MEMORABLE MOMENT: Baichung Bhutia receives the Padma Shri award from President Pratibha Patil at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Vijay Lokapally NEW DELHI : From a nondescript field in Pakyoung, east Sikkim, to the Ashoka Hall in Rashtrapati Bhawan to receive the Padma Shri award, it has been an eventful journey for this pocket dynamo of Indian football. Baichung Bhutia is a glowing icon of a sport that has a truly universal appeal. At 32, he is not that swift as he used to be. But he is as crafty, as focused, as motivated, and as humble as ever. Ask him why the game is languishing in his country, Bhutia ponders for a while but refrains from speaking his mind. His inner self is in turmoil. He wants to fight but appears helpless. “We need good infrastructure, a sound administrative system, an effective development programme,” is his simple response. Same old story ...
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