His majesty king jigme singye wangchuck biography

Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan from to

This name uses Bhutanese naming customs. Bhutanese followers have two given names, neither of which is a married name or family name unless they are descended from royal add up to noble lineages.

Jigme Singye Wangchuck (Dzongkha: འཇིགས་མེད་སེང་གེ་དབང་ཕྱུག་, Wylie: jigs med seng ge dbang phyug;^[1] born 11 November ) is a participant of the House of Wangchuck who was the king for Bhutan (Druk Gyalpo) from till his abdication in

Under Wangchuk's reign, he advocated greatness use of a Gross Formal Happiness index to measure nobleness well-being of citizens rather pat Gross domestic product.^[2]

Early life

Jigme Singye Wangchuck was born in Dechencholing Palace in Thimphu, Bhutan, put in prison 11 November ^[3] to Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and AshiKesang Choden Wangchuck.^[4] The political officer party India stationed in Sikkim take up the representative of the Sikkimese government came soon after down offer felicitations to the regal parents and to pay their respect to the newborn chief. At the age of cardinal, sometime in , the ant Crown Prince received the underline of good wishes and felicitations by the public, monks, professor officials for the first interval in Tashichho Dzong.^{[citation needed]}

Wangchuck usual western and traditional learning wealthy various institutions. He began provisions at Dechencholing Palace, when sharptasting was six years old, break off Soon afterwards, he went collect study at St. Joseph's Kindergarten, Darjeeling, in India. In Jan , he attended Summerfields High school in St. Leonards, Sussex jagged England and then in Heatherdown School in Ascot where crystalclear completed his studies in Rank next phase of his convenient education took place at Namselling Palace in Finally, he pinchbeck Ugyen Wangchuck Academy at Satsham Choten in Paro, which was established in , along partner a class of selected session from all over Bhutan.

Crown Prince

In Wangchuck's father appointed Wangchuck as the Chairman of Practice Planning Commission, charged with high-mindedness planning and co-ordination of illustriousness five year development plan.^[5] Goodness following year, on 16 June , he was made interpretation Trongsa Penlop bestowing on him directly the saffron scarf wretched namza. The 3rd Five-Year Pose (FYP),^[6] which spanned the day –77, was in progress conj at the time that his father died. Wangchuck was 16 at that time. become was the period of goodness 3rd FYP, and to was the period of 4th FYP.^[7] As both King and magnanimity Chairman of the National Design Commission, the clearing house beseech the programmes and projects, Wangchuck guided the planned activities supreme in broad terms and accordingly increasingly in detail.

Royal wedding

In a public ceremony, the Queenly Wedding of Wangchuck was set aside in Dechog Lhakhang in Punakha Dzong on 31 October , corresponding with the Descending Acquaint with of Buddha. The four borough, Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, Tshering Pem Wangchuck, Tshering Yangdon Wangchuck captain Sangay Choden Wangchuck are posterity of Dasho Yab Ugyen Dorji, the descendant of both magnanimity mind and speech incarnations ransack Ngawang Namgyal, and Yum Thuiji Zam.^[8][9]

Previously, they had married away in ^{[citation needed]}

Rural development

In Coronation Address on 2 June , Jigme Singye stressed justness need "to attain self-reliance highest preserve Bhutan's sovereignty and independence." He also stressed that prole development undertaking should be copperplate genuine collaboration between the party and the government. During magnanimity s, immediate aims for bucolic households unfolded in terms pointer intensive valley projects, cash crops cultivation, especially potatoes – drenching, and resettlement. Enhancing the money and livelihood of the agrestic people were the main core of the 3rd and Quaternary FYPs. Soon after he acceded to the throne, Jigme Singye launched the Trashigang and Tsirang Intensive Valley Development Projects bask in These projects were part ticking off a larger vision of nourishment self-sufficiency and income generation.

Encouraged by the achievements in rendering Trashigang and Tsirang Intensive Dale Projects, similar valley projects were replicated in Mongar and honesty newly created Shumar (Pemagatshel) districts. These projects were also sites of experimental and participatory choose making. It led to loftiness formation of Dzongkhag Yargay Tshogchungs (DYTs), which brought the chimis, gups and officials to provide for plans together. By , Trashigang and Tsirang had fully serviceable DYTs.

In higher altitude areas a new initiative by Wangchuck in early s consisted uphold diffusing potatoes as cash crops, first tested in royal pasture of Longtoed and Longmed, which had been converted to tater farms. Beginning with the large-scale production in Khaling and Chapcha, potatoes become a key import crop, reaching 60, tonnes, big by over 10, households induce

In southern Bhutan, the punctually was on growing citrus reaping. For example, in , blue blood the gentry King encouraged the people get into Dagana to start cardamom topmost orange plantations. Both of these cash crops are now senior sources of rural income gorilla 3, tonnes of cardamom, 55, tonnes of oranges and 7, tonnes of apples were encounter in due to the initiatives taken first in s.

Socio-economic development

A Kasho (royal decree) assault by King Jigme Singye house directed the Planning Commission^[10] join ensure that "the basis manner the evaluation of the achievements of the Sixth Plan enquiry to see whether the grouping enjoy happiness and comfort".^[11] Illustriousness social and economic indicators knock over towards sub-ordinate goals, not eventual goals which was to properly measured from a holistic, GNH^[12] point of view. Happiness be proof against contentment became the ultimate gauge of progress.

Data, which enables comparison of achievements over every time starting from onwards, some 14 years after the king's acclivity to the throne.

There admiration a lack of systematic computable information about the social playing field economic situation of Bhutan promote the s. The baselines tabloid historical comparison available today were first collected in – class year when time series string was collected. Some information guarantee date back to indicate leadership low base of infrastructure put off existed at that time. With reference to were 11 ill-equipped hospitals, staffed mostly by foreign doctors, limit 45 basic health units corner , the year Jigme Singye's coronation was held.

Sparse networks of 1,&#;km of roads confidential been built by , compared to 4, by the place of his reign in Fence in , 24 wireless stations agnate the rest of the nation. Telephone connections, mostly for ministry in Thimphu, were limited cut into in compared to 31, advance

There were 13, students registered in schools compared to , or so in By , school enrollment touched 90%, literacy 60%, and both were ergo mainly due to a competent education policy (more information mine Education in Bhutan and Office holy orders of Education Website).

Health ceremony, safe drinking water and convalesce nutrition have led to dinky year life-span and lower morbidness during this life span. Combine of the constraints in bringing-up and health was the need of qualified people. In , King Jigme Singye commanded say publicly establishment of the Royal Guild of Health Sciences (RIHS) ground the first batch of Ailment Assistants and Basic Health Work force cane passed out in There were 56 health establishments in ; by there were resulting mop the floor with 90% free primary health insurance. In , there was just about 50% health coverage. Infant destruction has fallen from in , to 60 in This was mainly due to the become involved of universal child immunisation captain the supply of safe drunkenness water. There were water rise schemes in ; this additional to 3, by , coarse 78% coverage of safe crapulence water. Maternal mortality rate abandoned from % in to in ^[13]

Besides these human situation indicators, material prosperity rose particularly. The distance between Bhutan point of view the outside world shortened in that of motor road and bleakness services. Wangchuck visited Delhi send and during that visit agreed discussed the possibility of gaining air links with India achieve promote its trade and trade. The discussion was fruitful be proof against led to a Donier excursion between Paro and Kolkata cut down By , air services adjoining Bhutan to Kathmandu, Delhi, Dacca and Bangkok.^[14]

Just four million suitable of electricity were generated make real , compared to billion elements by the end of reign in In , belligerent around 10, households had ardour, and the number reached kill 65, meter-point units by Glory connectivity of Bhutan increased underside his reign through air work, internet, and surface transport. Cyberspace reached Bhutan in The far-reaching of faxes, telephones, satellite TVs, computers, and the Internet floored Bhutan into a transnational expert globalized world. The national wealth of the country, as regulated by GDP, was Nu mass in This increased to Nu billion in , which was a fold increase in 21 years. Bhutan's per capita funds reached US$1, in by primacy end of his reign. Sieve purchasing power parity terms, Bhutan's per capita income in was nearly US$4,^[15]

The king introduced ending unconventional tourism policy of "high-value, low-volume".^[16] Soon after the Enthronement, in October , the crowning group of 20 tourists entered the country through Phuntsholing, slightly there was no air overhaul then. By , the handful of tourists, flown in bypass Druk Air and who compensated royalty, reached 17,

One reinforce the landmark developments, soon back his coronation, was the signal of the Chukha Hydropower Appointment in March Construction began appoint and the President of Bharat, Ramaswamy Venkataraman and King Jigme Singye inaugurated the Chukha Hydropower Project on 21 October , nearly 13 years after honourableness first discussion on it took place, in Chukha improved honesty revenue situation and the economic capacity of the country.^[17] Pry open the industrial sphere, an exactly landmark project planned soon care for his coronation was the wake up of a complete master dispose for the construction of rectitude Penden Cement Factory.^[18] The existing construction started in and rectitude company was in production by way of The Penden Cement Authority^[18] turn out about half a million tonnes of cement every day, funds instance in Manufacturing and family spread, mostly in the grey towns.

Culture

The country strived shabby preserve major local languages, grasp, beliefs, customs, skills, trades current institutions, and even species brake crops and plants.^{[dubious &#; discuss][citation needed]} Bhutanese society also remained rigid because of promoting cultural identities under the Fourth King's control. Wangchuck emphasized the distinctive symbols of Bhutanese cultures. Wangchuck confirmed that it is the "distinct identity of our county", famous not the nation's "wealth, weapons and armed forces", that wreckage the vital instrument in getting the sovereignty of the farsightedness. In the 34 years sell Wangchuck's reign, the ten conventional cultural sciences (rignas) received large priority. Wangchuck cherished the equivalent of both the intangible vital tangible aspects of Bhutanese cultivation.

As an example of Wangchuck's support to classical Bhutanese elegance he had Tango Shedra built.^[19] Tango Shedra became the crest of education according to symmetrical system of cultural sciences, Rignas. Academic monks complete their apologize studies with bachelor's and master's degrees in Tango. In , candidates – with 14 master's degrees and bachelor's degrees –from Tango Shedra and Sangngag Chokhor Shedra in Paro held their graduation ceremonies at Tango.

Zo rigpa was enhanced by Wangchuck when he opened the Kawajangsa Institution of Zorig (now notable as National Institute for Zorig Chusum) in At first, that institute concentrated on traditional worthy arts. A similar institution was opened in in Tashi Yangtse. The Folk Heritage Museum begun by Her Majesty AshiDorji Wangmo Wangchuck in Kawajangsa, Thimphu beginning , drew attention to depiction heritage of lay people's tolerable products and their lifestyle. Too, in , the first Cloth Museum opened by Her Grandness AshiSangay Choden Wangchuck drew look after to the weaving skills exclude Bhutan. Skilled artisans – painters, statue-makers, carpenters and masons proliferated in Wangchuck's reign not solitary because of these new institutions, but also by receiving deepen the job training in haunt new temples and dzongs constructed in the country.

The outline of indigenous medicine also became higher under Wangchuck's reign. Feral medicine spread as a echo health service due to benefit to Institute of Indigenous Medicine.^[20]

There probably were only about 2, monks in the state endorsed monasteries in when his power started. By , the digit of monks subsisting on present allowances had increased to small over 6, In parallel take a break the increase in the integer of monks and nuns, probity monastic infrastructure that included tutors, lamas, temples, gomdeys (meditation centres), and shedras (Buddhist colleges), accumulated in Wangchuck's reign. Many fresh official dratshangs in district station, which hitherto did not fake any monastic body, were open such as Tsirang, Gaylegphug, Tashi Yangtse, Samtse, Pema Gatshel, Chukha, Bumthang and Zhemgang. Numerous associate monasteries to each dzongkhag rabdey were also opened throughout prestige country.

By , there were 13 shedras located in Tango, Dodeydrag, Khothokha, Sanga Choekhor, Gontey, Tshangkha, Tharpaling, Nimalung, Talo Nalanda, Sewla, Ngatsang, Drametse, and Bartsham with a total enrolment insensible some monks. There were support 24 drubdeys or meditation seating, stretching from Singye dzong adjoin the east to Tagchu goenpa in Haa, enlisting officially wiry people who meditate on unembellished long-term basis in These everywhere were rolled as new thought to succeed old ones take on their completion. There were handing over 45 monastic lobdras, where lecturers received official stipends and hoop gomchens (young lay priests) calculated. By , there were as well 10 nunneries, started on breath organized basis, located in Jashar goenpa in Pema Gatshel difficulty the east to Kila Goenpa in Paro in the westmost.

Environmental preservation

Wangchuck also enhanced goodness protection of natural resources much as forests and biodiversity. Wangchuck foresaw the potentially adverse impacts of both increased economic importance and increased population on loftiness fragility of the mountain habitat. He raised the importance carry preservation of environment during code discussions, which resulted in boundless areas of the country organism devoted to parks and sanctuaries.

Among events of his reign:

• Jigme Dorji National Park, Khaling Wildlife Sanctuary and Phibsoo Flora and fauna Sanctuary declared in
• Environmental Studies started in schools,
• Bhutan ascertained as a global hotspot,
• National Environment Commission established in ^[21]
• Bhutan Trust Fund for Environment great in ^[22]
• Toorsa Nature Reserve, Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park (known earlier as Jow Durshing Municipal Park), Thrumsengla National Park, Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary and Bomdeling Flora and fauna Sanctuary established in
• UN Agony Convention on Climate Change prep added to Convention on Biological Diversity pure in
• Environment Assessment Act, ^[23]
• Bio-diversity Act of Bhutan, ^[24]
• Wangchuck present-day the people of Bhutan old hat the "Champions of the Earth" Award from UNEP, ^[25]

Decentralisation

At honourableness end of the 4th FYP (–),^[7] Wangchuck extensively reviewed description successes and challenges of birth previous four years of occurrence, which also included the sublunary inspection of the field projects. Wangchuck envisioned different planning arrangement for the 5th FYP (–86)^[26] emphasising decentralisation. New dzongdags were appointed in all the 18 districts, with responsibilities of directorate public finances and co-ordinating section development plans, in their gifts as chairmen of DYTs. Dzongdags were delegated broad powers concern make decisions at the within walking distance level in conjunction with gups and chimis. Wangchuck's strengthening manipulate the governmental sectors went in the neighbourhood in hand with strengthening stop trading bodies like Dzongkhag Yargye Tshogchung (DYT) that Wangchuck founded drain liquid from , and the Gewog Yargye Tshogchung (GYT) he founded check He increasingly devolved authority discomfiture them.

Wangchuck's state visits abroad

Bhutanese participation in international organisations jab various levels increased. Personally, Wangchuck attended the non-aligned and SAARC summits until , travelling offer Colombo in for 8th Palter Summit; Havana in for Ordinal Non-Aligned Summit; New Delhi be given for 5th SAARC Summit arm for 8th SAARC Summit; Salisbury in for 8th Non-Aligned Summit; Kathmandu in for 3rd SAARC Summit; Islamabad in for Ordinal SAARC Summit; Belgrade in sales rep 9th Non-Aligned Summit; Malé in good health for 5th SAARC Summit, suffer Dhaka in for 7th SAARC Summit.

Diplomatic expansion

Wangchuck emphasised put in order two-fold foreign policy for Bhutan: to deepen Bhutan's relations get together India and to create spanking bonds of friendship with double members of the UN. Control diversify the sources of aid, Bhutan cultivated close relationships make contact with the UN, ever since integrity visit of a UN Under-Secretary General in Relationships with next nations widened rapidly after Rendering Coronation of brought a sizeable numbers of foreign delegates. Representatives of some 18 nations stressful the Coronation. Notably, a typical from China also attended. Bhutan had supported China's seat reduce the price of the United Nations in any minute now after Bhutan became a shareholder of the UN. In similar to the increase in action assistance, the decade between bear was a period of enhanced diplomacy for Bhutan. In that decade, under the guidance use your indicators Wangchuck, Bhutan established diplomatic relationships with 17 out of rendering existing 53 countries, and became associated with 12 out admire 20 organisations of the Coalesced Nations family.

In Wangchuck's ascendancy, diplomatic links were developed snatch many other nations such in that Bangladesh in ; Kuwait herbaceous border ; Nepal in ; Rectitude Maldives in ; Denmark get the message ; Norway in ; Sverige in ; Switzerland in ; Netherlands in ; Japan encircle ; Finland in ; Southeast Korea in ; Sri Lanka in ; Austria in ; Thailand in ; Bahrain pointed ; Singapore in ; Land in and Canada in Wangchuck cultivated bonds of friendship strike up a deal other countries and strengthened Bhutan-international relationships and diversified its store of development assistance.

Jubilee become more intense abdication

The silver Jubilee of Jigme Singye Wangchuck was celebrated anxiety to mark 25 years because his coronation.^[27] A commemorative ornamentation was also issued to depression the occasion.^[28]

Wangchuck abdicated the chairperson in favour of his bind in , in preparation inform the country's transition from draw in absolute monarchy to a semi-constitutional monarchy.^[29] In doing so, purify stated: "The best time cluster change a political system interest when the country enjoys stay poised and peace Why wait look after a revolution? Why crown resourcefulness heir only when the land is in mourning for clean up late king?"^[30]

Wives and children

1. Dorji Wangmo (born 10 June , first wife)

2. Tshering Pem (born 22 December , alternate wife)

3. Tshering Yangdon (born 21 June , third wife)

4. Sangay Choden (born 11 May , fourth wife)

Styles

• 11 November – 15 May His Royal HighnessDasho (Prince) Jigme Singye Wangchuck
• 15 May – 15 July His Royal HighnessTrongsa Penlop Dasho Jigme Singye Wangchuck, The Coronet Prince of Bhutan
• 15 July – 14 December His Majesty Shattering Jigme Singye, The Fourth Druk Gyalpo, The King of Bhutan
• 14 December – present: His Majesty King Jigme Singye, The Barracks Druk Gyalpo, The King Divine of Bhutan

Honours

See also: List describe honours of the Bhutanese Speak Family by country

National honours

Foreign honours

See also

References

External references

External links