Bhaichung Bhutia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bhaichung Bhutia

Bhutia in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Bhaichung Bhutia
Date of birth	(1976-12-15) 15 December 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth	Tinkitam, Sikkim, India
Height	1.73 m
Playing position	Striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–1995	East Bengal	9	(17)
1995–1997	JCT	20	(15)
1997–1999	East Bengal	31	(15)
1999–2002	Bury	37	(3)
2002–2003	Mohun Bagan	11	(6)
2003	→ Perak (loan)	8	(4)
2003–2005	East Bengal	38	(21)
2005	Selangor MK Land	5	(3)
2005–2006	East Bengal	16	(12)
2006–2009	Mohun Bagan	45	(19)
2009–2011	East Bengal	3	(2)
2012–2013	United Sikkim	3	(1)
2015	East Bengal	0	(0)
Total		226	(123)
National team
1992–1996	India U23	4	(3)
1995–2011	India	84	(27)
Teams managed
2012	United Sikkim
2018	Sikkim
Honours  India AFC Challenge Cup Winner 2008 India SAFF Championship Winner 1997 Nepal Winner 1999 India Winner 2005 Pakistan Runner-up 1995 Sri Lanka Runner-up 2008 Maldives & Sri Lanka
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Bhaichung Bhutia (born 15 December 1976) is a famous Indian former footballer. He played as a striker. Many people see Bhutia as the person who brought Indian football to the world stage. He is often called the Sikkimese Sniper because of his great shooting skills. Another famous Indian player, I. M. Vijayan, once said Bhutia was "God's gift to Indian football."

Bhutia played for East Bengal FC four times during his career. This was the club where he first started playing. In 1999, he joined the English club Bury. This made him the first Indian footballer to sign a contract with a European club. He was also only the second Indian to play professionally in Europe. Later, he had a short loan period with the Malaysian club Perak FA. In India, he also played for JCT Mills and Mohun Bagan.

Bhutia has won many awards and titles with the Indian national team. These include the Nehru Cup, LG Cup, and the SAFF Championship three times. He also won the AFC Challenge Cup. He is India's second most capped player, meaning he has played the second highest number of international matches. He is also India's second youngest player to score an international goal. He scored his first goal against Uzbekistan in 1995 when he was 18 years old.

Outside of football, Bhutia won a TV show called Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. This caused some issues with his club at the time, Mohun Bagan. He was also the first Indian athlete to boycott the Olympic torch relay. He did this to support the Tibetan independence movement. A football stadium is named after him, which is a great honor. He has also received important awards like the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri.

In 2010, he started Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools in Delhi. He worked with famous football coach Carlos Queiroz and Nike for this. In 2011, Bhutia announced he would retire from international football. His last match for the Indian national team was against Bayern Munich in 2012. He later ran for president of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) but did not win. He also served as the president of the Sikkim Football Association.

Early Life and First Steps in Football

Bhaichung Bhutia grew up in a farming family in Sikkim. His parents were farmers and at first, they were not very keen on him playing sports. His father passed away when Bhaichung was young. With encouragement from his uncle, Karma Bhutia, he started school at St. Xaviers School in Pakyong.

When he was nine, he won a football scholarship from the SAI. This allowed him to attend the Tashi Namgyal Academy in Gangtok. He played for different schools and local clubs in Sikkim. His uncle Karma managed one of these clubs, the Gangtok-based Boys Club. In 1992, he played in the Subroto Cup and won the "Best Player" award. This helped him get noticed by bigger football clubs. A former India goalkeeper, Bhaskar Ganguly, saw his talent and helped him move to play football in Calcutta. Besides football, Bhutia also played badminton, basketball, and athletics for his school.

Club Career Highlights

Starting in Kolkata and Moving to Europe

Yuva Bharati Krirangan – home stadium of East Bengal Club and Mohun Bagan

In 1993, at just 16 years old, Bhutia left school to join the professional club East Bengal F.C. in Kolkata. Two years later, he moved to JCT Mills in Phagwara. His team won the India National Football League in the 1996–97 season. Bhutia was the top goal scorer in the league that year. He was also chosen to play for the Indian national team for the first time in the Nehru Cup. In 1996, he was named "Indian Player of the Year."

In 1997, Bhutia went back to East Bengal. He made history by scoring the first hat-trick (three goals in one game) in a big match between East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. This happened in the 1997 Federation Cup semi-final, where East Bengal won 4–1. He became the team captain in the 1998–99 season. In 1999, he received the Arjuna Award, which is given by the Indian government to athletes for their amazing achievements.

Playing in England with Bury

Bhutia always wanted to play football overseas. On 30 September 1999, he went to England to play for Bury F.C. in Greater Manchester. He became the first Indian footballer to sign a contract with a European club. He was also only the second Indian to play professionally in Europe. He had some trouble getting his visa, so he couldn't play his first game until 3 October 1999 against Cardiff City. He scored his first goal in the English league on 15 April 2000 against Chesterfield. A knee injury limited his playing time in his last season at Bury. He left the club in 2002.

Back to India and More Success

In 2002, Bhutia returned to India and joined Mohun Bagan. However, he got injured early in the season and couldn't play much. After that, Bhutia went back to East Bengal Club again. He helped them win the ASEAN Club Championship in 2003.

Bhaichung Bhutia at the inauguration ceremony of Palakkad Noorani Football stadium

He scored a goal in the final match, which East Bengal won 3–1 against Tero Sasana. He was named the "man of the match" for his performance. He was also the top scorer of the championship with nine goals. For a short time in 2003, Bhutia played on loan for Perak FA, a club in Malaysia.

In the 2003–04 season, Bhutia scored 12 goals, helping East Bengal win the league title. He continued to play for East Bengal until 2006. In his last season there, he was named "Player of the National Football League" by the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

Return to Mohun Bagan

On 15 June 2006, Bhutia joined Mohun Bagan again. He played alongside Jose Ramirez Barreto, forming a strong attacking team. In the 2007–08 season, Bhutia scored 10 goals in 18 matches. In 2008, he won the Indian Player of the Year award for the second time. This made him only the second player to win this award more than once.

In May 2009, Bhutia announced he would leave Mohun Bagan. This was due to disagreements with the club's officials. He said he would not play for them anymore.

Final Years with East Bengal and United Sikkim

Bhutia officially signed with East Bengal again on 22 June 2009. He said he wanted to finish his playing career at the club where he started. This move caused some debate between Mohun Bagan and Bhutia, but he eventually played for East Bengal.

In 2011, Bhutia joined United Sikkim as a player-coach. This meant he was both playing for the team and helping to coach them. On 12 February 2015, it was announced that Bhutia would return to East Bengal one last time for a short contract. After this, he would retire from professional football. He wanted to retire wearing the red and gold colors of East Bengal. However, due to a knee injury, he decided not to play in the top league.

International Career for India

Bhaichung played his first senior international match for India in the Nehru Cup on 10 March 1995. He was 19 years old. He scored his first goal for India against Uzbekistan in the 1995 Nehru Cup. This made him India's youngest ever goal scorer at the time.

In the 1997 SAFF Championship, India won 5–1 against the Maldives in the final, and Bhutia scored a goal. Two years later, in the 1999 SAFF Championship held in Goa, India won again. They beat Bangladesh 2–0 in the final, with Bhutia scoring the second goal. He was named the tournament's most valuable player.

He also scored two goals in the final of the 2002 LG Cup in Vietnam. India won 3–2 against the host nation. In the 2007 Nehru Cup, Bhutia scored a penalty in a 6–0 win over Cambodia. He also scored in wins against Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan. India won the final against Syria 1–0, becoming champions.

India captain Bhutia (left) celebrating after winning the Nehru Cup in 2007

Bhutia was captain when India won the 2005 SAFF Championship. He scored a goal in the group stage against Bhutan. In the final, India beat Bangladesh 2–0, and Bhutia scored the second goal. He received awards for Most Valuable Player and Fair Play. In the 2008 SAFF Championship, Bhutia scored one goal in a 4–0 win over Nepal. However, India lost to the Maldives in the final.

He scored twice in a 2–1 victory in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup against Turkmenistan. This helped India reach the semi-finals. Bhutia scored a goal in the final against Tajikistan, which India won 4–1. This win also meant India automatically qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. He was chosen as the most valuable player of the tournament.

The 2009 Nehru Cup was very special for Bhutia. He played his 100th match for India in a 2–1 win over Kyrgyzstan. This made him the first Indian player to reach 100 international matches. He also scored the first goal in this match. He was named "Player of the Tournament" for his great performances.

At the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, Bhutia was injured for the first two games. He played as a substitute against South Korea, but India lost 4–1 and was eliminated. Soon after the Asian Cup, he announced his retirement from international football on 24 August 2011. He finished his career with 40 goals in 104 matches for India.

Farewell Match

10 January 2012 19:00 IST	India	0–4	Bayern Munich	Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi Attendance: more than 35,000
			Mario Gómez  14' Thomas Müller  29',  37' Bastian Schweinsteiger  43'

Managerial Roles

On 13 November 2012, Bhutia became the temporary manager of United Sikkim. He took over after the club had a very big loss in a match. In January 2018, he was appointed the manager of the Sikkim football team for the Santosh Trophy.

Other Activities

Entertainment and TV

Bhutia with then Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal K. K. Nohwar at the release of souvenir of 52nd edition of the Subroto Cup Football Tournament on November 25, 2011.

In 2009, Bhutia won the third season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. This is the Indian version of the dancing show Dancing with the Stars. He won a prize of 4 million Indian Rupees. Bhutia gave half of his prize money to charity. His participation in the show caused some issues with his club, Mohun Bagan, because he missed some football practices.

Politics

In 2014, Bhutia joined the Trinamool Congress political party. He ran for election in the 2014 Indian general election from the Darjeeling area, but he did not win. In the 2021 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election, he supported the Left Front party. In 2018, he started his own political party called "Hamro Sikkim Party".

Other Interests

Bhutia comes from a Buddhist background, but he considers himself an atheist. He married Madhuri Tipnis in 2004, but they later divorced in 2015. He has three children. The government of Sikkim built a stadium, the Bhaichung Stadium, in his honor. He is a very popular person in Sikkim and is seen as a role model.

On 23 January 2008, Bhutia was nominated for the Padma Shri. This is the fourth highest civilian award in India, given for his contributions to Indian football. He received the award on 26 January, India's Republic Day.

Bhutia is a supporter of the Tibetan independence movement.

In 2008, Bhutia was asked to carry the Olympic torch in India. However, he refused to carry the torch to show his support for the Tibetan independence movement. He said he sympathized with the Tibetan cause and wanted to stand with the Tibetan people. He was the first Indian sportsman to refuse to carry the Olympic torch.

In 2011, Bhutia was in the Sikkim earthquake. He was not hurt, but his United Sikkim offices were destroyed. After the earthquake, he worked with actors like Neha Dhupia and Rahul Bose to raise money for the victims. He also serves as the president of the Football Players' Association of India (FPAI). This organization helps Indian footballers with things like fair treatment and pension plans.

Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools

On 28 October 2010, Bhutia started Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools in Delhi. He partnered with famous football coach Carlos Queiroz for this project. These schools aim to train young footballers and help develop football at the grassroots level.

Personal Life

Bhutia's parents were farmers. He has two older brothers and one older sister. He was married to Madhuri Tipnis from 2004 to 2015. He is a father to three children, two girls and one boy.

Career Statistics

Scores and results list India's goal tally first

List of international goals scored by Bhaichung Bhutia

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	29 March 1995	Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo	Sri Lanka	1–0	2–2	1995 SAFF Championship
2				2–0
3	6 March 1996	National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lampur	Malaysia	2–5	2–5	1996 Asian Cup qualifier
4	11 April 1997	Nehru Stadium, Cochin	China	1–2	1–2	1997 Nehru Cup
5	7 September 1997	Dasarath Rangasala Stadium, Kathmandu	Bangladesh	3–0	3–0	1997 SAFF Championship
6	9 September 1997	Dasarath Rangasala Stadium, Kathmandu	Maldives	1–0	2–2	1997 SAFF Championship
7	13 September 1997	Dasarath Rangasala Stadium, Kathmandu	Maldives	2–0	5–1	1997 SAFF Championship
8	26 April 1999	Fatorda Stadium, Margao	Pakistan	1–0	2–0	1999 SAFF Championship
9				2–0
10	29 April 1999	Fatorda Stadium, Margao	Maldives	1–0	2–1	1999 SAFF Championship
11	1 May 1999	Fatorda Stadium, Margao	Bangladesh	2–0	2–0	1999 SAFF Championship
12	15 April 2001	Bangalore Stadium, Bangalore	Yemen	1–1	1–1	2002 World Cup qualifier
13	20 May 2001	Bangalore Stadium, Bangalore	Brunei	3–0	5–0	2002 World Cup qualifier
14	10 December 2005	Peoples Football Stadium, Karachi	Bhutan	1–0	3–0	2005 SAFF Championship
15	17 December 2005	Peoples Football Stadium, Karachi	Bangladesh	2–0	2–0	2005 SAFF Championship
16	18 February 2006	Hong Kong Stadium, Wan Chai	Hong Kong	2–2	2–2	Friendly
17	17 August 2007	Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi	Cambodia	2–0	6–0	2007 Nehru Cup
18	20 August 2007	Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi	Bangladesh	1–0	1–0	2007 Nehru Cup
19	26 August 2007	Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi	Kyrgyzstan	1–0	3–0	2007 Nehru Cup
20	3 June 2008	Rasmee Dhandu Stadium, Malé	Nepal	2–0	4–0	2008 SAFF Championship
21	22 July 2008	Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, Hyderabad	Malaysia	1–0	1–1	Friendly
22	3 August 2008	Gachibowli Athletic Stadium, Hyderabad	Turkmenistan	1–0	2–1	2008 AFC Challenge Cup
23				2–0
24	13 August 2008	Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi	Tajikistan	2–0	4–1	2008 AFC Challenge Cup
25	14 January 2009	Hong Kong Stadium, Wan Chai	Hong Kong	1–1	1–2	Friendly
26	23 August 2009	Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi	Kyrgyzstan	1–0	2–1	2009 Nehru Cup
27	26 August 2009	Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi	Sri Lanka	1–0	3–1	2009 Nehru Cup

Honours and Awards

Then President, Pratibha Patil, presenting the Padma Shri to Bhutia in 2008.

With East Bengal

• ASEAN Club Championship: 2003
• National Football League: 2003–04
• Federation Cup: 2009–10, 2010
• Indian Super Cup: 2011

With Mohun Bagan

• Federation Cup: 2006, 2008

With India National Team

• AFC Challenge Cup: 2008
• SAFF Championship: 1997, 1999, 2005
• Nehru Cup: 2007, 2009
• South Asian Games gold medal: 1995
• Afro-Asian Games silver medal: 2003

Individual Awards

• AIFF Player of the Year: 1995, 2008
• Arjuna Award: 1998
• Padma Shri: 2008
• AFC Challenge Cup Most Valuable Player: 2008
• Asian Football Hall of Fame: 2014

Images for kids

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  India national team during Asian Cup 2007 qualifiers. Bhutia standing rightmost.