Former AIFF general secretary Kushal Das dies

Veteran head and erstwhile All India Football Federation (AIFF) wide caput Kushal Das, who played a important relation successful organising the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup successful the country, died present connected Friday.

He was 66. Das is survived by his woman and 2 sons.

He served arsenic AIFF wide caput for 12 years earlier resigning successful 2022 for unspecified wellness reasons.

Before entering shot medication successful 2010, Das had served arsenic Chief Financial Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and International Management Group (IMG) India.

He breathed his past astatine a backstage infirmary successful the capital, according to Shaji Prabhakaran, different long-time shot head who succeeded Das arsenic the AIFF's full-time caput wide successful 2022 aft erstwhile I-League CEO Sunando Dhar served arsenic the acting General S for a little while.

"Former AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das passed distant this greeting astatine a backstage infirmary successful Delhi. Sending my deepest sympathies and prayers to his household and loved ones during this incredibly hard time. Om Shanti," Mr. Prabhakaran wrote connected his 'X' handle.

Later, the AIFF issued a connection condoling the decease of its erstwhile apical official.

AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said, "Kushal Das played an important relation successful the medication and improvement of Indian shot during his tenure arsenic General Secretary of the AIFF.

"His efforts towards Indian shot volition ever beryllium remembered. On behalf of the full Indian shot fraternity, I widen my heartfelt condolences to his household and loved ones successful this hard time. May his psyche remainder successful peace."

Career successful sports administration

A chartered accountant by profession, Das brought extended acquisition successful sports absorption and medication to Indian football.

In his aboriginal nonrecreational years, helium worked with respective planetary organisations, including PwC, GSK, and Shell.

In 1996, helium joined IMG arsenic Chief Financial Officer erstwhile the planetary sports selling and tv accumulation institution entered the Indian market.

AIFF lawman caput wide M. Satyanarayan said, "It is so bittersweet to perceive of Mr Das's demise. He was 1 of the longest-serving General Secretaries of the AIFF, serving for implicit 12 years. During his tenure, the medication astatine Football House saw galore changes and respective caller departments were created.

"I had personally reached retired to him connected galore occasions, and his demise leaves a immense void successful sports administration." Das aboriginal served arsenic the main fiscal serviceman of the ICC successful Dubai, further strengthening his credentials successful planetary sports administration.

FIFA U-17 World Cup

During his tenure, the Indian nationalist squad qualified for 3 AFC Asian Cup tournaments too the state hosting the prestigious FIFA U-17 World Cup for the archetypal clip successful 2017, which helium described arsenic "game changer" for Indian shot astatine the time.

The lawsuit acceptable a grounds for the most-attended FIFA younker World Cup successful history. He besides secured hosting rights for the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.

Das besides played a cardinal relation successful bringing Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) arsenic a selling spouse of AIFF successful 2010, which led to the motorboat of the Indian Super League (ISL).

He often credited this concern with redeeming the AIFF from fiscal situation aft erstwhile broadcasters moved on.

Under his guidance, the AIFF launched the Golden Baby Leagues and a structured younker improvement system, including age-group leagues that forced clubs and academies to absorption connected semipermanent subordinate pipelines.

Das' tenure successful the AIFF coincided with Praful Patel's reign arsenic its president, and the erstwhile had sent his resignation to the Committee of Administrators which was past moving Indian shot aft the Patel-led dispensation was ousted by the Supreme Court for not holding elections connected time.

Das was re-appointed arsenic AIFF's wide caput for a 2nd word of different 3 years successful 2013.

Das completed his BSc successful Mathematics astatine the St. Stephen's College successful Delhi.