BHAICHUNG BHUTIA- LIVING LEGEND

Bhaichung Bhutia at home is busy playing in the hole behind his super strikers — Ugen Kalzang and Keisha Dolkar. with a combined age of 30 months, they are making daddy dear sweat it out like never before. Here, Bhaichung unveils the twin joys of his life for the first time, just for t2!
Bhaichung takes a walk with Ugen (left) and Keisha in front of their Vedic Village home

Falling down and getting hurt is a part of childhood… They (kids) keep falling and that’s how they keep learning,” smiles Bhaichung Bhutia, not rushing to help son Ugen Kalzang as he trips during the t2 shoot. Bhaichung and wife Madhuri believe in striking a balance — of being loving, caring and protective parents while also letting their kids be kids.

The star footballer and proud father of twins chatted with t2 on fatherhood and football, in between taking a dip in his Vedic Village terrace pool with son Ugen and daughter Keisha Dolkar, while Max the Pug watched with a wag.

Thank you for finally agreeing to do this for t2. Who was more reluctant, you or Madhuri, about the twins being photographed and why?

We are not too happy about exposing the kids (to the limelight). It is not fair on them. They need to grow up like normal kids.

How would you describe fatherhood?

There are very difficult moments. [“Really?!” laughs Madhuri]. More than me, it is difficult for my wife (Bhaichung promptly adds). I have hardly been with them. They are one year and three months old and I think I have been with them for a total of four months at the most. But whenever I am here also, it is not easy to look after them…. But they are just wonderful kids! They are fun to be with.

What does spending quality time with the kids mean to you?

My son loves to swim in the evening. Yes, already! Both my kids actually enjoy being in the water. Whenever we try to take them out of the bathtub after a bath, they really cry…. We’ve got a big lawn at the back. We go and play football there. We also go out for walks. They haven’t really started playing a sport. (Smiles.) [“Don’t be too ambitious!” says Madhuri.]

Looking back, what was your first reaction when you got to know that you were going to be a daddy?

Oh! That was one of the best moments. But when these two were born were the best, best, best, best moments (cuddles Ugen and Keisha). It cannot be replaced by anything else. And we are expecting another one in three months time! (Laughs out loud.) We are very happy… looking forward to the third one. Though it was unplanned, we are very happy.

What was your first reaction when you saw Ugen and Keisha?

I was there inside with the doctor (at the Bhagirathi Neotia Woman & Child Care Centre). I was a bit nervous at the beginning. And the first time the doctors put them in my hands, I was a little shaky as well… nervous. But very, very happy!

Who named them and how were the names chosen?

My wife chose them. We thought of calling our son Ugen because my name was also Ugen. I think Ugen is also the name of Karmapa or god. No, Maddy? [Calls out to Madhuri; “I am hearing new Buddhism from you!” smiles Madhuri]. Kalzang means fortunate. What is Keisha, Maddy (smiles)? [“It means favourite,” says Madhuri.] And Dolkar is again the name of a goddess.

Has fatherhood changed you in any way as a person?

Yes, it has. [“I wish!” says Madhuri.] Wherever I travel, I just want to come back. I tend to miss them a lot more now ever since they have grown up a little and walk around and play with me.

What new things have you had to learn after being a dad?

I do quite a lot when I am here. I bathe them when Madhuri is busy. It is difficult with two kids for Madhuri to handle alone. If she is busy cooking or washing, I change their nappies too. I have cleaned their potty too! It is not so difficult.

How would you describe Ugen?

He is friendly and outgoing. He is very naughty and difficult to control. We really feel scared when we come to the terrace as he is one of those kids who will just jump into the pool without feeling scared. He breaks everything in the house. He is so restless.

And Keisha?

She is more reserved, more calm. She stays more with Madhuri.

Do you want your kids to take up football?

I hope they grow up to be good people. I would love it if they took up football. It is not that they have to play, but if they do, I’ll be very happy.

Moving on to your other child, the United Sikkim Football Club. How is that shaping up?

It has been a very tiring one month. Now, I don’t just play, but also look after the administration. It is completely on me to sign the coaches and players. We’ve got a beautiful office in Sikkim. We’ve also applied for land from the government of Sikkim. I have to do all the running around. Going and convincing to sign for the club. The travelling I have done is quite a lot, but I have enjoyed it. I knew it would be difficult because when you are in Division II, getting players is very difficult. But a lot of my friends have agreed. A lot of big names have signed up with us. Renedy Singh, my best friend, has been with me right from Day One. I am very satisfied and very happy. We are one of the best clubs in terms of infrastructure with the 30 acres from the government that is under process. We are not looking at just the team, but also trying to build a strong infrastructure. We want to build our own training grounds and also have a medical set-up.

What is your dream for your club?

I think in five years time, I want to see it as one of the most organised clubs … in terms of youth development and infrastructure. And maybe qualify for the I- League in the next two to three years and win it in the next six-seven years. It is difficult, but not impossible.

Spot kick!

Football: Fun. You need a lot of passion and energy to play it.

Indian football: On the rise.

Lionel Messi: The best at the moment. He is on a par with Diego Maradona.

Diego Maradona: My idol; he was the best player.

All-time favourite footballer: (Diego) Maradona.

Present favourites: (Andrés) Iniesta, Xavi, (Lionel) Messi… quite a few.

Best goal: When I scored for the Indian national team in the Asian Cup. The second goal was scored by me, in Delhi, we won 4-1 in the finals.

Best match: Winning the AFC Challenge Cup in Delhi (India vs Tajikistan).

Biggest achievement as a footballer: I think qualifying for the Asian Cup. It is the biggest tournament for us after the World Cup.

Best friend:Renedy Singh. He is fun, unpredictable and a nice chap. He’s got no tension … bindaas. He lives for the day. When we were playing together, he was the most loved guy in the team.

Best compliment received as a footballer: “God’s gift to Indian football” was a very nice comment by I.M. Vijayan, which I don’t think I deserve. He was a better player.

Casual dress code: Tee and jeans.

Formal dress code: Suit.

Indulgence food: Momo.

Favourite restaurant in Calcutta: Blue Poppy in Sikkim House. They give you the best momos.

Living in Vedic Village is: It was really my wife’s choice as she wants to stay away from the city life. Of course, it is difficult to travel, but it is nice and calm. There are hardly any cars here.

Favourite actor: Al Pacino. And my favourite Al Pacino film is Scarface.

Favourite actress: Chitrangda Singh. I haven’t seen any of her films, but she is attractive!

Last film watched:Phas Gaya Re Obama. Brilliant movie.
Saionee Chakraborty

It’s my dream project
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Player’s club: United Sikkim Football Club players practise in Gangtok.

After over two decades as the country’s top footballer, India’s former captain gets ready to make a fresh start with his club

Indian football’s talismanic striker, Bhaichung Bhutia , may have been dropped by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) from the list of probables for the World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates later this month, but he has enough on his plate. Bhutia, who struggled with recurring injuries most of last season, is the only active player to own a club, the United Sikkim Football Club, and his focus is on changing the fledgling club culture in India with the team. Edited excerpts from an interview:

You were dropped from the team for the first time in 15 years, but you’ve already earned a recall for the series against Pakistan to be played in England next month.

I am willing to go provided I regain my fitness. I am always there for the national team, and no one can question my commitment. It’s about playing for India, not the AIFF. I’m working hard to get the injuries sorted out and regain fitness. If my body responds well enough to the rehabilitation and practice, I will surely go.

Is this perhaps a compromise from the AIFF after you were dropped from the national team?

Why do you see it like that? I wasn’t fit when the new coach (Armando Colaco) selected his team. For the last 10-11 months, I have been troubled by fitness problems. What surprised me was I wasn’t even informed that I am not part of the team. Besides me, Renedy (Singh), Sur Kumar (Singh) and N.P. Pradeep were also dropped. But why is it so difficult for coaches in India to at least inform the senior players? The problem is that coaches here are poor in man-management.

What are the injuries that have been troubling you for so long?

I’ve got a calf muscle tear, plus the hamstring also has a muscle tear. I’m desperate to regain fitness quickly, but it all depends on the next three months. If I can make it to the England tour, and also play the Fed Cup for United Sikkim, I will be ready to be back in the national side.

Jeje Lalpekhlua , the under-23 striker who replaced you in the national squad, is being touted as the next big thing in Indian football. People are drawing comparisons with you—does that bother you?

People are welcome to draw comparisons. Jeje is a good prospect, and it is only fair he gets his due. But I am not bothered by that. If I am fit, I can walk into any team, and I believe in myself. My challenge is not with any young, new player. I don’t feel threatened.

You have shifted base to your home state Sikkim and formed a new club, the United Sikkim Football Club (USFC). How did that happen?

United Sikkim has been my dream project for quite some time. In India, the club football structure hasn’t changed with time. We were once considered a force to reckon with in Asia, and few were ahead of us. Take, for example, Qatar’s progress. They weren’t even on the scene when India held a big position in Asian soccer and, today, they are in line to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup. The infrastructure, the basic system, technicalities, they have worked on everything. It starts at the grass-roots level. I want to bring in professionalism in India with United Sikkim. In five-six years, I want to make it a really big club, not just in India, but in Asia. I want to show people willing to invest in the game that football too can be a commercial success. I have got everything going for me in this venture. But if USFC fails, then not many will succeed, and that will be bad for Indian football.

How has the USFC fared so far?

We are a new club. It was so difficult to even get players when we started, since it was already mid-season. It was so hard and frustrating to convince established players to join USFC. That’s when I resolved that I am in this for the long haul. Where else in the world would you have national players like Renedy Singh , M. Suresh, N.S. Manju, and Sushil Singh playing for a second-division club? So we have made the right start.

The USFC has an interesting mix of players—what went into planning the team?

Last year, we started mid-season, so it was difficult to get the players I had in mind. But this year, we have got new players. We now have more than 20 new recruits. The North-East produces many talented boys, and we are trying to get the best. This club will be a big brand for the North-East. The game has to grow beyond Kolkata and Goa, that’s when it becomes popular. I used my contacts and friends to source foreign players like the Namibian Quinton Jacobs, who has played in the Scottish League as well as in Germany and Norway. Players like Japan’s Mitsuki Ichihara and Ireland’s Joseph Lapira will bring in a huge amount of experience, a fresh perspective and professionalism.

The USFC also has exciting talent like Budhiram Tudu. Who are the ones to watch out for?

Tudu won Bengal the Santosh Trophy this year. He is one of the best new talents I have seen. He was with East Bengal last year, but surprisingly, didn’t even get a game. He came here on loan, and played really well. He has gone back to East Bengal this season. We spotted Bikram Gill, an 18-year-old boy from my football school in Delhi (The Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools). The Portuguese coaches referred him to me. After I saw him at the trials, I knew he was one for the future. Nim Tshering Lepcha, Basant and Tenzing Tsephel are all good talents.

The USFC failed to qualify for the I-League in its first season. How did the team react?

We played beyond our expectations even though we missed out on qualifying. This season, our target is to qualify for the I-League because that is where we should be playing. If we play well to our abilities, we may even win the Fed Cup this season.

Club football in India is facing an existential crisis. Established clubs like JCT and Mahindra United have folded up. How confident are you about the USFC?

The lack of professional structure is hurting Indian club football. It was shocking to see JCT being scrapped like that. It has been relatively good so far for us. The Sikkim government has been cooperative. We will be given 30 acres of land to build our own stadium. The day we get into the I-League’s top division, it will get even better.

You started your journey at the Paljor Stadium in Gangtok, Sikkim. How does it feel to be back there?

It was an emotional homecoming for me. Initially, though, it was difficult and tiring. In a sense, it is like starting my playing career all over again. When we travelled to Shillong for the I-League second-division matches, the daily allowance from the AIFF was Rs. 750 per player. You had to manage food and hotel in that amount. But we spent from our own pocket, that’s because these boys here have come to pursue a dream. You need to make them feel wanted, you need to give them the best of facilities. I know it is going to be tough financially, but we have the confidence that United Sikkim will one day be a major force in Indian football. No club makes money in India, they all run through sponsorship. Every year, you need between Rs. 4 crore and Rs. 15 crore to run a team. Someday we will show how to make a club commercially viable.

Does this mean you will never again play for a Kolkata club like East Bengal or Mohun Bagan ?

I wanted to retire in an East Bengal shirt. East Bengal will always be my club, will always remain close to my heart. I will always look out for them. Of course, I miss my fans there. But the way things are, I need to be here at United Sikkim for quite some time. This is, I guess, my toughest assignment so far.

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