Aditi Chauhan, who hails from Delhi, arrived in the United Kingdom two years ago to pursue her Masters in Sports Management in Loughborough University. Playing for the university team, she was spotted by Julian, who is West Ham's goalkeeping coach.
Aditi Chauhan said, "This award is all worth it. Getting this award at Wembley is a fairytale, especially for some one who comes from a country that has no league for women. It was not easy to pursue a career in football. I am thankful to West Ham and my family for all the support."
The awards are supported by the English Football Association (FA) and the Asian Football Project to recognise the achievements of British Asians in Football.
Chauhan studied in Amity International School and completed her graduation from Jesus and Mary College. She had represented India in the Asian Games and in the SAFF Championships.
The award completes a remarkable journey for Chauhan. Her football journey kicked off when her school coach asked her to participate in Delhi under-19 team trials. She was appreciated for her contribution to India winning the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) women's cup in 2013.
After arriving in the UK, she was denied a chance to play for Millwall in the Super League because she had a student visa. However, she inked a deal with English Premier League (EPL) club West Ham United's ladies team, becoming the first woman from the country to have been signed up by a top club in England. It was not a happy debut for her as she let five goals go through.
Having won this award, Chauhan is confident that she will not stop playing football in the UK despite facing some visa issues. By winning this award, this Delhi girl has taken England's football pitches by storm.
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