Sradhanjali Samantaray becomes Odisha’s first woman to earn AFC A License in coaching

Sradhanjali Samantaray, a trailblazer in Odisha football, has etched her name in history once again by becoming the first woman from the state to earn the prestigious Asian Football Confederation (AFC) A License in coaching. She is also the third coach from Odisha—after Shuvendu Panda and Akshay Das—to achieve this milestone.

As per the Football Association of Odisha (FAO), the former Indian women’s football team captain successfully completed the AFC A License Course, recently held in Kolkata. This advanced coaching program is structured to train coaches in areas such as tactical and technical strategies, leadership, team management, talent identification, and addressing both the physiological and psychological needs of players. The month-long course is split into three modules, an update from the previous two-module format.

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Samantaray, already an AFC B License holder since 2014, has long served as an inspiration to aspiring female footballers in Odisha. The 47-year-old has made significant contributions to Indian football both as a player and as a coach, bringing numerous accolades to the state and the nation.

FAO president Tankadhar Tripathy, secretary Asirbad Behera, former India women’s team coach Mohammad Shahid Jabbar, and AFC A License coach Akshay Das all extended their congratulations to Samantaray, applauding her accomplishment and wishing her continued success.