As a teenager in Pune, Kishor Choudhari was a promising footballer, playing as a left-half and earning a reputation as a skilful playmaker. In 2002, while studying in Class XI at St Patrick's High School and Junior College, he was selected to represent Maharashtra at the national schools' football tournament

Pune: Coached by his referee father, Gangaram, as a teenager, Kishor Choudhari once dreamt of playing for Maharashtra. Today, the Central Railway employee based in Pune is making his mark as a national-level referee.

There was a time when Kishor Choudhari wanted to be on the other side of the whistle.

As a teenager in Pune, he was a promising footballer, playing as a left-half and earning a reputation as a skilful playmaker. In 2002, while studying in Class XI at St Patrick's High School and Junior College, he was selected to represent Maharashtra at the national schools' football tournament. He had already played for the state at the sub-junior level and represented Wanowrie Sports Club in the second division.

His coach at Wanowrie was also the man who knew his game better than anyone — his father, Gangaram Choudhary.