An auto rickshaw driver defies passion by becoming an AIFF referee

06 October, 2012

M P Santosh Kumar, an auto rickshaw driver and an apartment caretaker has become an AIFF referee. It was his dream to become a footballer but even his modest skills were not up to the mark, hence he decided to become a referee. He stuck to his love of football.

M P Santosh Kumar, an auto rickshaw driver in Kerala loved the beautiful game, Football and had dreams of becoming a professional footballer as well. But, one has to be a fine player to be a pro, the skills for which he sadly did not possess, but still his love for the game did not go down. He was a modest player, and he stuck to the game by deciding to become a referee at 20 years of age, reported Indian Express. This is what defines passion for the game.

The auto rickshaw driver for all his passion and knowledge about the game has been awarded a referee contract by the AIFF. His contract stands for seven months, during which he would officiate in around 20 I-League games and Rs 2 lakhs for his effort. The paper reported that Santosh would be using this money to repay the loan that he had used to buy the auto-rickshaw.

Santosh should try to make the best use of this seven month contract as a life changer by officiating the game in the best possible manner possible. There are no quality referees in India at the international level. His passion and understanding of the game would help perform better on his job. If he is able to impress the players and the AIFF with his on-field decisions, he could probably improve his way of living by being a top referee in India.

He would be making his first official debut as an AIFF referee this Sunday when he would take command over the game between East Bengal and Club De Goa, two of the well known teams in the I-League. There would be pressure on the referee, as officiating at such level is not an easy task, where even a single mistake could cost the game for either side. It is going to be a test of his character as well.

Irrespective of how successful Santosh may be in the I-League, but not many of us get a chance to live our dream. But, Santosh in spite of being an auto rickshaw driver has been successful in it. It speaks volumes about his passion for the game.