New Delhi, March 13 Veteran administrator and former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Kushal Das, who played a significant role in organizing the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup in the country, died here on Friday.
He was 66.
Das is survived by his wife and two sons.
He held the position of AIFF general secretary for 12 years before resigning in 2022 due to unspecified health reasons.
Before entering football administration in 2010, Das had served as Chief Financial Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and International Management Group (IMG) India.
He passed away at a private hospital in the capital, according to Shaji Prabhakaran, another long-time football administrator who succeeded Das as the AIFF's full-time secretary general in 2022 after former I-League CEO Sunando Dhar served as the acting General S for a brief while.
"Former AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das passed away this morning at a private hospital in Delhi. Sending my deepest sympathies and prayers to his family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Om Shanti," Prabhakaran wrote on his 'X' handle.
Later, the AIFF issued a statement condoling the death of its former top official.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey said, "Kushal Das played an important role in the administration and development of Indian football during his tenure as General Secretary of the AIFF.
"His efforts towards Indian football will always be remembered. On behalf of the entire Indian football fraternity, I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones in this difficult time. May his soul rest in peace."
A chartered accountant by profession, Das brought extensive experience in sports management and administration to Indian football.
In his early professional years, he worked with several international organisations, including PwC, GSK, and Shell.
In 1996, he joined IMG as Chief Financial Officer when the global sports marketing and television production company entered the Indian market.
AIFF deputy secretary general M. Satyanarayan said, "It is indeed sad to hear of Mr Das's demise. He was one of the longest-serving General Secretaries of the AIFF, serving for over 12 years. During his tenure, the administration at Football House saw many changes and several new departments were created.
"I had personally reached out to him on numerous occasions, and his demise leaves a huge void in sports administration."
Das later served as the chief financial officer of the ICC in Dubai, further strengthening his credentials in international sports administration.
During his tenure, the Indian national team qualified for three AFC Asian Cup tournaments besides the country hosting the prestigious FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in 2017, which he described as "game changer" for Indian football at the time.
The event set a record for the most-attended FIFA youth World Cup in history. He also secured hosting rights for the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup and the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
Das also played a key role in bringing Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) as a marketing partner of AIFF in 2010, which led to the launch of the Indian Super League (ISL).
He often credited this partnership with saving the AIFF from financial crisis after previous broadcasters moved on.
Under his guidance, the AIFF launched the Golden Baby Leagues and a structured youth development system, including age-group leagues that forced clubs and academies to focus on long-term player pipelines.
Das' tenure in the AIFF coincided with Praful Patel's reign as its president, and the former had sent his resignation to the Committee of Administrators which was then running Indian football after the Patel-led dispensation was ousted by the Supreme Court for not holding elections on time.
Das was re-appointed as AIFF's general secretary for a second term of another three years in 2013.
Das completed his BSc in Mathematics at the St. Stephen's College in Delhi.