Championships in 2017 and 2018; along with this it will also bid for World Cup Under – 20 in the next five years. Praful Patel has confirmed that ISL has undoubtedly created a sense of enthusiasm in the Indian Football, but it is very important to make I-League a more professional tournament of the country.

Chennai is looking to bounce back as it takes on Mumbai on home turf

Beaten by a big margin in their previous game, Chennaiyin FC has a chance to bounce back when they take on the star-studded Mumbai City FC in the 15th match of the Hero Indian Super League. The match is about to take place on Tuesday. The Bojan Djordjic-led Chennaiyin had remained victorious in the competition before being hosted by Delhi Dynamos, who presented a whirlwind win with 4-1. Mumbai, on the other hand, is struggling to find a true rhythm and is third from the bottom in the points with one win and two losses. Recently it lost to North East United FC by 0-2. It is expected that if French star Anelka plays then there are chances for Mumbai to hit the right chord.

AIFF President Praful Patel has been a propelling for the magnanimous success of the Indian Super League (ISL). Partnered with IMG – Reliance and Star TV, the tournament has created a mass rage all over the nation and people are thronging in huge number to witness the thrills of the matches. The ISL is a kind of venture which has changed the face of football and has earned the sports an ample amount of exposure at an international event.

With Praful Patel profile as the chief of the AIFF, the organisation is now planning to pitch for U-20 World Cup. Presently, AIFF is preparing itself for the U-17 FIFA World Cup, slated in the year 2017 and is working in every way to make this tournament a success. With this U-17, new avenues are going to open up for Indian Football. The authorities are taking sufficient initiatives in terms of the infrastructural development of the game. The governing body is also conscious that there match fixing and betting can be a major threat hampering the spirit of the game. An integrity officer has been recruited who would be responsible for combatting all kinds of corruptions from the sport.

AIFF, endeavouring much to make I-League an attraction

I – League has already been considered as the primary leagues of the country and the teams are preparing themselves with full fervor in order to make the tournament a real success. It has been further expected that the influence of the on-going Indian Super League (ISL) would help in preparing the groundwork for the I-League to become more popular in the nation. The primary purpose of All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been to enhance the grassroots development of the game and make it even more attractive to the young generation to pursue.

Recently Sporting Clube De Goa launched their marquee player Anthony Wolfe, a famous World Cup footballer from Trinidad and Tobago. The emblem of the club is a lion and with the amount of experience that Wolfe will be bringing a lot more skill. The Club President Peter Vaz said that they are hoping to create a ‘ferocious formation’ of the I-League.

Wolfe, even though is a star footballer, loves to watch cricket. He confessed that Sachin Tendulkar is one of his favourites alongside Brian Lara. The clubs officials are expecting that participation of Wolfe will change the operational course of the clubs and will help the players to imbibe greater values and professionalism.

AIFF President Praful Patel has already made it clear that the I-League will always remain the primary tournament of the country. The organization will take necessary steps in building the right kind of infrastructure for the teams so that I-League also becomes an attraction. The President of the governing body, in a recent event of launching ceremony of the Strategic Planning, has said that the AIFF will concentrate on the basic and the elementary development of the sport in every nook and corner of India.

It is due to Praful Patel contributions the federation is taking giant strides in placing football on an international stage. Indian Football is going through a golden period as with the ISL a great commercial platform is created and also it will boost the standard of the I-League. There is a great deal of potential which is hidden and the organization needs to find them out and work rightfully for them to flourish and make it big in future.

AIFF is making new horizons for Indian Football

All India Football Federation (AIFF) is one of the professionally coordinated and well-structured sports associations of the country which have been responsible for creating milestones. The governing body of Indian Football is presently initiating instrumental programs and courses which are aiding the sport to become even more professional and standardised. In order to refine the approach of the game and also in order to help it reach out to the mass, the federation has arranged series of Grassroots development programs and youth development courses which are propelling to create major awareness in the young generation.

Under the leadership and motivation of the AIFF President Praful Patel, the organisation has been able to restore the glory of the sport which has been so far overshadowed by the glitz of cricket. It is with the motive to make the sport even more attractive, AIFF in association with the IMG-Reliance and Star TV, had ventured in designed the Indian Super League (ISL). Inspired from the pattern of Indian Premier League (IPL), this tournament includes eight franchisee teams from different parts of the country owned by top celebrities, sports personalities and business giants. The tournament experienced its first kick off began on October 12, 2014. The league has been even more dazzling with the participation of the leading international players who have been leading world cup players of their time.

Praful Patel profile has been a remarkable factor as this is also helping the original series of the country I-League to get a new look. Patel has made it clear that the I-League will always remain the primary tournament of the country. He is also optimistic that many of the ISL clubs are showing interest in the I-League and it is expected that soon they will be taking up initiatives for the I-League. According to the President, the ISL may have created a craze among the football fans but it will always remain a kind of short term booster.

AIFF Strategic Plan is launched by Jerome Valcke

All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially launched its Strategic Plan as the event was graced by Jerome Valcke, General Secretary of FIFA along with Praful Patel, President of AIFF. The launching ceremony was conducted in New Delhi on October 15. The plan, which was presented before the Clubs, besides the Executive Committee Members and partners, has put forward the roadmap for AIFF to work towards the development and popularity of this ‘Beautiful Game’ in the country. Valcke has further said that India will always remain the ‘priority country’ for FIFA. He commented, “India is a priority country for FIFA in Asia in terms of football development. We are investing a lot in this country because we believe in its huge potential. It’s a fast growing economy with over1.2 billion people. There’s definitely space for other sports than cricket.”

AIFF President Praful Patel has denoted the Strategic Plan as the ‘process which would define AIFF’s philosophy.’ AIFF, as Patel has called, is the most structured sports federation in the country. His objective is to utilise the need of the hour and to document a perfect work schematic to make the optimal employment of the resources in order to achieve AIFF’s mission and vision. Kushal Das, AIFF General Secretary, also restated and confirmed the organisation’s seriousness and commitment to develop the sport in India.

After Lakshya, India needs a rudder that would guide and boost the teams’ morale for a larger platform. AIFF is targeting itself to prepare for the overall Strategic Plan which will channelize the potential of the players in right direction and shape their skills to achieve the dream in the next 4 years. Das further elaborated, “We have identified 13 clearly defined and time bound goals and objectives which we need to target till 2017.”

With Praful Patel contributions, the organisation has devised detailed operational plans and budgets ensuring to have a sustainable and implementable plan. The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) along with their other liabilities have been defined and so performances are to be monitored and evaluated regularly. The Strategic Plan is adding a lot of stress on the Grassroots, Youth Development and Coach Education on which a detailed consultation has been organised with other stake holders.

Valcke accolades India’s approach to Football

Jerome Valcke, General Secretary of FIFA visited India and reconfirmed FIFA’s concern and seriousness regarding the development and progress of football in the subcontinent. The General Secretary is quite assertive about the changing pattern of the sport in the country and is happy about the fact that the country has bagged FIFA U-17 World Cup, scheduled in 2017. He further elaborated that a project in India is about to start with the commencement of U-17 World Cup. Valcke also appreciated that the efforts of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) pertaining to the development of the game in the country. He said, “Our commitment with India is, and will also be strong as it was; as India are on the right track.”

AIFF President Praful Patel was enthralled with the comments of Valcke and had thanked FIFA for their support towards redefining the course of the sports. He reassured that AIFF is going to bid for FIFA U-20 World Cup. FIFA have also launched Win in India project which has benefitted eight Artificial Turfs in various cities. Patel was happy to inform the media that bidding for World Cup is a step forward for AIFF. The organisation has already received much accolades and acknowledgment from AFC for its unprejudiced approach in issuing license to the clubs. Licensing of I-League Clubs has been completed under FIFA and AFC.

Valcke also met multiple I-League Clubs and AIFF Executive Committee Members after the launch. He added, “In consultation with Mr. Patel, we have devised a strategic plan from 2014 through 2017, and then move ahead to the next phase – for a long term future.” The FIFA General Secretary has also met with Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, the AIFF President, Executive Committee Members, I-League clubs and another at the ASSOCHAM. It has been also stressed that the goal for U-17 and U-20 is not for FIFA to make profits, but also to support the AIFF. Praful Patel contributions are also appreciated by the FIFA official towards the dynamism of the AIFF. Speaking of the Hero Indian Super League, Valcke said that the league is drawing a lot of attention worldwide. On the other hand Praful Patel signed off saying, “The Indian Super League is like a booster dose in the short run. The ISL Clubs hope to proceed into the I-League eventually. The goal is to bring the two closer to take the advantage for developing the sport in the Country.”

Praful Patel is happy to see the response on the ISL

The much awaited tournament Indian Super League (ISL) has begun with much pomp, glory and extravaganza. Delhi Dynamos FC hosted FC Pune City in the third match of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) on Tuesday. This tournament has already received an overwhelming response from the football fans and the football authorities. Shaped in the pattern of the Indian Premier League (IPL), this tournament will surely be a money spinning event in the history of Indian Football.

AIFF President Praful Patel has already conveyed his positive feelings about the league as he has said that All India Football Federation (AIFF) will leave no stones unturned to make this league a success. This is a dream come true. It is a great opportunity to transform this game. The world loves football, young Indians love football and the primary aim is to take it to all corners of the country.

Patel reconfirms that tournaments like ISL should take place more as Indian football needs these kind of support from the spectators. It has been great scene to watch that stadiums all over the nation are simply full and people are thronging to see the power pact matches. It is great news for Indian Football that FIFA has approved this kind of a special league in any part of the world. It is a matter of great comfort for the Indian Football that the President of AIFF is keen to redefine the course of I-League, which Patel called the mainstay of Indian Football. He further added, “This is a special league which has been allowed to take place only for India, and for the first time ever, I think we require the support of FIFA to build Indian football.”

Praful Patel profile as the chief of the AIFF has been quite glaring as he had taken active initiative to explain the importance of having the ISL in a shorter format rather than full-fledged league as AIFF will continue to organise such events even after the competition. The idea of this special league is to strengthen the audience base and bring in more and more sponsors to enhance the standards of the game.

Indian Super League rejuvenates Indian Football fans

This is a great moment for the Indian Football. Indian Super League has created a high spirited atmosphere amongst the young players and the football fans. After cricket, kabaddi and badminton, Indians are preparing for their tryst with the franchise football. FIFA President Sepp Blatter once had called Indian Football a ‘Sleeping Giant’ in the year 2007. Indian Football had several ups and downs due to the lack of proper infrastructure. Several attempts have been made to raise the standards of the Indian Football over the years which have yielded scanty results. The National Football League although became the I-League, but not much has been done at the grassroots level. It has become very difficult for the governing body to find right sponsors and broadcast partners.

With the launch of the ISL, the excitement around the sport in India is rising again. This is the first attempt which has been made by All India Football Federation (AIFF) in partnership with IMG-Reliance and Star TV pertaining to glamorise the sport. AIFF has struck the correct chord with Praful Patel profile as the President of the organisation. The organisers have managed to generate a great amount of awareness, buzz and enthusiasm around the league in the very first edition.

It is a matter of time to see whether the success of the ISL will create any impact on the domestic set up or on the grass roots level. One of the primary objectives of this league is to promote and encourage the young talents in India and develop football at the very elementary level in India. AIFF has assured that despite the advent of a corporate backed football league, AIFF President Praful Patel has stressed that I-League will continue to remain India’s premier football league and mainstay.

The ISL is carrying all the glitz and glamour that a sports event in the present times needs to have. High profile international players like Alessandro Del Piero, Zico and Luis Garcia, support of revered European football league like English Premier League (EPL), top notch celebrities like Abhishek Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and John Abraham with sports icon like Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly are all participating actively in the sport.

As the league commences from October 12, it is still remained to be seen whether the Indian Football fans are flexible enough to embrace the domestic football in its newest avatar.

FIFA allocates 38 million dollar for the U-17 World Cup in India

As All India Football Federation (AIFF) is gearing up its operation and refinement of infrastructure for hosting the U-17 World Cup in India, FIFA on the other hand has allocated 38 million dollar for the entire tournament. This lucrative fund has been set in order to help India organize the 2017 U – 17 World Cup. The FIFA Congress meeting had been attended by AIFF Vice President Subhas Chopra in Sao Paolo just two days before the start of the World Cup 2014. The announcement of the fund allocation has been made for the organizational purpose only.

Chopra was also accompanied to Brazil by AIFF treasurer Hardev Jadeja and executive committee member Ankur Dutta as a part of the AIFF delegation. The team is thrilled to visit the FIFA office as they found FIFA President Sepp Blatter to be very positive and committed in helping India host this successful tournament. AIFF is also gaining major support from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in this regard. The role of AIFF President Praful Patel has been highly appreciated by these international bodies in driving the governing body to take up major initiatives in professionalizing the sport in the country.

Recently a two – member FIFA delegated team visited India in order to supervise the eight stadiums where the tournament will be hosted. The team also visited Goa who had expressed in hosting the final match of the tournament. With Praful Patel contributions, AIFF has reformulated its strategies in making the sport even more attractive. AIFF is maintaining a stringent method in selecting the players for the U-17 World Cup and is also taking care of retaining the integrity of the game. To serve this purpose, an integrity officer has been appointed who is going to monitor all the pros and cons of the team so that no corruption or malpractices like match fixing takes place.

Mumbai FC pulls in its first foreign players

Mumbai FC has pulled in Japanese player Taisuke Matsugae for the 2014-15 season. The information has been revealed by the club in a press release. The 31 player has the experience of playing for the Shillong Lajong in the last season and for teams in the 2nd Division of J-League in Japan. Taisuke is the first ever foreign player which has been signed by Mumbai FC and also fills the club’s Asian quota.

The Head of the Mumbai FC Head Coach Khalid Jamil is highly excited about this new introduction as he thinks that he will bring a lot of creativity to the Mumbai FC attack. “He has the ability to unlock any defense and he also has a very good eye for goal. Taisuke will fit into my game plans very well. A player who can play both as a midfielder and as a false nine is always a valuable asset.”

In 2007 Taisuke joined Blaublitz Akita had played in the Japan Football League. He stayed at the club from 2007 to 2013 in which he had participated in 96 league matches and scored 19 goals in his time at the club. At Shillong Lajong he played 31 matches scoring 4 goals for them in the process. Taisuke sounded delighted at his arrival. “I am happy to be at this club. I enjoyed my time playing in the I-League last season and wanted to continue playing in this league. I will give my best at this club. I hope to join my teammates for our pre-season soon.”

AIFF President Praful Patel is helping the governing body to take giant strides in terms of development and professionalizing football in the country. With tournaments like Indian Super League (ISL) and U-17 FIFA World Cup, 2017, Indian football is about to get a strong commercial background. With Praful Patel profile, AIFF is taking best initiatives to infuse best practices and techniques for the game.

Pawar seeks vote for progressive Maharashtra

The preparations for the state assembly in Maharashtra are going on with full fervour. The debate between Congress and its ally Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on the seat sharing has stretched quite far. The party leaders have demanded an equitable distribution of seats in the states as they claimed that their performance was better than their senior ally in the 16th Lok Sabha Election. NCP Chief Sharad Pawar appealed the people of Maharashtra to bring the party back in to power in the state for the fourth time to fill their dreams of development. This has been declared with the launch of party’s campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly polls here on Saturday.

Pawar has pointed out that the people of Maharashtra have voted NCP back to power since the last 15 years. The NCP chief is sure that the party workers will have to strengthen the bonds with the people for that. It is the primary focus of the party to keep Maharashtra united and it should be a balanced development in all regions be it North Maharashtra, Marathwada or drought prone villages in Western Maharashtra. This has been the apparent reference to BJP’s support for separate Vidarbha. Pawar also stressed on the promotion of education among minorities and tribal communities.

Senior NCP Leader Praful Patel has instructed his party member to work against ‘misinformation campaign’ against the State Government and the party. He has been quite vocal in terms of seat sharing formula of the parties. He has specifically mentioned that NCP cannot go on waiting indefinitely for the decision of Congress regarding the allotment of seats for the State Assembly.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has become a leading political party in India as it has been operating since 1999. It has been actively involved in several national matters in alliance with the Congress Party. The party is creating several milestones under the leadership of Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel contributions as senior leader, Ajit Pawar, Supriya Sule, Bhaskar Jadhav, Tariq Anwar and many others.

Grass Roots Programme to start in Odisha

All India Football Federation (AIFF) is all set to professionalise and popularise football in India with its utmost endeavour. The governing body has set up a term with Football Association of Odisha and is making comprehensive approach towards in initialising Grass Roots Development Programme in the state. This programme will be conducted in five districts of Odisha and it will solely be directed to the development of the young players from Odisha. In a recent meeting held at the Barabati Guest house, a plan for Grassroots’ Football Development in the state of Odisha as has been framed with AIFF. The organisation has already given a presentation regarding the development of football at the basic and elementary level in the country. Mr. Suvrat Thatte, Manager, Grass Roots Development Programme, AIFF, by implementing this programme the state will benefit in developing football in near future. Mr. Asirbad Behera, Honorary Secretary, O.O.A & O.C.A opined that this program will be implemented in the state at the earliest. It has been declared that the initial stage of the programme will be conducted only in five districts of the state.

The efforts of AIFF in building a strong edifice for the youth has enabled the organisation to initiate the grass roots programme and youth development programme. These programmes are organised with the primary objective to initiate best practices and technical skills in order to improve the performance of the players. AIFF President Praful Patel has been the man behind the success story of AIFF as he said, “Indian football can never come up until we strengthen the grass roots. A strong youth development program will have to be launched, if we are to build and sustain the future of football in our country. There will be many critics but we shall not be deterred.”

With Praful Patel contributions in the development of football, AIFF is gaining a sharp momentum and is taking giant strides. The upcoming venture Indian Super League (ISL), a strong foundation and a healthy ecosystem are created to nurturing the real potentials and talents in the team. The grassroots development programmes or courses work with the dream to create national football heroes.

AFC inspectors Goa Sporting Club

A team of inspectors from Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have come to visit the Goa Sporting Club, who has carried out their investigation pertaining to their licensing process. The purpose of their visit was to monitor every aspects of the club before sanctioning license to them.

The experts took a much meticulous scrutiny at the training ground facilities at the Don Bosco Ground, Panjim as they headed towards SCD headquarters in Campal to conduct the interviews of the staffs and the coaches. The criteria which were being evaluated were related to the cores of infrastructure, sporting, financial, legal division and administration.

Head of AFC Research and Support services Steve Kim has presented the new regulations for participation in the AFC competitions. He was being associated by Accounts Manager Kevin Org and AFC Head of Club Licensing Mahajan Nair. The session was also presided over by I-League CEO Sunando Dhar and I-League club licensing Manager Roma Khanna on behalf of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

AIFF President Praful Patel is boosting AIFF to take up some of the strong initiatives in popularising football in India to make it a number one sport in the country. It is with their strategic efforts the organisation has been able to achieve success in bagging the prestigious FIFA U-17 World Cup. This international event has been scheduled in the year 2017.

The selection procedure for this international tournament is being conducted in the most professional and stringent fashion. The authorities are keeping a serious check on the age verification process of the players and also the participants are to be judged on their quality parameters. With Praful Patel contributions as an asset, AIFF has been able to maintain a strong foundation in holding onto the integrity and the true spirit of the game.

International Player Draft -Star studded Indian Super League (ISL)

Hero Indian Super League, in the present times, is the most anticipated tournament this year. Its International Player Draft was held at the Taj Palace, Mumbai with the participation of eight clubs going for specific strategies in forming the spine of their respective team line ups. The event was quite a star studded one as it was attended by international stars and talented youngsters who have already excelled in the sports both for their country and also for world renowned Premier leagues of the world. It was perhaps befitting that their entry into Indian Football was designed at an event which held close to the monumental Gateway of India with Arabian Sea in the background.

This event was quite a remarkable one as it marked the fulfillment of the players’ draft, in both India and World, for the inaugural moment of Indian Super League which kicks off on October 12, 2014. There will be total 56 international players, 49 from the international player draft and seven being contracted by the clubs directly, have also been included in the ISL, equally allocated in eight different clubs. Earlier in July 2014, the clubs had been selected 112 Indian Players to compete the domestic players. The 49 players who were chosen in the league have already played more than 9000 matches and they will be bringing a commendable range of experience and competition in the ISL, as expressed Andy Knee, Vice President of IMG.

Kushal Das, General Secretary, All India Football Federation, thinks that “Indian Football needs a new dose of adrenaline.” He also said that the main focus is on Youth Development and Grassroots which is actually the base of the pyramid. On the other hand the organization is also concerned about the commercial aspect of the game. He stated, ‘We hope ISL will be the game changer for Indian Football.’ AIFF President Praful Patel is also quite delighted as he thinks ISL is going to be an unstoppable force in the history of Indian football. Not only so this tournament is going to be an outstanding opportunity for the players to imbibe the best practices and latest techniques.

AIFF, under Praful Patel contributions, has been able to deliver a professional approach in the sport to make football the number one sports in the country. ISL is surely going to give the players a strong platform where they can get an international exposure and not will be able to learn newer concepts of playing.

Majid Memon says it’s time to reply ceasefire violation by Pakistan

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Majid Memon on Wednesday said that if Pakistan keeps flouting the ceasefire then the Indian Government should reply them back. While discussing on the ceasefire violations, Memon said that it is not sufficient enough to invite Prime Minister of Pakistan on the oath taking ceremony. This is a very serious and grave issue that needs to be handled with deep involvement. This could be a constructive initiative if the country wants to prove relations with Pakistan in the perfect direction.

It has been further stressed by the leader that India should not put down so easily and should work in to finding out a way out with Pakistan. In any way, the government should answer Pakistan back if in any case there is a violation. Retired Lieutenant General P. N Hoon had emphasised that India needs an ‘offensive defence’ as the number of ceasefire violations by Pakistan has increased.

Over the years, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has become a leading political party of India which has been creating milestones towards the concept of nation building. With the strong support of Sharad Pawar, NCP Leader Praful Patel and other notable figures, this party has reached a pinnacle. Today, NCP is focussing to take an analytic approach towards the decision making process and is not willing to be just a nominal opposition. With Praful Patel profile as one of the strong inspirations, the party has earned its reputation for its activities in the field on industries, sports, tourism, agriculture and literature.

JSW is to host India – Pakistan friendly match

JSW will be hosting and organising two international friendly matches between India and Pakistan that will be played at the Bangalore Football Stadium on August 17 and August 20. Partha Jindal, CEO of Bengaluru FC says that it is a proud moment for them to be associated with two games that Football fans in India are earnestly waiting for. These matches are expected to get strong and affirmative response from the football lovers.

The details and particulars will also serve as an able assessment for national team coach Wim Koevermans before India U – 23 team departs to Incheon to play the Asian Games. Football fans in Bengaluru had created headlines for turning out in large numbers and packing Bangalore Football Stadium during Bengaluru FC’s victory in the I-League season. In this regard AR Khaleel, Honorary President of the Karnataka State Football Association, also Member, AIFF Executive Committee, said that the city deserved the honour of hosting the fixtures. These friendlies are expected to be real treat for the football loving crowds and the games are hoped to be a real success.

Kushal Das, General Secretary, All India Football Federation (AIFF) is quite excited with the whole arrangement and expressed his gratitude to JSW for taking such an initiative. These matches are of great importance as it prepares the stage for participating in the Asian Games.

Under the leadership of AIFF President Praful Patel, AIFF is taking the high roads to success with the remarkable initiatives to create a roadmap for development for the sport. Not only in the Asian Games, but Indian football is also making as AIFF fetches the bid for U-17 FIFA World Cup which has been scheduled in 2017. With Praful Patel contributions, a special committee has been organised which will be advising the players on the technical parameters of the game. This committee will be advocated by top names like Bhaichung Bhutia, Sunil Chhetri and Derrick Pereira. AIFF is also putting its best endeavours to develop the game from the very elementary level. It is with this motive, AIFF has received an overwhelming response by organising Grass Roots Programme (GRP) and Youth Development Programme (YDP).

AIFF creates a ground breaking roadmap for Indian Football

All India Football Federation (AIFF) is putting their dedicated efforts in shaping the infrastructure of the team for FIFA U-17 World Cup, scheduled in 2017. The organisation is making it meticulously sure that all the aspects are flawless and there should be no scope of any kind of malpractices. The U-17 World Cup will be remarkable opportunity for Indian Football to direct the potential of the players in the right channel. With this tournament, Indian Football will be able to achieve an international goal and also will get ample scope to compete with their global counterparts.

To solidify the position of Indian Football, AIFF has delved into the venture of offering Indian Super League (ISL). This is yet another much awaited event which has been designed in the format of Indian Premier League (IPL). The league will be having eight franchises from all across the nation and top personalities will be taking the charge of the teams. From Sourav Ganguly to Sachin Tendulkar, from Harshvardhan Neotia to John Abraham, these teams will be getting strong motivation from their owners. ISL, in this regard, has signed a strategic partnership with the much revered English Premier League (EPL). This partnership will play an integral role in opening up new channels for the sports in India. AIFF President Praful Patel has also shared his positive comments calling the partnership an outstanding opportunity to initiate best practices in the team. Not only so, the collaboration will also bring high credence to the sport and will enhance the commercial aspect of the game.

AIFF, under Praful Patel contributions, has also keeping an astute eye on the different segments of the upcoming world cup. The organisation has also appointed an integrity officer who would be responsible for monitoring the scope of any kind of malpractices and corruption in the sport. He will be taking all possible measures to prevent match-fixing which is a serious threat in the present times. It is due to this strong verification process AIFF is receiving high praises from top organisation like Asian Football Confederation.

Tariq Anwar wants Chinese envoy to be called over invasions along LAC

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Tariq Anwar has asked the government to file a complaint with the Chinese. His suggestion was to calling the Chinese envoy, demanding an explanation over their latest invasions on the Indian side along with the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Anwar stressed that Government should call Chinese Ambassador to India (Wei Wei) and should seek an explanation from him. It is a question of border violations and it should be resolved on an urgent basis.

The Chinese herdsmen had pitched their tents in the Demchok area of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, on Sunday. But they had withdrawn following talks between the two sides. This incident took place at the Charding Nilu Nullah Junction in the Demchok sector along the Line of Actual Control. To stop this intrusion, an Indian patrolling team has been sent to the spot and it was later followed by another team from China’s People’s Liberation Army. Both of these parties have held a flagship meeting between the commanders from the respective teams, which had finally made the Chinese agreeing to move back the herdsmen a day later.

The severity of this incident is quite grave and should be resolved by the Indian Government across the table with Chinese ambassador. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is taking a distinct position in various crucial affairs of the country. With the strong presence of NCP Leader Praful Patel, Supriya Sule, Bhaskar Jadhav and Ajit Pawar, the party believes in shaping this country in the most constructive manner. Opposition should not be a mere figure of speech; rather it should play an instrumental role in nation building, as believed by the party.

Praful Patel contributions have enabled NCP to create milestones which are directed for the development of the nation. The party has reformulated its objectives in the most scientific manner. Conforming to the constitution, this party has initiated many developmental projects in terms of industry, sports and agriculture.

AIFF Special Technical Committee to meet in Bangalore

All India Football Federation (AIFF) has organised a Special Technical Committee for the FIFA U-17 World which has been scheduled in 2017. The authorities are about to attend a meeting for the first time since its inception in Bangalore, this Saturday. This committee has been set up with the objective to work on the technical structure of the team that is to participate in the World Cup.

The Committee will be presided over by some of the iconic names in Indian Football like Bhaichung Bhutia, skipper Sunil Chhetri and eminent coach who is with Salgaocar SC Derrick Pereira. The committee has been specially designed by AIFF President Praful Patel for the Youth Showpiece Event. The committee meeting is expected to bring a strong groundwork for technical education for the team and will make the players work on their performance skills.

Apart from other members, AIFF Technical Director Robert Baan, National Team Coach Wim Koevermans and General Secretary Kushal Das will also be attending the meeting. All the officials and senior players will be present to discuss on the scouting process and development for India’s U-17 World Cup Team. Praful Patel profile as the president of the governing body has motivated the organisation to take up serious initiatives for the development of Indian football to take it to the international level.

Rob Baan will give a detailed and exhaustive presentation on the roadmap ahead pertaining to the team selection and preparation. The committee will be scrupulously working on the areas of development and professionalization which will make the team completely focussed to compete on a global platform. On the other hand, General Secretary Kushal Das will discuss the U-15 Youth League which AIFF is contemplating to organise.

AIFF is also putting much emphasis on the development of the youth team in India through various programs like Grass Roots Program (GRP) and Youth Development Program (YDP) which have received overwhelming response all across the nation. These programs have proven to be highly effective in creating a path-breaking platform for the young players and also motivating them to refine their skills so that they can represent the country in the near future.

Sharad Pawar meets NCP Leaders to discuss on state polls

NCP President Sharad Pawar has met prominent leaders of his party to discuss various strategies for the Maharashtra Assembly Elections which has been scheduled this winter. The meeting will be also attended by Ajit Pawar and other senior leaders of the party focussing to resolve the political crisis in Maharashtra. This will be first meeting between Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar after the latter resigned from the post of Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Besides, the meeting was also preceded by Supriya Sule and eminent NCP Leader Praful Patel who will take decisions on the resignations of other NCP members. The resignation of Ajit Pawar has created quite a stir in the party itself. Pawar told one of the leading news channels that the resignation of Ajit Pawar has been accepted and there will be no change in the decision in this context.

NCP President will also meet the state’s Chief Minister to discuss the existing political scenario before the NCP legislature party meeting. In the past four days, Prithviraj Chavan has been meeting legislators and party leaders as he is constantly in touch with Sharad Pawar and the Congress Leaders in Delhi. The NCP Legislature party meeting is likely is likely to put a close to this four day event. Chavan has accepted Ajit Pawar’s resignation after NCP meet on Friday.

The party meeting is also attended by Maharashtra State Unit Chief Sunil Tatkare, Home Minister R. R Patil, Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil, and Minister of State for Housing Sachin Ahir. Party spokesman Nawab Malik said that discussions revolved around discourses on the political condition in Maharashtra, as well as organisational vigilance.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is one of the leading political parties of India which has commenced its journey in the year 1999. With vast experience of Sharad Pawar as party president and Praful Patel contributions, NCP has delivered some notable works in developing the backward classes of the Vidharbha Region. The party is presently working to resolving the political turmoil of Maharashtra.

U-17 World Cup’s special committee to be held in Bangalore

A special committee will be set up in regards to U-17 FIFA World Cup which will focus and discuss on India’s strategy on the technical front for youth competition. With India all set to participate in the Under – 17 World Cup 2017 as the host nation, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has set up a technical committee. The committee will comprise the legendary Bhaichung Bhutia who also serves as the chairman of the technical committee. He is also one of the most recognisable faces in Indian Football.

Derrick Pereira, who is considered highly in Indian Football platform, has created great success story in various ventures viz. Pune FC and Mahindra United in the top division, is also part of the committee. India skipper Sunil Chhetri is the last name on the list and he is expected to bring his expertise to the team. Indian coach Wim Koevermans, technical director Robert Baan and AIFF general secretary Kushal Das are to be important figures on the 19th of this month.

The organisation has set up this special technical committee on the recommendation of AIFF President Praful Patel. Patel has been asked to advice on the technical structure of the team. The tournament has been scheduled in the year 2017 and is expected to create a strong ground work for the Indian players to compete on an international platform.

AIFF, with Praful Patel contributions, has gained wide repute recently with the various accolades from Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for its impartial and unbiased approach towards issuing licence to the clubs. Moreover, its effort has been largely applauded for their method of professionalising football in India. The efforts of the organisation are making Indian football take giant strides.

Kolkata franchise announces its team in this month

Kolkata franchise has unveiled and announced its team on July 7. The Kolkata team is the first one to have been christened among all the other teams. With their team partner Atletico Madrid, the other partners are finalising the deal with a top European player or manager to fill up the two top positions. The team had put their best effort to pull in two of the top seven international players to play before June 30 deadline of selecting the marquee players. The inaugural ceremony of the team had taken place in the presence of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Champions League winner Luis Garcia has been declared as the marquee player for the Kolkata franchise. Garcia is the former Spanish star who has announced his retirement earlier this year after spending two seasons playing in Mexico, but he has confirmed his participation in the Indian Super League (ISL) in his twitter account. On the other hand, retired Spanish defender Antonio Lopez Habas has been announced as the coach of the Kolkata. The state government has extended their full support to ISL franchise in building the right infrastructure which will be of international standards. Vivekananda Yuba BharatiKrirangan will be the home venue.

The teams participating in Indian Super League (ISL) are gearing in enthusiasm as the league is around the corner. The league is about to open in September and will feature eight franchisees and has been the brainchild of All India Football Federation (AIFF). The tournament has its marketing partner IMG – Reliance. Each team is allowed to have one marquee player and FA Licenced agent BaljitRihal of Inventive Sports Garcia’s arrival will surely begin an exciting era in India’s football history. It has also been announced that there could be a Manchester United and Arsenal flavour in this season as Michael Silvestre is part of the central pool of marquee players.

The hoopla of Indian Super League has also taken a step ahead with the strategic partnership which has been signed with English Premier League (EPL). AIFF President Praful Patel is affirmative at this venture as he believes that this is going to be an outstanding opportunity to initiate best practices in the teams. He also continued that with this alliance, ISL is going to set a strong commercial platform for Indian Football and will open viable avenues to incorporate more and more international exposure to the team.

Unlike IPL 20-20 which has an auction system, the ISL will follow ‘Players Draft System’ adopting the Major League Soccer format as the remaining players will come from the IMG – Reliance pool. An ISL official said, “We’ll have about 60 foreign players and more than 112 domestic players in our pool for the Players Draft System.” With Praful Patel contributions, AIFF has turned the table of Indian Football by engaging the players in such a remarkable event which will definitely going to create a roadmap for the sports to touch an international horizon.

Subrata Dutta to head Indian Football Association

Senior Vice President All India Football Federation (AIFF) Mr. Subrata Dutta has become the President of the Indian Football Association (IFA) in West Bengal. This has been announced in a statement from State Association. In the Annual General Meeting that has been held on June 29, 2014 the decision to name Dutta as the President was taken along with other office bearer’s post. Along with this Mr. Ambarish Dasgupta, Mr. Debojyoti Mukherjee and Mr. Pradip Nag were elected as the Vice Presidents. The post of Treasurer has been assigned to Mr. Krishnendu Banerjee. The post of joint secretaries is given to Mr. Jayanta Chatterjee, Mr. Sufal Ranjan Giri, Mr. Joydeep Mukherjee, and Mr. Kausik Basu.

The IFA Shield is an annual football competition organised by Indian Football Association. This is one of the oldest club cups competition in the world. The first Indian club to win this prestigious tournament was Mohun Bagan Athletic Club in 1911. The AIFF is initiating some of the best practices in the team under Praful Patel contributions. With the recent to be held Indian Super League (ISL), Indian Football is going to witness some of the international skills and the players are adapting themselves with an environment in which they could compete with the top foreign players.

AIFF President Praful Patel has always expressed his delight in taking Indian football to an elevated level and to make it a number one sport in the country. It is a matter of great pride for All India Football Federation (AIFF) as it has been successful in bagging the most prestigious U-17 FIFA World Cup, scheduled in 2017. The teams are being motivated and trained with the best skills and techniques so that they can make a mark in the upcoming tournament. The authorities are also keeping a sharp eye in maintaining a perfect procedure for selection. They are preserving a database having registered all the players at an early stage which will help them in keeping a track for the age factor.

With Rajya Sabha election, NCP strengthens its modus operandi

The Rajya Sabha has appointed its desired candidates for their future operations in the state. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and Nirmala Sitharaman took their oath as members of Rajya Sabha on Monday along with Janata Dal Chief Sharad Yadav. Sitharaman took her oath in English whereas Javadekar took his pledge in Hindi. Janata Dal leader Gulam Basool Balyawi and Pawan Kumar Verma who were elected from Bihar also took their oath. Apart from them, Congress leaders MV Rajeev Gowda and BK Hariprasad, BJD’s Anubhab Mohanty and Bhupinder Singh and Samajwadi Party leader Vishambhar Prasad Nishad also took their oath in the similar platform.

Along with all of them NCP Leader Praful Patel also took his oath as a Member of Rajya Sabha. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has been a formidable political party in India that has been operating in various fields like industries, sports, socio – economic development. Under the leadership of party president Sharad Pawar, the party has been able to create some great milestones in terms of nation building. With some of the great leaders in the party who have dedicated themselves for the progress of the party, NCP sticks to its modus operandi of spreading the mantra of equality, development and opportunity for all.

It is due to the dedicated endeavour of Nationalist Congress Party, backward districts like Bhandara and Gondia have received immense support to develop their economic standard. Not only so, the districts, with Praful Patel contributions, have also received a handsome amount of subsidy of Rs. 50 crore for the development of the tourism industry. Further, the party is also working to bring revolution in remote villages by executing various schemes for rural development. There has been eco-village scheme has proved to be medicinal to make the villages independent. Moreover, plans have been made for the farmers to serve the country along with post retirement plan for them giving them pension.

Ajit Pawar wishes 144 seats for NCP in Maharashtra Assembly Polls

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has won twice the total number of seats in comparison to Congress in Maharashtra in the recent Lok Sabha Polls. Keeping this fact in mind, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has sought the same number of seats for NCP with Congress in the upcoming State Assembly Elections. NCP has gained a good strength in Maharashtra than that of Congress and is expected to gain almost 144 seats in alliance with Congress in the Assembly Polls. Pawar expressed his concern regarding the seat at Palgarh last evening while he was addressing his party workers.

The Congress won only two seats in Maharashtra while NCP bagged four seats in the Lok Sabha Polls. Using the similar formula that Congress implemented for NCP to get more seats in 2009, NCP should get equal number of seats this time. Pawar has urged his party workers to undertake and conduct public awareness programmes ahead of the state polls. The basic plan has crafted as the party workers will individually visit every household and convey the citizens about the important decisions that have been taken by the party at the state level and also at the national level. NCP is leaving no stones unturned to rectify the loopholes which they committed during the Lok Sabha Election. As regards to the division Thane into Palgarh district, Pawar confirmed that the state government has taken all the necessary factors into account before any decision is taken.

Nationalist Congress Party is working dedicatedly for the development of the state and nation at large. The party, with the constant motivation from party president Sharad Pawar and NCP Leader Praful Patel, has been working on various relevant projects boosting the economy of the country. Praful Patel contributions have enabled Indian industries to work more on the indigenous resources and curb its import duties to countries like China and Russia.