The Team that drives us

RFC Football Academy | Faculty

Integrating Academics with Innovative and Professional Football Training

Our Technical Director, Ajit Braich, is a seasoned and committed professional, accredited with UEFA and AFC licenses and brings over 20 years of football management experience on the turf to RFC Football Academy. He has extensive C-suite experience in the management of football teams and developing programmes to optimize individual and collective performances.

As a player, Braich has played at the highest levels representing clubs in the UK. He is also known for developing a successful training methodology not only abroad but with Indian football clubs and academies as well. He also has a special expertise in developing team skills using motivational techniques to enhance training and educating both athletes and coaches at all levels. A firm believer of instilling pride and ethics in youth through the discipline of team sports. He believes in mentoring individuals to become the best they can. An NRI who would love a chance to give back to his country of birth.

Ajit Braich

Technical Director

Braich brings over 20 years of experience on the turf to RFC Football Academy. Under his stewardship (Former Technical Advisor) Minerva Punjab FC  were crowned as I League Champions of 2017-18 season. His single-minded dedication to the sport and enhancing player performance, potential and acumen has been the driving force behind successful professional players across the world.

Credentials
• AFC 'A' License
•  UEFA 'B' License
• Canadian 'A' License
• 2 FA Prep Course (John Peacock)
• Former Technical Advisor - Minerva Punjab

Amit Rana

Head Coach

Rana comes from a rich background of having trained elite athletes from reputed institutions suchas Stadium FC, Fateh Hyderabad AFC, Nowrosjee Wadia College, Pune Football Club and Pune United Football Academy. His stint has seen him build successful athletes and winning team across a career spanning over a decade.

Credentials
• AFC 'B’ License
• AFC GK Level 1 License
• AFC ‘C' Coaching License
• AIFF ‘D' Coaching License
The FA Level 1 International Coaching License
FA Level 1 in Talent Identification

Anthony Samson Andrews

Head Coach

Anthony an AIFF & AFC Coach of The Year 2017 (U13) awardee brings an extensive coaching experience to RFC. He was the former U-13 head coach with ARA FC, youth development coach at Minerva Punjab FC youth development coach and as a youth development coach PIFA Colaba. Under his tutelage, the teams have won many prestigious tournaments. Anthony has also held managerial positions with premium leagues.

Credentials
• AFC 'C’ License
• AFC Goal Keeping Level 1
• AIFF ‘D’ License
• FA International Intermediate Certificate
Youth In Creating Creative Players

Darshana Sanas

Head Coach

Darshana, a National and State level Football Player is  also passionate about coaching. She brings a rich experience of  having trained under some of the best coaches and having played IWL for FC Pune City as a Vice Captain as well as Youth Leagues under AIFF.
As a coach she has won major tournaments such as Sub Jr State Championship with Pune under Western India Football Association.
Her objective is develop women's football in India by scouting, training and nurturing young players for them to become successful athletes for the same.

Credentials
• AFC 'C' License
• Grassroots Coach 2017 (Mumbai)
• Certificate Coaching Course by AIFF 
(In Association with 'Live your Goals' FIFA)

Raj Fidai

Head Coach

Coming from a season as asst. coach with Estoril Praia SAD and Hyderabad FC, Raj’s expertise is in performance analysis, Designing training sessions, pre-training activation, Injury prevention exercises, functional training and rehabilitation.He also brings his learnings from Belenenses SAD, Sporting CP, SL Benfica, Manchester United FC. 

Credentials
• AFC 'C' License
• PG in High Performance Football Coaching - University of Lisbon
• Pursuing UEFA B License
• MBA in Accounting and Finance

Patil Prashant Kumar

Assistant Coach

Patil has served as Head Coach with reputed schools and clubs in Pune and Bangalore. He is a passionate footballer, who chose to pursue sports instead of a conventional career.

Credentials
• AIFF 'D' License
• AIFF Grassroots Leaders Course
• BBFS Coaches Workshop

Bhavithran

Grassroots Coach


Syed Abdul Rahim

Grassroots Coach


Ashwin Neleppana

Grassroots Coach


Support Team


Dr. Rishabh Upadhyay

Senior Physiotherapist

Dr. Rishab is a dedicated Sports Physiotherapy professional with extensive knowledge and clinical experience. He has worked with ARA FC Senior team. A professional who prefers to work one-on-one with athletes, Dr. Rishab is also an expert in Manual Therapy, Dry Needling, Functional Training, Athletic Taping, Injury Prevention and Exercise Prescription.

Professional Qualification
• Diploma in Sports Medicine - FIFA
• Sports Nutrition - International Olympic Committee
• Sports Medicine – IOC
• Advanced Kinesio Tapping
• Sports psychology - IOC
• Recover Quicker, Perform better - IOC
• Exercise physiology - IOC
• Faster, Higher, Stronger - IOC

Pranjali Bagathariya

Physiotherapist

Pranjali, a Physiotherapist at the academy is a graduate in physiotherapy from Ahmedabad Physiotherapy College and has completed fifa diploma in football medicine. She brings practical experience of having worked with the ARA FC and Joint Care Clinic.

Credentials
• BPT - Ahmedabad Physiotherapy College
• FIFA Diploma in Football Medicine
• Certified Dry Needling Therapist
• Certified Therapeutic Taping Practitioner
• Certified Neural Mobilization

Rashmi Cherian

Dietician

Rashmi is a registered, national award-winning, Dietitian and a specialist in sports & exercise nutrition. She holds a Master’s degree in Food and Nutrition and an expert in High performance Sports Nutrition, Neuro-Nutrition and Nutrigenomics.

Credentials
• Master’s degree in Food and Nutrition
• National Health Award 2017 for Sports Nutrition (Govt. of India)
• Registered Dietitian
• Specialist in Sports & Exercise Nutrition.
• Expert in High performance Sports Nutrition, Neuro-Nutrition & Nutrigenomics.

Khumukcham Tiken Singh

Scouting Head

A well-networked scout, Tiken is a formidable Left Winger who has played for India 19 Team, Manipur State team at the Nationals and several prestigious clubs in his career spanning nearly 25 years playing over hundreds of official matches and having captained quite a few of them.

Professional Qualification
• AIFF 'D' License
• UEFA Clinic

Key Personnel

Karun M.A.

Co- founder Rebels football Club


With a keen interest in education and sports, Karun is a true example of how one can combine their passion and ambition to do greater good for their country. After completing Masters in Science in General Management at University of Manchester, he returned to India to take up a role in the top management of the India Education Society, under which there exists several secondary education intuitions. His dedication to youth development through sports and education plays a huge role in strengthening the core values of our football club and academy. As an official founding member of Rebels football club in 2013, Karun has spearheaded the club's operations from the get-go.

Syed Javid

Mentor and Financial Advisor


With an illustrative career spanning over the last 35 years, Javid is a veteran marketer with an expertise in project management and analysis, financial reporting and global marketing strategies. His career draws exposure from several industries including plastics, toys, retail, manufacturing, real estate and tourism. Javid is a passionate entrepreneur with several companies under his belt and also mentors and supports start-ups and entrepreneurial initiatives. 

Kavya Ananth

Head - Social Responsibility wing


Having completed her research in Psychology, Kavya is primed with a knowledge base for relationship management with a knack for people skills. Her passion is working for humanitarian causes and she is an active social forerunner. Having worked with several NGOs, she now leads the Rebels Foundation which is our RFCFA’s CSR initiative. Rebels Foundation works towards the all-round development of children and youth using sports as a vehicle.

Nikhil Mani

Business Devp. Officer & Grassroots Coach


Nikhil is responsible for RFC’s overall business delivery and commercial growth, he primarily oversees the marketing, operations and logistics of the academy. An avid footballer who played at club level, Nikhil is former athlete who dabbled in the corporate world, he found his true calling in promoting football and is now the driving force in the academy’s expansion.