Portrait Of The Footballer As A Father

In a freewheeling chat with Child, ace striker Bhaichung Bhutia shares his views on being a dad to his three adorable children.

- Saswati Sarkar

KNOWN AS THE Sikkimese Sniper in the football fraternity, Bhaichung Bhutia’s life as a dad is no less remarkable than his 16-year-long illustrious career as a footballer. In 2010, he became the father of his lovely twins Ugen Kalzang and Keisha Dolkar Bhutia (now 7), and in 2011, his second daughter, Samara Dechen (now 6), was born. Fun and energetic as he is, Bhaichung is the classic example of a balanced dad who is equally deft at spoiling his kids and keeping them grounded too!

Q Your reaction when you first became a father...

The initial moment with my twins in the palm was a little shaky, and nervous too! But I was overjoyed, too much to express in words.

Q Who named the kids? What do they mean?

My wife Madhuri chose all the names. Actually, Ugen was my official name which is known to very few people. So we thought of calling our son Ugen. Keisha means ‘favourite’ and the meaning of Samara is ‘protected by God’ (confirms from his wife before saying!).

Q Describe your kids in brief…