Bhutan’s First Country Representative in India

Until 1970, Bhutan did not appoint any representative in India although it had established formal diplomatic relations in 1968. To further strengthen the existing friendship and expedite the process of joining the UN, His Majesty the Third Druk Gyalpo formally appointed Lyonpo Pema Wangchuk as Bhutan’s first Country Representative to India on 10 December 1970 and conferred ceremonial orange scarf as per the resolution of the National Assembly. Before his new appointment, Lyonpo was serving as the Lhotsham Chhichab since 1968. During his tenure, Lyonpo served with utmost dedication in fostering the friendship between the two countries.

After four years as the Country Representative in India, Lyonpo Pema Wangchuk completed his tenure towards the end of 1794. To honour his retirement, the minister for Foreign Affairs of the Royal Government of India hoisted a farewell dinner on 24 December 1974. During his tenureship as the Country Representative, the construction of the Bhutan Mission was successfully completed in Delhi and left behind deep impressions.

                      Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Lyonpo Pema Wangchuk (Photo: Kuensel, 1975)

References

Department of Information (1969). A weekly official bulletin of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Kuensel.

Department of Information (1970). A weekly official bulletin of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Kuensel.

Department of Information (1975). A weekly official bulletin of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Kuensel.

 

 

The First Indian Representative to Bhutan

Although no resident mission was not yet established, Bhutan approved the appointment of a special officer from India to Bhutan in 1968. Interestingly, on political matters, the political officer based in Sikkim still represents the Indian government. In this milieu, Brijbir Saran Das (15 December 1925 – 14 October 2016) became the first special officer to be appointed in Bhutan. Later in 1970, with the establishment of the formal resident mission in Bhutan, Das became the first country representative of India. Accompanied by his wife Nirmala Das, Das arrived in Bhutan on 23 January 1968 and was received at the helipad by Dasho Sangay Dorji, then the director of administration.

As the first resident representative of India to Bhutan, Das laid the firm foundation of the Indo-Bhutan friendship and played a crucial role in strengthening the relationship between the two countries. Das played an instrumental role in securing Bhutan’s admission to the UN in 1971 which was Bhutan’s greatest achievement under the visionary Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuk. In his book, “Memoirs of an Indian Diplomat, 2010”, Das wrote down his reminiscent experiences in Bhutan. For his hard work and dedication in his capacity as the country representative, the Padma Shri[1] was conferred to B.S. Das on the 26^th Republic Day of India on 26 January 1972. Barely after a month, Das had to bid goodbye to His Majesty, Bhutan and her people. On 26 February 1972, His Majesty the king hosted a public farewell to Das and his wife.

During the farewell, His Majesty said, “He has also played a great role in the far-reaching changes that have taken place in Bhutan in the social, economic and political fields during the past few years. I have no doubt that his contribution to this process of change, and to Indo-Bhutan friendship, will earn the praise of future historians in both countries.”[2] Besides, his wife had also contributed towards Bhutan’s journey of modern education. She authored the history of Bhutan (Title: The Dragon Country) and published it in 1973.  

 

Das and his wife departed from Thimphu on 2 March 1972 after more than four years of stay in Bhutan. They were personally seen off by His Majesty at the Changlingmithang helipad and Das wrote, “When the day of departure from Bhutan came, a most unexpected event took place. The King was himself present at the helipad to bid us farewell, this being the only time he had ever done so for a non-head of government. It was a personal farewell, and thus, one of the most precious moments for me.”[3] Das was succeeded by Mr. Ashoke Bhalchandra Gokhale and he presented his credentials to His Majesty on 4 March 1972.

His Majesty the Third King bidding farewell to Das at the Changlingmithang helipad on 2 March 1972 (Photo: Memoirs of an Indian Diplomat by Das, 2010, p.60)

 

Bibliography

 

Das, B. S. (2010). Memoirs of an Indian diplomat. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Education Private Limited.

Department of Information (1972, March 5). A weekly official bulletin of the Royal Government of Bhutan. Kuensel, 4(28).

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[1] Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan

[2] A weekly official bulletin of the Royal Government of Bhutan, Kuensel, 1972.

[3] Memoirs of an Indian Diplomat, Das, p.84.