Amidst 22 rugged, sweaty and volatile men, a lone woman stands tall, not much in height, but solid in stature.

The soft-spoken and bubbly Pachimanda Shivappa Anupama is transformed into a tough, assertive ‘whistle blower’ when she dons the role of an umpire on the hockey turf.

Taking a path seldom travelled by women, some eight years ago, Anupama became the first woman hockey umpire from Karnataka and from then on she has carried on, without as much as a second thought.

Though fully realising that the job isn’t lucrative, Anupama has stuck to her task due to sheer passion and dedication.

Although she’s missed out on a London call for the Summer Olympics, she’s not disheartened. Even as she gears up for the four-nation women’s tournament in New Zealand next month, Anupama admitted officiating in the Olympics remains her long cherished dream, which she is confident of achieving sooner than later.

“The fact that I’m not going to be in London for the Olympics hurts, but that does not mean I’m sitting and sulking, instead I’m working harder to get to my dream destination, which is the quadrennial extravaganza,” asserted the 30-year-old Kodava lass.

Surviving in a stream, which is pre-dominantly a men’s arena, Anupama, over the years, has earned respect and appreciation from players and officials for her unstinted efforts.

Ask her if she is intimidated by male players while officiating, and the answer is a vehement, “No! Once I’m on the turf it does not matter to me whether I’m covering a men’s or a women’s match. I’m there to do my job and I do it sincerely.

Although men’s matches do tend to get violent, thankfully, I haven’t officiated such matches,” said Anupama who is also the only women’s hockey umpire from the country to have officiated in more than 50 international tournaments.

A couple of years ago, when Anupama, who was struggling to hold a job, settled down as a housewife, many thought she would bid adieu to her dreams. But the spunky woman proved such thoughts were ill-founded.

“I’m blessed to have a family which is very co-operative. Before marriage, my parents supported me, and now I have the unconditional backing of my husband Mandanna Mundanda, so there is no question of quitting. When I quit, I have to be an Olympian (umpire) and I won’t settle for anything less,” signed off Anupama.

Way to go girl!

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Tabloid> Bengaluru/ Dc / March 22nd, 2012