Tshering Tobgay Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Dasho Tshering Tobgay
ཚེ་རིང་སྟོབས་རྒྱས།
Tobgay in 2024

7th Prime Minister of Bhutan
Incumbent
Assumed office 28 January 2024
Monarch	Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Preceded by	Chogyal Dago Rigdzin (as Chief Advisor)
In office 27 July 2013 – 9 August 2018
Monarch	Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Preceded by	Sonam Tobgye (as Chief Advisor)
Succeeded by	Tshering Wangchuk (as Chief Advisor) Lotay Tshering

Personal details
Born	(1965-09-19) 19 September 1965 (age 59) Kalimpong, West Bengal, India
Political party	People's Democratic Party (1991–present)
Spouse	Tashi Dolma (m. 1998)
Children	2
Alma mater	University of Pittsburgh (BS) Harvard University (MPA)

Tshering Tobgay (Dzongkha: ཚེ་རིང་སྟོབས་རྒྱས།; born 19 September 1965) is an important politician from Bhutan. He has been the Prime Minister of Bhutan twice. He first served from 2013 to 2018, and then again starting in 2024.

Tobgay leads a political group called the People's Democratic Party. Before becoming Prime Minister, he was also the Leader of the Opposition in Bhutan's National Assembly from 2008 to 2013.

Early Life and Education
- Schooling and University
Personal Life
Career in Public Service
- Entering Politics
  - 2013 Election Campaign
  - Key Ideas and Beliefs
Important Speeches
Awards and Honors
Honours
See also

Early Life and Education

Tshering Tobgay was born in Kalimpong, India. He grew up in a family with six brothers. His parents played a big part in helping Bhutan grow as a country.

His father was one of the first soldiers in the Royal Bhutan Army. His mother helped build the very first road that connected Bhutan to India.

Schooling and University

Tobgay went to secondary school at the Dr. Graham's Homes School in Kalimpong, India. This school is located in the eastern Himalayas.

In 1990, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in the United States. He received a scholarship from the United Nations to study there. Later, in 2004, Tobgay also completed a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University.

Before he became a politician, Tobgay worked for the Royal Government of Bhutan. He served as a Director from 2003 to 2007.

Personal Life

Tshering Tobgay married Tashi Doma in 1998. They have two children together. He enjoys staying active and is a big fan of cycling, fitness, and yoga.

Career in Public Service

Before entering politics, Tobgay worked as a civil servant. He began his career in 1991 in the Education Division of Bhutan. He worked with technical and vocational education.

From 1999 to 2003, Tobgay helped create and lead the National Technical Training Authority (NTTA). He served as its Director. He also worked in the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources as a director from 2003 to 2007.

In February 2007, Tobgay left his government job to join politics. He wanted to help serve his country as Bhutan moved towards democracy in 2008.

Entering Politics

Tobgay was one of the people who helped start the People's Democratic Party. This party was the first political party officially registered in Bhutan.

In the 2008 election, his party won only two seats in the National Assembly, and Tobgay won one of them. In 2009, he became the leader of the People's Democratic Party. After the 2013 election, Tobgay was chosen as the Prime Minister of Bhutan.

His party won again in the 2024 general election, securing 30 out of 47 seats. This meant Tshering Tobgay became Prime Minister once more.

2013 Election Campaign

During his campaign for the 2013 election, Tobgay focused on making small, practical improvements for Bhutan. He promised things like giving each village a power tiller (a farming machine) and providing utility vehicles for each district. He also pledged to get two national ambulance helicopters.

Tobgay's campaign aimed to improve Bhutan's economy, which had slowed down. He also promised to make the rural economy stronger, improve education, and give more power to local governments.

Key Ideas and Beliefs

Tshering Tobgay believes that the principles of Gross National Happiness (GNH) should be put into action. GNH is Bhutan's unique way of measuring progress, focusing on well-being, not just money.

He thinks it's important to solve problems like youth unemployment, corruption, and national debt. Tobgay also works to stop corruption in Bhutan's government and connect with the people of Bhutan. He believes in human rights for everyone.

Important Speeches

Tshering Tobgay has given many speeches around the world, sharing Bhutan's unique approach to development and happiness.

In 2015, he spoke at Vibrant Gujarat, inviting businesses from around the world to work with Bhutan.
At a TED talk in 2015, he talked about happiness and how having a purpose, identity, and security helps people be happy.
In a 2016 TED talk in Vancouver, Tobgay spoke about Bhutan's promise to always remain carbon neutral. He shared how his country puts happiness before economic growth and works to protect the environment.
He spoke at the UN general assembly in 2017, highlighting Bhutan's environmental achievements and the need for global unity to save the environment.
At the 2017 World Government Summit in Dubai, he discussed how governments can help their citizens achieve happiness.
In 2018, Tobgay spoke at a global investor summit, discussing investment opportunities and helping young people in the Assam region.
At the 2018 Singapore Summit, he talked about the challenges faced by small, landlocked countries like Bhutan. He stressed the importance of international cooperation and Bhutan's focus on Gross National Happiness.
On 9 January 2019, Tobgay spoke at the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) about Bhutan's first ten years of democracy.
In September 2019, he gave another TED talk about how global warming affects the "Third Pole" – the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. He warned that two-thirds of the glaciers there could be gone by the end of the century, affecting over 2 billion people.
At the WATS Forum 2019, Tshering Tobgay explained Bhutan's development approach, which focuses on Gross National Happiness instead of just economic growth. He shared Bhutan's successes in improving health, education, and reducing poverty.
In 2024, at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, Tobgay spoke about Bhutan's progress since joining the UN in 1971. He introduced the Gelephu Mindfulness City as a model for sustainable urban living and called for UN reforms.
At COP29 in Baku, he highlighted the importance of carbon markets for funding conservation efforts. He showed how Bhutan works with global partners to create strong carbon markets that help both the economy and the environment.
In 2022, Tobgay received the HCUND Distinguished Leadership Award. In his speech, he talked about the importance of wise, kind, and brave leaders, especially when dealing with climate change.

Awards and Honors

Tshering Tobgay has received several important awards and honors for his work.

On 17 December 2014, the King of Bhutan gave Tobgay the Lungmar Scarf. This honor recognized his efforts for the well-being of the nation as Prime Minister.
He was awarded the German Sustainability Award (GSA) in 2016 for his great work in promoting sustainability in Bhutan.
In 2022, he received the Distinguished Leadership Award from the United Nations Hospitality Committee for UN Delegations. This award honors people who make selfless contributions to humanity, especially in areas like conservation.