Baichung Bhutia is an Indian famous football player who played for India, East Bengal Club, Mohun Bagan AC, JCT Mills and Bury FC. He is known as the ‘First Poster Boy of Indian Football’. Currently he is the captain of the Indian Foot Ball Team.
Early life
He was born on 15th December, 1976 at Tinkitam, Sikkim. His father name is Dorji Dorma and his mother name is Sonam Topden. Both his father and mother are farmers in Sikkim. Baichung Bhutia Elder brother was also a footballer but at local level. He not only plays football, but also represented his school at badminton, basketball, and also athletics. His parents were not happy with his interest in sports. However, his uncle Karma Bhutia always encourages him.
Career Life
When Bhaichung was just nine, he won a football scholarship from SAI to attend the Tashi Namgyal Academy in Gangtok. He continues playing for several schools and also for local club in his home state. He also played for the Gangtok based Boys Club. He caught the attention of everybody for the first time he performed at the Subroto Cup in 1992 which was held at Delhi. There he was honor with the ‘Best Player Award’. Bhaskar Ganguly who was the former goalkeeper of the Indian Football team was impressed by his outstanding performance. He supported him to move on to a professional football. In 1993, he was just 16, he left studies and join the professional East Bengal Club in Kolkata. In 1996, he transferred to JCT Mills in Phagwara which he went to win the ‘India National Football League’ in 1996-97 seasons. Here he was the top goal scorer in the league and he was chosen to make his International debut in the Nehru Cup. In 1997, he returned to East Bengal Club. He has the distinction of scoring the first hat trick in the local derby between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, when he registered one in East Bengal’s 4-1 victory in the 1997 Federation Cup semi final. Then, he became the team captain in the 1998-99 seasons. Beside that he became the 19th footballer to receive the ‘Arjuna Award’ in 1999.
In 1999, Bhutia began playing for Bury F.C which is an English Football club, he played for this club till 2002 and after that he return to India again in 2002, he played for Mohun Began AC for 1 year and then he again moved to his initial club East Bengal club, here he played till he come back to Mohun Bagan in 2006. Meanwhile, he also played for Perak, a Malaysian Football CLUB. At present, Bhaichung is in a contract with Mohun Bagan, he will play with them till 2010.
In 2008, he was nominated for the Padma Shri for his outstanding contribution to Indian football and on 26 January 2008, he was awarded the ’Padma Shri’. Baichung Bhutia played in the Goal 4 Africa match which was held on 12 July 2008 in the Allianz Arena, Munich, for the Edu Team which was led by Clarence Seedorf, there he scored twice. In 2009, he started a foundation called the ‘Indian Sports Foundation’ in order to help a footballer player who overcomes serious injuries. He is the president of the Football Players Association of India (FPAI). It is an organization that promises fair treatment of Indian footballers by dealing with financial aspects like pension plans. He formed this association after seeing the Professional Footballers Association in England.
Baichung signed a commercial deal with Adidas India Marketing Pvt. Ltd in November2003. Currently he is with Nike India. He comments “I am confident that Nike will help elevate the sport in the country.”
Baichung Bhutia got married on 30th December 2004 in Tinkitam in South Sikkim to his longtime girlfriend Madhuri Tipnis who is a hotel professional. They have a twin’s baby on 8th April 2010. The first one is a girl and the other is a boy. They were born in a private nursing home in Kolkata. Bhaichung get a tattoo of a footballer on his arm. The Sikkimese government has built a stadium ‘the Baichung Stadium’ in Namchi, in honor of Baichung Bhutia . He is one of the most famous figures in the state. He is also considered as a role model to many Sikkimese as a well to people from other different states of India.
Summary
- Baichung Bhutia is an Indian famous football player
- On 26 January 2008, he was awarded the ’Padma Shri’.
- He established the foundation called the ‘Indian Sports Foundation’ in order to help a footballer player who overcomes serious injuries.
- Bhutia is a President of the Football Players Association of India (FPAI).
