MUMBAI: The All India Football Federation on Sunday declared India team captain Sunil Chhetri the 2017 AIFF Player of the Year, while at the same time awarding the Woman Player of the Year to Kamala Devi.
Anirudh Thapa and E Panthoi were adjudged the 2017 Emerging Player and the 2017 Woman Emerging Player of the Year respectively.
Besides recently becoming the second Indian to play 100 international games for the country after former star striker Baichung Bhutia, Chhetri is also the skipper of Indian Super League outfit and current Super Cup holders Bengaluru FC.
Meanwhile, Anirudh Thapa was declared the 2017 Emerging Player of the Year.
E. Panthoi is the 2017 woman Emerging Player of the Year, the AIFF said in a statement.
The award for best grassroots development programme went to the state association of Kerala.
Hero Motocorp which sponsors the I-League, Indian Super League and the newly launched Super Cup, took home the AIFF Award for long-time contribution to Indian football.
Sumanta Datta of Assam was named the best assistant referee while the award for best referee went to C.R. Srikrishna.
Full list of the 2017 Awards:
Best Grassroots Development Programme: Kerala FA.
Long-time contribution to Indian Football: Hero Motocorp.
Best Assistant Referee: Sumanta Datta (Assam).
Best Referee: CR Srikrishna.
Emerging Woman Footballer of the Year: Ms E Panthoi.
Emerging Player of the Year: Anirudh Thapa.
Woman Footballer of the Year: Ms Kamala Devi.
AIFF Player of the Year: Sunil Chhetri.
