AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: Governing football is serious business. However, the intent behind the same can be as pure as fresh springs from the mountain tops. The All India Football Federation’s Club Licensing Committee chairperson Colonel Dr. Girija Shankar Mungli has long been associated with the game and has been making every effort towards its betterment.

A former army man himself, Dr. Mungli was a paratrooper, who later became an adventure sports enthusiast, the values of which he carries into football governance.

“Sports has always been a part of my life, and I take every opportunity to be involved with any game,” said Dr Mungli. “I feel that its all a part of our hearts. Adventures and sports teach us to be clear in the heart, to not carry two faces, and to never seek council of our fears. These are the values that I always carry into every enterprise that I am a part of.”

The AIFF Club Licensing Committee has been like a guiding beacon in the field of football governance over the years, setting the standard for the clubs and academies across the country.

“The committee has been doing everything in an impartial way, but ultimately the law has to be abided by. No individual is above it,” said Dr. Mungli, who has been associated with the Club Licensing Committee for around a decade now.

“It’s a matter of pride for us all, including the federation and the clubs. We are all working towards the vision of taking football forward in India. When one has such thoughts in mind, they are ultimately driven by ideals,” he said.

“AIFF is the organisation that is showing the path, organising tournaments, setting guidelines to make football better. Being here, meeting the staff and the management is always a wholesome experience for me,” he said. “At some level, we all share the dream that India will play the World Cup someday. It’s a wonderful dream to have, and people use it as a beacon to do bigger things.”

Explaining the Club Licensing policy of the AIFF, Acting Secretary General Mr. M. Satyanarayan said, “Not everyone may agree with the certain areas in licensing criteria that are set for clubs at various levels, but they must understand that as the clubs move up the ladder and start playing in higher leagues, be it in the I-League, ISL, or the AFC club competitions, the club licensing criteria become more important. So, we try to make sure that the clubs in India start from an early stage so they can comply with the regulations.”