United Sikkim Sporting Club: Baichung's dream project

India captain Baichung Bhutia is currently focusing on getting match fit again for the upcoming 2011 AFC Asian Cup, but off the field Baichung has been doing a lot which has to do with his own future but also that of Indian football. Be it forming the Football Players Association of India a few years ago, launching the Bhaichung Bhutia Football School a few weeks ago and now Baichung is trying to get his own club United Sikkim Sporting Club to play in the second division of the I-League.

United Sikkim Sporting Club is based in Gangtok with Baichung Bhutia as its patron and currently also main financial backer with support from the Government of Sikkim. Baichung's dream is to see United Sikkim SC one day amongst the best clubs in India.

Baichung had told IANS from the training camp in Dubai, "United Sikkim will surely boost football in Northeast. Things are still premature as we have just applied for permission from the AIFF. But we will look to run the club in a professional manner, with the help of some corporates."

And the club is already in action as United Sikkim SC are already part of the football set-up in Sikkim and at the Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup about two month's back they had beaten Bhutan XI in their biggest win so far.

Baichung in the name of the club has applied for a 30 acre plot from the Sikkim Government for building a football specific stadium and Academy infrastructure, which if accepted could help the club attract some of the best talent initially from the Northeast and in future from across India.

United Sikkim SC has handed in the necessary documents to the AIFF regarding participation in the I-League's 2nd Division this season, but some more details are wanted from them and if those documents are correct and accepted then the club could be seen in action in the second tier of Indian club football.