Bhaichung Bhutia was born on 15th June, 1976, to Mrs. and Mr. Sonam Topden at
Tinkitam,
South Sikkim District. At the age of 11 Bhaichung's innate skill in football earned him a SAI scholarship at the
Tashi Namgyal Academy,
Gangtok. He was also proficient in badminton, basketball and athletics, and was selected for the Gangtok based Boys Club, managed by Karma Bhutia.
Bhaichung enrolled with the East Bengal Club at the age of sixteen, an incident that changed the Indian football scenario. His proficiency with the ball has earned him nicknames such as 'Wiz Kid', 'Crisis Man', 'Man with the Golden Boot', 'Tinkitam Express', 'Wonder Kid', 'Boy Wonder', and 'Scorpion'. Baichung helped JCT Mills, Phagwara win the National Football League in 1995. Voted as the 'Asian Player of the Month' in May 1999, he also won the Sikkim State Award and the Arjuna Award, the same year.
Playing under the guidance of former India striker, Subhas Bhowmick, he recently won for East Bengal, the Asean Cup Club Championship. Baichung's genial nature is matched with a great determination to succeed and a sharp instinct for the game.
