Few could claim to be better readers of hockey than Satinderpal Singh Walia. The 54-year-old sardar has viewed the sport in every perspective -- as a player, umpire and coach. As any renowned goalkeeper, Walia's broad vision of the goings-on during play has made him an authority on the the game and its nuances.

Walia's contribution was recently recognised by the Akhil Bharitya Marathi Kreeda Pathrika Sangathan at its awards ceremony celebrating Fifty Years of Indian Sport.

It was hockey's pride that `Satty', an international umpire, along with double Olympic gold medallist Govind Perumal, ace former centre-forward Balbir Singh, talent scout and coach Jaswant Singh Grewal and administrator Kishen Lal Passi found acknowledgment for their efforts in the service of sport.

The honour could not have been more timely. Walia, orginallyfrom Pune, recently guided the Mumbai team to runners-up position at the MCC Murugappa Gold Cup in Chennai amid a formidable field.

Acknowledging he had quality players at his disposal, Walia's expertise as an umpire and player went a long way in coaching.

Walia kept goal for Western Railway in the sixties and seventies and represented the country in 1969-70. His performance with the whistle matched his prowess under the cross-piece at several high ranking international tournaments.

Walia officiated at the 1982 Asian Games (New Delhi), the 1985 Junior World Cup at Vancouver and the 1986 Champions Trophy (Karachi), continuing to display fine reading of the game, its intricacies and a penchant for applying good advantages.

As a goalkeeper, Walia displayed a technique, the efficacy of which made him a virtual rock-like last line of defence.

Never the one to compromise on physical fitness, Walia while guiding a generation of 'keepers emphasised on the need to stretch full length to the right or leftwhile being balanced on both feet.

Good enough to continue for several years more, Walia's playing career came to an abrupt end after an injury. A fractured hand put paid to his glittering tenure for Western Railway in 1976. Walia, a motorman in the Railways, switched to coaching. A year after completing the National Institute of Sport Diploma, he realised his potential as an umpire. With his injurned arm in a sling, Walia was exempted from training, spending his time resourcefully by taking the whistle at the NIS Institute at Patiala.

The switch of careers were to significantly -- and positively -- affect Walia's influence on the sport, both in India and overseas.

Especially women's hockey. Walia, married Leela Naidu also an illustrious player for Railways and the couple have been undying in their efforts to boost women's hockey. Walia's tutelage brought Railways eight successive National titles (1977-85) en route to throwing up talent for the national sides.

But like his playing career duringwhich he missed Olympic selection by a whisker, Walia's coaching career was plagued by the vicissitudes of administration.

It appeared that the ghost of non-selection to the Olympics were to forever haunt his liaison with the game he loved.

Constipated thinking on the part of those at the helm deemed that a non-Olympian should make way for an Olympian as coach at a major event -- even if it meant grabbing the fruits of his labour.

Twice was Walia sidelined at the eleventh hour as coach of sides he groomed. The first instance concerned the 1980 Moscow Olympics where women's hockey made its debut. Heart-break again, three years later, when India were ready for the Kuala Lumpur World Cup. For Walia, who saw his girls off at the airport, the tears welled.

Having lectured at several umpiring and coaching clinics, Walia believes that there is a lot to be done in tapping and grooming talent at the grassroots in Mumbai.

If the city is to experience a resurgence in hockey activity, Walia is likely to be castin a central role, be it officiating or coaching. Tasks he would cherish.