Jeje Lalpekhlua and Sasmita Malik bag top honours at AIFF inaugural awards ceremony

Mumbai: India and Mohun Bagan striker Jeje Lalpekhlua today received the All India Football Federation’s inaugural player of the year 2016 award. [caption id=“attachment_3532649” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Indian national football team player Jeje Lalpekhula celebrating. AFP[/caption] Lalpekhlua received the award in the presence of the national team, the head coach Stephen Constantine and AIFF president Praful Patel, general secretary Kushal Das and senior vice president Subrata Dutta. Sasmita Malik was adjudged the 2016 AIFF Women’s player of the year. Sunil Chettri, India’s most prolific goal scorer ever with 53 goals from 93 matches, received a Special Award for surpassing the milestone over the last year. “This is a defining year for Indian football as we prepare to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup in less than 100 days. I am confident that with the guidance and support of the Union Government through the Ministry of Sports, we believe we will be able to host the best FIFA U-17 World Cup ever,” said Patel. “I congratulate all award winners for their immense contribution in growing the game in the country and wish them many more such recognitions in the future,” he added. Awards list: - 2016 AIFF Best Grassroots Program of the Year: Punjab - Best Home-match Organiser of Hero I-League 2016-17: DSK Shivajians & Bengaluru FC - Hero I-League Fairplay Award 2016-17: Churchill Brothers FC Goa - 2016 AIFF Assistant Referee of the Year: Joseph Tony - 2016 AIFF Referee of the Year: Pranjal Banerjee - Long-time Contribution to Indian Football: Nike - Best Emerging Player of Hero I-League 2016-17: Jerry Lalrinzuala (DSK Shivajians) - Best Goalkeeper of Hero I-League 2016-17: Debjit Majumder (Mohun Bagan) - Jarnail Singh Best Defender of Hero I-League 2016-17: Anas Edathodika (Mohun Bagan) - Best Midfielder of Hero I-League 2016-17: Alfred Kemah Jaryan (Aizawl FC) - Best Striker of Hero I-League 2016-17: Aser Pierric Dipanda Dicka (Shillong Lajong FC) - Highest Scorer of Hero I-League 2016-17: Aser Pierric Dipanda Dicka (Shillong Lajong FC) - Syed Abdul Rahim Award for Best Coach in Hero I-League 2016-17: Khalid Jamil (Aizawl FC) - Hero of I-League 2016-17: Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC). - 2016 Special Award for being the First Indian Club to play in AFC Cup Final: JSW Bengaluru FC - 2016 Special Recognition Award of the Year: Uvena Fernandes - 2016 Special Recognition Award of the Year: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu - 2016 Emerging Woman Player of the Year: Sanju - 2016 AIFF Emerging Player of the Year: Rowllin Borges - 2016 AIFF Woman Player of the Year: Sasmita Malik - 2016 AIFF Player of the Year: Jeje Lalpekhlua.