The Life Of Indian Football Captain V P Sathyan – On & Off The Field

Today, V P Sathyan would have been a 55-year-old football legend if it weren’t for that dreaded day 14 years ago. The Captain who played many many matches fought depression in the latter days of his life. On the 18th of July 2006, then 41-year-old V P Sathyan took an extreme step by jumping onto an oncoming train at Chennai and ending his life.

His suicide came in as a shock to many. But, the ones close to him knew his battles. Even his closest friends knew very little of what went on in his mind. Even though he passed away, keeping his difficulties and sorrows to himself, the world should know about him. So, here’s his story.

Vatta Parambath Sathyan was born on 29th April 1965 in Kannur, Kerala. He began his career at the age of 18 representing Kerala at the Santosh Trophy in 1983. Being a strong defender, he became a part of the National Team which took him to play for the 1985 SAF Games in Dhaka. By 1986, he represented the county in the Nehru Cup at Thiruvananthapuram and also the Seoul Asian Games. He then won the two Federation Cup as a key player for the Kerala Police Football Team during 1989-90 and 1990-91. Sathyan then moved to Kolkata in 1991 where he played for the Mohammedan Sporting Club and Mohun Bagan. Shortly after, he returned to the Kerala Police Football Team. In 1992, he led Kerala to win the Santosh Trophy title. Later, due to an aggravated leg injury, his career was shortened. In 2001 he coached the Indian Bank Football Team and also acted as the Assistant Coach for India’s Football Team.

Back in the day, football, like many other sports, was overshadowed by cricket. Even though Sathyan was a key player and contributed to many big wins as a captain, his professional playing career was underrated. Despite many odds, he played through a medical condition affecting his leg, which eventually shortened his career. After the end of a short-lived career with many accomplishments, he turned to the role of coach.

Having an early retirement from playing a sport he dearly loved and trying to recover from an aggravating leg injury, Sathyan was fighting his own battles with depression all alone. In the end, he decided to let go of his life. Though suicide isn’t a solution, it must have been unbearable for him to have taken such an extreme step.

He may not be amongst us, but his career and passion for the game of football are worth remembering as an ode to India’s Football Legend – V P Sathyan