Bala Devi, Manisha Kalyan named winners of annual AIFF awards

New Delhi, Jul 20 (PTI): Indian team forward Bala Devi has been named as the AIFF Women’s ‘Footballer of the Year’, with young gun Manisha winning the ‘Emerging Player’ award for the 2020-21 season.
This marks the third time that the mercurial striker has bagged the award, having previously won it two years in a row in 2014 and 2015.
Currently playing for Rangers FC in Scotland, Bala made her debut for the team in February last year and created history as she scored her first competitive goal for them in December. She remains the first Indian woman footballer to sign a professional contract in Europe. On receiving the honour, the 31-year-old Bala said: “I’d also like to thank my coaches — both at my club in Rangers, and in the national team, and also and all the coaches that I’ve played under in the past. “A big thank you also to my family and all my teammates for all the support.” “I arrived in Scotland last year, just before the global lockdown had started, and acclimatising to any new place in such conditions has been extremely difficult.
“But with their help, I have been able to focus on the things that are most important, and keep myself in top shape, both mentally and physically,” she added.
The 19-year-old Manisha, who is also a forward, won the award for the first time.
She said: “This award motivates me to push further to work harder for my team and achieve our goals.”
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff of the National team who taught me and made me capable enough for this award. I would further extend my gratitude to my teammates without whom the award couldn’t have been possible. My family, my coaches, teachers a big thank you to all.”