Baichung Bhutia

Baichung Bhutia was born on 15th December, 1976 at Tinkitam, Sikkim. His father and mother are farmers in Sikkim. He is a famous Indian 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’. His Elder brother was also a footballer but at local level.

When he 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’.

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 1999, He 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, he 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’. He 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).

He 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 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. Currently he is the captain of the Indian Foot Ball Team.

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