Australian forward Ryan Williams joins Indian football team camp
New Delhi (PTI): Forward Ryan Willaims, who has relinquished his Australian passport to become an Indian citizen, has joined the Khalid Jamil-coached national team camp in Bengaluru, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) said on Sunday.
Born in Perth, the 32-year-old entered the camp along with defender Jay Gupta.
"Forward Ryan Williams, and defender Jay Gupta have joined the senior men's national team camp in Bengaluru," the AIFF posted on X.
In what could mark a new beginning for Indian football, the game's national federation AIFF earlier this week roped in two overseas-based players -- Williams and Abneet Bharti -- for the national camp ahead of the AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh in Dhaka on November 18.
The move reflects a bold shift in approach by the beleaguered federation, opening the door for Indian-origin players and those willing to give up foreign citizenship to represent the country.
The camp began in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Williams' Indian citizenship handover ceremony was conducted by legendary Sunil Chhetri at the training facility of Bengaluru FC, the club he plays for in the Indian Super League.
"Honoured to make official what's long felt true. Grateful for the love, the opportunity, and the sense of belonging this country has given me. As you can see, the last round of interviews was the hardest. India, I'm one of your own!" Williams had earlier said in an Instagram post.
Williams' mother was born in Mumbai while his father was born in Kent, England.
This is only the second instance of an Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) becoming eligible to play for the Indian football team.
He has played for Australia U-20 and U-23 teams, and also represented the senior team as a second-half substitute during a friendly in 2019, against South Korea.
He has also represented English clubs Fulham and Portsmouth, before joining ISL side Bengaluru FC in 2023.
Before Williams, Japan-born Izumi Arata took Indian citizenship to represent India in 2012, and featured in nine matches for the Blue Tigers in 2013 and 2014.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
