Strongly built and a capable defender, he joined the national team for the 1985 SAF Games in Dhaka.

Sathyan was a key member of the Kerala Police Football team which won the Federation Cup twice in 1989–90 and in 1990–91.

He led the Indian team to a gold medal in the 1995 SAF Games in Madras (Present Chennai).

VP Sathyan was born on 29 April 1965 in Mekkunnu near Chokli, Kannur district, to Vatta Parambath Gopalan Nair and Narayani Amma.

Sathyan took his own life by jumping in front of an oncoming train in Chennai on 18 July 2006 because he was suffering from depression due to the lack of recognition/credits/awards he received, and the loss of income after retirement from his football career.