3. Personal Information
Full Name Bhaichung Bhutia
Date of birth 15December 1976(age 44)
Place of birth Tinkitam, Sikkim, India
Height 1.73m (5ft 8in)
Playing Position Striker
5. Early Life
Bhaichung Bhutia was born in an agricultural family.
Both of his parents were farmers in Sikkim and were
originally not keen on Bhutia's interest in sports. His
father died but after encouragement from his uncle,
Karma Bhutia, he started his education in St.
Xaviers School, Pakyong, East Sikkim. At the age of
nine he won a football scholarship from SAI to
attend the Tashi Namgyal Academy in Gangtok.
6.
7. Club Career
In 1993, at the age of sixteen, he left school to join
the professional East Bengal F.C. in Calcutta. Two
years later, he transferred to JCT Mills in Phagwara,
which went on to win the India National Football
League in the 1996–97 season. Bhutia was the top
goalscorer in the league, and was chosen to make
his international debut in the Nehru Cup. He was
named “ Indian Player of the Year”.
8.
9. Managerial Career
On 13 November 2012, Bhutia was named the interim
manager of United Sikkim to replace Belgian Philippe
De Ridder, after the club’s heavy 1–10 defeat in an I-
League match against Prayag United on 10
November 2012 at the Salt Lake Stadium. In January
2018, leading up to the Santosh Trophy, he was
appointed the manager of Sikkim.
10.
11. International Career
Bhaichung made his senior international debut in the
Nehru Cup against Thailand at the age of 19 on 10
March 1995. Bhutia scored for India against
Uzbekistan in the 1995 Nehru Cup becoming India’s
youngest ever goalscorer, at 19. In the 1997 SAFF
Championship, India beat the Maldives 5–1 in the
final, Bhutia was responsible for one goal. Two years
later, the tournament was held in Goa and India
successfully defended their title by beating
Bangladesh 2–0 in the final. Bhutia scored the
second goal for India after Bruno Coutinho opened
the scoring and Bhutia was named as the
tournament’s most valuable player
12.
13. Return to India
In 2002, he returned to India and played for the
Mohun Bagan for a year.However, this was largely
unsuccessful as Bhutia was injured early in the
season and failed to play again that season, missing
Mohun Bagan’s only trophy win; the All Airlines
Gold Cup. Afterwards, he again returned to the East
Bengal Club, helping them to win the ASEAN Club
Championship.
14. Back to Malaysia
In 2005, Bhutia signed for another Malaysian club,
Selangor MK Land. He made five appearances only,
scoring one goal, as the club had monetary
problems. Before, he received an offer from then
Home United manager Steve Darby, but rejected the
offer. Darby later revealed that he failed to sign
Bhutia because the offer he made was less than
what he was getting in India that time.
15. Personal Life
Bhutia was born on 15 December 1976 in Sikkim. His
parents were farmers. His father died when he was a
kid. He has two older brothers, Chewang and Bom
Bom Bhutia, and one younger sister named Cali.
Bhutia was married to Madhuri Tipnis in 2004.
16. Honours
East Bengal
ASEAN Club Championship: 2003
National Football League: 2003–04
Federation Cup: 2009–10, 2010
Indian Super Cup: 2011
Calcutta Football League: 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004,
2006, 2010,
2011
IFA Shield: 1994, 1995, 1997
Wai Wai Cup: 1993
San Miguel International Cup: 2004
Mohun Bagan
Calcutta Football League: 2007, 2008, 2009
17.
18. India
AFC Challenge Cup: 2008
SAFF Championship: 1997, 1999, 2005
Nehru Cup: 2007, 2009
Individual
AIFF Player of the Year: 1995, 2008
Arjuna Award: 1998
Padma Shri: 2008
AFC Challenge Cup Most Valuable Player:
2008
Banga Bhushan: 2014
Asian Football Hall of Fame: 2014
IFFHS 48 Football Legend Players: 2016
