KUALA LUMPUR: Despite all the accolades, nothing beats one's milestone achievement of turning 90.
That is how blessed Datuk G. Vijiyananthan – who was rated the world's top hockey umpire at the 1972 Montreal Olympics in Canada - feels about celebrating his forthcoming birthday on Nov 7.
"I have had a glorious inning these nine decades – having grown from humble beginnings in Sentul to working in the education department and then being involved in sports as a player, umpire, official and administrator.
"I have travelled the world over, officiating at dozens of Olympics, World Cups and other international hockey tournaments," said Vijiyananthan, who penned a book :The Memoirs of Mr Hockey" in 2012.
He told the New Straits Times that he had during his prime earned the moniker 'George', in reference to his surname initial 'G', which actually was his father's name Gulasingam.
Viji, as he is fondly referred, has blown the whistle tens of thousands of times as an international-class umpire for 13 years.
Asked how he felt turning 90 soon, Viji said it was God Almighty's gift to him to have lived such a long and fulfilling life.
"Suffice to say, I cannot recollect having any enemies.
"Perhaps, I have outlived them!" he said in jest, at his Taman Kanagapuram home in Jalan Kelang Lama.
On a serious note, Viji said he had always practiced a policy of not holding grudges against anyone who had been unfair or ill-treated him.
"Let bygones be bygones. Live and let live. That is my simple policy in life," said the grandfather of four and father to daughters, radiologist Prof Dr Anushya and accountant, Sasha.
His wife Rajaletchmy Rasiah died on Nov 29, 2010 during a holiday trip with him in Spain.
Viji, who still maintains his trim and slim 60kg frame, said he was the only survivor among his five late siblings – sisters G. Pathmarani, G. Nagaranjanee and G. Yokeswari, and brothers G. Sathiananthan and G. Jayananthan.
His parents, father S. Gulasingam and mother V. Pakiam died in the 1980s.
"I reckon my longevity is a result of my activeness in sports and healthy lifestyle.
"I am a non-smoker, a teetotaller, do not gamble nor indulge in other vice activities.
"I do lately, however, consume a glass of red wine before I retire for the night, to improve my blood circulation," said Viji, who underwent an angioplasty in 2011.
Considered a demure personality, he however proved to possess a 'deadly sting' as a sports official or administrator.
"Some say I am a stickler when it comes to discipline either at work, on the playground or at home.
"But that is the sort of upbringing I have had, even when it comes to matters like punctuality and personal grooming," said Viji.
Viji's forays as an umpire are well known among the hockey fraternity.
One striking duty came when he umpired, together with France's Alain Renaud, the 1975 Kuala Lumpur World Cup hockey final between India and Pakistan at the Merdeka Stadium.
India's Ashok Kumar Dyal Chand scored what appeared to be a disputed winning goal, in their 2-1 triumph for their first hockey World Cup win.
Ashok's slick push into goal from the top of the "D" (goal circle) had caught the Pakistani goalkeeper Saleem Sherwani off-guard, with the ball swiftly bouncing back into play (as if it had rebounded off the goalpost).
Viji, who was the umpire nearest Pakistan's goalpost, signalled for a goal and was accused of favouring India.
"Despite knowing well that I was a Malaysian, some even heckled me for my ethnic Indian roots, not knowing that my parents were originally from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and that I was born in Kuala Lumpur.
"Video footage scrutinised by the International Hockey Federation later, proved to all and sundry that I had made the right decision to award India the goal.
"Pakistani hockey officials were also convinced of my professionalism and invited me over to officiate in the 1976 Qaid-e-Azam Centenary International Hockey Tournament and also in the (former Pakistan captain) Islahuddin Siddiqui benefit match in 1982 as a goodwill gesture," said Viji, who still keeps the metal "Balilla" brand whistle he used in the 1975 World Cup final.
During his younger days, Viji was equally deft in cricket for his school Victoria Institution and later played as a top-flight fullback for 32 years with the Tamilian Physical and Cultural Association (TPCA) in the Selangor Hockey Association's foremost Division One League.
Viji served as a Malaysian Hockey Federation (now Confederation) secretary for 26 years from 1959.
He used his own expenses to get the job done - running hockey matters, in the initial years, from the boot of his car with a stool and a portable typewriter.
"I remember purchasing a Remington typewriter for RM220 in 1960.
"The shop owner was kind enough to allow me to pay monthly instalments of RM20.
"He was even kinder to waive the final and 11th instalment of RM20, after learning of my voluntary service for the MHF," said Viji, who had worked with the Malayan Railways at age 10 during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya in 1941-45.
"I had to quit primary class (at Methodist Boys School) because of the war, earning three gunny sacks of rice as salary per month.
"It helped support my family," said Viji, who returned to school (Victoria Institution) after the war.
A trained teacher, Viji became a government administrator with the Education Department until his optional retirement in 1983.
He then accepted a job as sports manager with the Royal Selangor Golf Club for 15 years. He quit the post to serve as an official during the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games.
Viji even worked for a short period as a sports stringer with The Malay Mail in 1964.
Viji became an international-class umpire in 1969 and retired in 1982 after the Bombay World Cup in India, after surpassing the maximum permitted age of 50.
He has been involved in nine Olympic Games as an umpire and official, and officiated at numerous World Cups, Asian Games, Seap (later Sea) Games and other international tournaments.
Today, Viji relishes spending time with his daughters' families and grandchildren, apart from catching up with his close friends.
Viji's home's front gate in Taman Kanagapuram is very catchy with five coloured rings depicting the Olympic Games logo.
"It was a gift from my beloved late wife of 50 years, to soothe my feelings after being disappointed at not being able to officiate at the 1980 Moscow Olympics in Russia (due to a United States-led boycott following Russia's invasion of Afghanistan).
"She knew how bad I felt and wanted to cheer me up. She painstakingly engaged a contractor to put up the Olympic rings," said Viji.