It has been a long and eventful journey for Sunil Gulati - from Cheshire, Connecticut, where he started out in soccer as a child, to Las Vesgas, headquarters of the United States Soccer Federation(USSF), where he was unanimously elected its 29th president last month.

With nearly 30 years of experience at all levels of soccer in the United States, Sunil Gulati has helped the sport rise to new heights across four decades of hands on involvement.

Born on July 30, 1959, this native of Allahabad, emigrated to Connecticut in the US with his parents at the age of five and has been
passionate about soccer from an early age of seven, playing, coaching, and refereeing thoughout high school.

Gulati graduated Magna Cum Laude from Bucknell University and earned his MA and M Phil in Economics at Columbia University, where he currently teaches in the economics department. He also served on the
Columbia Economics Faculty from 1986 to 1990 before joining the World Bank through its Young Professionals Programme in 1991 and acting as country economist for the emerging nation of Moldova.

He also serves as the president of Kraft Soccer Properties, taking the position after serving as deputy commissioner at Major League Soccer from its launch until 1999.

Gulati began an early career in soccer administration and has played a pivotal role in the development of US soccer since the early 1980s.

This accomplished economist with a keen understanding of soccer, has previously served in numerous other positions for US soccer, including managing director of national teams, chairman of the International Games Committee and chairman of the Technical Committee. He was also the original managing director of US Soccer's Project 2010 and served on the Boards of Women's World Cup USA 1999 and 2003.

At the highly successful FIFA World Cup USA 1994, Gulati served as executive vice-president and chief international officer, helping to guide the sport to heights never before seen in the United States. Gulati was also on the original US World Cup bid committee from 1986 to 1988 that helped bring the event to the country for the first time.

In his acceptance speech after being elected as president of USSF, he said, "I am honoured and look forward to helping to continue to guide our sport through the most prosperous period in our history."

He touched on several new initiatives to be outlined including an international relations programme, further initiatives in diversity, event hosting and a complete review of all US Soccer technical areas.

Gulati lives in New York with his son, Emilio, daughter, Sofia and his wife, Marcela.