Baichung Bhutia Biography 
Baichung Bhutia is a former Indian football player and he owns the club United Sikkim. He is called as Sikkimese Sniper owing to his shooting skills in football. He is referred to as the God’s gift to Indian football by I. M. Vijayan.
He was born on 15th December 1976 in Tinkitam in Sikkim. His parensts are Dorji Dorma and Sonam Topden. His elder brother was also a football player. When he was at school he was playing badminton, basketball and athletics on behalf of the school. His parents were not supportive to his sports career. However his uncle Karma Bhutia encouraged him. He studied at St. Xaviers School at Pakyong.
He won Best Player award in the 1992 Subroto Cup. He joined the East Bengal Club in Calcutta at his age of 16. After two years he joined JCT Mills in Phagwara and won the India National Football League in the 1996-97 seasons. He made his international debut by playing in the Nehru Cup.
He signed a three year contract with Bury F. C. in Greater Manchester in England. He returned to India in 2002 and played for Mohun Bagan AC for one year. He returned to East Bengal Club and this team won in the ASEAN Cup 2003.
He married Madhuri Tipnis on 30th December 2004 in Tinkitam. They have twins, a girl and a boy born on 8th April 2010. He received Padma Shri award from Government of India on 26th January 2008. He started Indian Sports Foundation in 2009.
When he was offered an opportunity to carry Olympic torch in India, he refused it saying that that was to support the Tibetan Independence Movement. He was criticized for mixing politics and sports.
He started Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools in Delhi on 28th October 2010. He won the third season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa the Indian version of the reality show Dancing With The Stars. He got 4 million INR as a cash prize for his victory. He described himself as an atheist in an interview with TOI.
Published: N/A
Updated: June 13, 2018
