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Bhaichung Bhutia or the Sikkimese Sniper is a retired Indian striker. He is particularly known for his duty towards his country. In fact, Bhutia is widely considered to be the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena. Also, I. M. Vijayan, a three-time Indian Player of the Year, described Bhutia as “God’s gift to Indian football”.
| Full Name | Bhaichung Bhutia |
|---|---|
| Playing Position | Striker; Center Forward |
| Hometown | Tinkitam, Sikkim |
| Height | 5ft 8in (1.73m) |
| Age | 42 (as of 2018) |
| International Goals (Appearances) | 40 (104) |
| Domestic Goals (Appearances) | 100 (226) |
| Years Active | 1993-2011 |
In 2017, Bhaichung Bhutia declared his net worth being ₹ 17 crores. He owns movable assets to the tune of over ₹ 3.88 crores including an Audi car, jewelry, bank balance, and investments. He is a shareholder in the United Sikkim Football Club, with holdings of ₹ 6.22 lakh. Among Bhutia’s immovable properties are several plots of inherited land in Sikkim and Kolkata valued over ₹ 13.47 crore. He also declared his income in the fiscal year 2014-15 to be ₹ 35 lakhs.
Bhaichung Bhutia is undoubtedly one of the India’s best footballers of all time. He is particularly known for his duty towards his country. In fact, Bhutia is widely considered to be the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena. I. M. Vijayan, a three-time Indian Player of the Year, described Bhutia as “God’s gift to Indian football”. Bhutia had four spells with I-League football team East Bengal Club, also the club where he started his footballing career. He became the first Indian footballer to sign a contract with a European club and only the second to play professionally in Europe when he joined English club Bury in 1999.
Although he didn’t achieve much success domestically, for India, he has won the Nehru Cup, LG Cup, SAFF Championship three times and the AFC Challenge Cup. He remains India’s most capped player, with 104 international caps to his name. (Although not for too long, as Sunil Chhetri, with 103 caps, will soon overtake). In 2014, he entered politics after joining Trinamool Congress. It was an unsuccessful stint, as a result of which, in 2018, he founded a new party, ‘Hamro Sikkim Party‘.
Bhaichung Bhutia with wife Madhuri Tipnis
Bhaichung Bhutia was born on 15 December 1976 in the small, south Sikkim town of Tinkitam. He has two elder brothers, Chewang Bhutia and Bom Bom Bhutia, and a younger sister by the name Cali Bhutia.
Bhutia is married to Madhuri Tipnis. Tipnis is a hotel manager.
The President, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil presenting Padma Shri Award to Bhaichung Bhutia
AFC Challenge Cup (2008)
SAFF Championship (1997, 1999, 2005)
Nehru Cup (2007, 2009)
Arjuna Award (1998)
Padma Shri (2008)
Banga Bhushan Award (2014)
Asian Football Hall of Fame (2014)
IFFHS 48 Football Legend Players (2011)
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