It’s not easy for a woman to break into AIFF: Valanka Alemao

Panaji: Churchill Brothers CEO Valanka Alemao said it’s “thousand times more difficult than a man” for a woman to break into the All India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee after being the first female to be elected in 85 years.
Men’s and women’s football had separate governing bodies in India until the early nineties when women’s football – till then governed by the Women's Football Federation of India – came under the auspices of the AIFF.
Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, AIFF president from 1988 to 2009, even represented women’s football in the federation.
In the past, there has been women co-opted into the AIFF executive committee. Kumari Devi famously made it to the AFC women’s committee as AIFF nominee, and the likes of Sara Pilot and Anjali Shah have been part of the AIFF executive committee as nominated members for the last two terms.
Valanka, according to available records, is the first woman to contest and win an AIFF election.
“I wasn’t aware that AIFF didn’t have any woman as an elected member, but I understand it’s not easy for a woman,” said Valanka. “All thanks to my father for believing in me. It’s thousand times more difficult than a man. We have to make a start somewhere and I am thankful to everyone, including GFA executive committee members, who showed faith in me.”
Nominated by the Goa Football Association, led by her father Churchill Alemao, Valanka is also the first from Goa to make it to the AIFF since Shrinivas Dempo’s term ended in 2016.
“I feel proud as a Goan to be here. Goa is like the Mecca of Indian football and needs to get representation at higher levels. This is our rightful place,” she said.
The Churchill Brothers CEO faced quite a lot in her quest to find her way into the AIFF executive committee.
Her nomination by the GFA was first challenged by 10 of the 19 elected members. Then her nomination for the president’s post was rejected, after one of the proposers said his name was used without his knowledge.
After the electoral process was nullified by the Supreme Court, Valanka filed her nomination for an executive committee member’s post as part of the panel led by former India goalkeeper and BJP leader Kalyan Chaubey.
She was elected unopposed, along with 13 others.
“I hope my initiative will inspire many more women. I met the two eminent (women) players who are now co-opted into the executive committee. It feels good. The president also said we have to be more inclusive.
“I am thankful to the GFA and the members for proposing my name. I don’t want to look at anything that has happened in the past. We have to look ahead. I will represent Goa and we need to work as a team,” said Valanka.