Shaji Prabhakaran

Shaji Prabhakaran is an Indian football administrator. He formerly served as the general secretary of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).^[1][2][3][4] He was also the president of Football Delhi (Delhi Soccer Association).^[5] Prabhakaran is the former FIFA South Central Asia development officer.^[6]

Shaji Prabhakaran
Prabhakaran pitchside at the 2015 FA Cup final
Born	(1972-05-03) 3 May 1972 (age 51) Mavelikara, Kerala, India
Education	Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (P.Ed, Ph.D)
Occupation(s)	Former football Consultant (FIFA, AFC)
13th General Secretary of All India Football Federation
In office 2 September 2022 – 8 November 2023
Preceded by	Sunando Dhar (interim)
Succeeded by	M. Satyanarayan (acting)

Biography

Shaji hails from Kerala. He began playing football at the age of 8, but did not have the opportunity to receive professional training or coaching. As football was not popular in his school at the time he played volleyball and cricket.^[7]

At the age of 15, he started playing for a local teagarden club (Binnaguri) in the Dooars area of West Bengal. From that point football then became an integral part of Shaji's life.^[7][8]

Shaji Prabhakaran graduated from Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE), Gwalior in 1994. In 2000 he returned to LNIPE and completed his Doctorate (Ph.D) in Physical Education (football).^[9]

He was appointed as the president of the Football Delhi^[a] on 19 November 2017.^[11][12] He is also the director of Delhi United SC.^[13]

He started his career as a Senior Consultant at the Asian Football Confederation in 2017 following his long association with AIFF as Director of Vision & National Teams.^[14] Subsequently, Shaji got elected as the Delhi Soccer Association President, now known as Football Delhi.^[15][16]

In April, 2017 he got appointed as the President and then as Director of the Delhi-based professional I-League level club, Delhi United FC, which competes in the 2nd division.^[17]

He was the manager and coach at the CFA (Chandigarh Football Academy) for four years.^[8]

He is associated with Mumbai-based sports company, SE TransStadia Pvt Ltd as General Manager and then as Associate Vice President. Shaji is also the founder of football Khelo Foundation.^[18][8]

Literary works

Prabhakaran has authored the book Back to the Roots: A Definitive Guide to Grassroots & Football Development.^[19]

Notes

1. It was Delhi Soccer Association earlier, and renamed to its new name Football Delhi in December 2017.^[10]

References

1. . www.freepressjournal.com. The Free Press Journal. 2 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
2. . khelnow.com. Khel Now. 2 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
3. Media Team, AIFF (3 September 2022). . www.the-aiff.com. New Delhi: All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
4. . the-aiff.com. New Delhi: All India Football Federation. 7 December 2022. Archived from the original on 8 December 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
5. PTI (2022-09-07). "AIFF Secretary General Shaji Prabhakaran Quits Football Delhi President's Post". TheQuint. Retrieved 2022-09-07.
6. Sarkar, Dhiman (25 March 2018). . hindustantimes.com. Kolkata: Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 6 January 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
7. Fernandes, Nitin (7 May 2014). "CXOs in Sports: Interview with Dr Shaji Prabhakaran, Regional Development Officer for FIFA in South and Central Asia". Sportskeeda. from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
8. Kamboe, Harmit (2010-04-06). "Interview with Dr Shaji Prabhakaran - ex AIFF". www.sportskeeda.com. from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-11.
9. "Interview with Dr Shaji Prabhakaran - ex AIFF". from the original on 2020-11-10. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
10. "Delhi Soccer Association to be renamed Football Delhi". Business Standard. 29 December 2017. from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
11. "Shaji Prabhakaran: Shaji Prabhakaran is new DSA president | Football News - Times of India". The Times of India. 19 November 2017. from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
12. "Football Delhi to launch Capital Cup with ISL, I-League teams". Outlook. 29 May 2020. from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2020.
13. Mullick, Sudipto (2017-09-11). "Interview: Shaji Prabhakaran ventures into his latest project – Delhi United FC". www.sportskeeda.com. from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-10.
14. "Interview with Dr Shaji Prabhakaran - ex AIFF". validate.perfdrive.com. from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
15. "Ex-FIFA official Shaji Prabhakaran to contest for post of Delhi Soccer Association president". The Indian Express. 2017-11-11. from the original on 2017-12-19. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
16. "Shaji Prabhakaran elected new president of Delhi Soccer Association". Hindustan Times. 2017-11-19. from the original on 2017-11-24. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
17. "Interview: Shaji Prabhakaran ventures into his latest project – Delhi United FC". validate.perfdrive.com. from the original on 2022-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
18. "The Indian Dream: Why A Competetive [sic] League Is Fundamental To India's World Cup Dream? | Goal.com". www.goal.com. from the original on 2016-07-31. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
19. Lokapally, Vijay (7 November 2016). "Dream with a deadline". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2020.

External links

• Official website
• Back to the Roots: A Definitive Guide to Grassroots & Football Development. Showcase/Roli Books. 2016. ISBN 9789351941859.