Jammu & Kashmir football has achieved a landmark moment as Sajid Yousuf Dar joins the elite panel of FIFA Coach Educator Developers, becoming the first Coach Educator Developer from North India to deliver on the FIFA Coach Education platform.As per a statement issued, Dar is among just four AIFF Coach Educator Experts in India entrusted with the responsibility of developing and mentoring the next generation of coach educators under the FIFA Coach Educator Development Pathway Project. Together, the four experts have played a key role in developing 16 Coach Educators from across the country.
The four-day final module of the FIFA Coach Educator Development Pathway Project, organised by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), concluded in Bengaluru on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. The final module was conducted from September 5 to 8 as part of FIFA’s wider initiative to strengthen coach education and create structured pathways for the professional development of coach educators.
The AIFF was selected by FIFA’s Technical Development Division to implement the Coach Education Programme for its Member Associations. The project, which commenced in 2022, incorporated a combination of e-learning, online and on-site modules, individual mentoring and continuous professional support.The objective of the programme is to provide sustained support to coach educators, enhance their technical and educational competencies, and establish a structured pathway for their professional growth.
The final module in Bengaluru was led by four AIFF Coach Educator Experts — Sajid Dar, Shakti Chauhan, Shekhar Kerkar and Parthasarathi Thulasi.
The programme brought together 16 participants from different parts of India: Altafuddin Ahmed Syed, Kundan Chandra, Pradhyum Reddy, Deepak CM, Derryl Dsouza, Dinesh Nair, Gumpe Rime, Jeddy Almeida, Joshuah Vaz, John Kenneth Raj, Mario Aguiar, Uttam Singh Negi, Prashant J Singh, Shafeeq Hassan Madathil, Shailesh Karkera and Shakti Singh.As part of the programme, FIFA Expert Oscar Gonsalves was appointed to support and guide the participants throughout the assessment process.
AIFF Head of Coach Development Vivek Nagul was also present in Bengaluru and extended his support to the programme.
