His Highness Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of Bhutan

Tshering Wangyal Dorji

"There may be no country like Bhutan that so well combines change with stability, the new with the ancient. The credit goes to the King as well as the people of Bhutan. The people are gentle, honest and hard-working. Their King laces power with compassion and humility."

-I. K. Gujral, Prime Minister of India, in 1997.

Bhutan is a country like no other. The sheer grace of its land, people and institutions has long disappeared in other parts of the world. Indeed the vulgarity with which several countries have commodified their monarchies as tourist attractions offers a striking contrast to the solemnity embodied in the persona and institution of the King of Bhutan.  Constitutional monarchs, by virtue of being museum pieces, quite easily emerge as media and public celebrities. That the King of Bhutan, who rules rather than reigns, enjoys much public affection that can only be attributed to his ability to his concern for the welfare of the Bhutanese people. King Jigme Singye Wangchuck was born on 11th November 1955, to the then king Dorji Wangchuck. The heir apparent was educated at St Joseph’s College in Darjeeling and then in the United Kingdom. Upon his return to Bhutan at the age of 15, he was groomed to eventually manage the affairs of state. For Bhutan his return was fortuitous because within two years of his return, King Dorji passed away. The sudden dead of his father in 1972 thrust the reins of power into the hands of the young 16-year-old.  Although he was at the time the youngest monarch in the world, two years of active participation in the administration of Bhutan ensured that the transition occurred with little problem.  The King married his first wife in 1979 and has since taken on three other brides. Furthermore, the King has declared his eldest son Dasho Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck heir apparent.

The King is seen as very hard working and travels extensively all over Bhutan to meet with the people and discuss modernization plans and development needs. What sets him apart from other monarchs in this age is that his travels are linked directly with the improvement of governance in Bhutan. Indeed, the King has become the country’s foremost spokesperson for the modernization process and his contacts with the people must be viewed in this context.

Although Bhutan is a small country, sandwiched between two of the world's leading powers, it faces multitude of external and internal political challenges, which the King has handled with much maturity. He is a man of his times and being relatively young, has continued to expand the regime’s support base by gradually delegating authority. The King has steered the country towards cultural promotion, regionally balanced development, environmental preservation and decentralization. He has also followed a path of political and administrative reforms where power is decentralized and more people are involved in the discussion making process and in the execution body. In 1998, he gave up some of the monarch’s powers to the Cabinet and now rules in conjunction with the government, a National assembly and a royal advisory council. Efforts are on to draft a written constitution for Bhutan.

This year marked the 30th anniversary of the King’s accession. Under his guidance, Bhutan has begun the arduous task of integrating itself with the rest of the world. Though with the globalization, the pace of the modernization programs is being questioned, the King has maneuvered Bhutan into the 21st century preserving the cultural identity of Bhutan. The issue of internally displaced Nepali speaking refuges remains a major challenge confronting Bhutan. However, the King has provided a recent assurance that the government will do all that is required to alleviate the suffering of the refugees.

The King’s modernization of Bhutan should be seen as a continuation of the policy of the limited modernization adopted by his father. He has been successful in setting the Bhutanese further than ever before, while simultaneously protecting and preserving the Bhutanese culture and tradition. People from all sections of society and visiting dignitaries remain impressed by the King’s deft handling of national challenges, and he is particularly loved by his own people for the personal interest that he takes in their development.