Educational Events and Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations organised by EoI, Thimphu (March 2021)
i) Quiz in two rounds viz. Preliminary Round and Final Round in the last two weeks of April 2021. Mission has arranged with BBS that the Final Round of the Quiz will be broadcast live on BBS. ii) The Mission also extensively publicized the launch of the India@75 celebration -Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (12 March 2021). iii) An exquisite banner and standee designs has been created by the Mission for publicity of all activities and events of the India@75 celebration in Bhutan. iv) Ambassador briefed a number of Indian teachers residing in Bhutan about the events being planned for India@75 celebrations in Bhutan and sought their active cooperation and idea for the Amrit Mahotsav celebrations (20 March 2021).
130th Birth Anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar commemorated during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by CGI, Phuentsholing (April 14 , 2021)
CGI Phuentsholing commemorated the 130th Birth Anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on April 14, 2021 at India House (Residence of Consul General) as part of the overall celebration within the framework of India@75/Bharat Ka Amrit Mahostav. A documentary “Mooknayak” (Leader of the voiceless) was also screened on this occasion.
Plantation of Saplings, Buddha Purnima & IDY Celebrations organised during Amrit Mahotsav Celebrations by EoI, Thimphu (June 04-28, 2021)
1. 'Plantation of Saplings at the India House Estate on the eve of World Environment Day. The Embassy of India organized a function for plantation of saplings at the lawns of the Chancery building led by Ambassador; each resident of the India House Estate planted an individual sapling as a permanent contribution to the green wealth of Bhutan. 2. Yoga Session at the Royal Thimphu College - Yoga Teacher of the Embassy of India undertook a special Yoga session at the Royal Thimphu College (RTC). Almost 100 faculty members and students of RTC took part in this programme. 3. Ambassador held an Open House discussion-cum-interaction session with all Yoga teachers/instructors of Bhutan resident in Thimphu and adjoining districts. During the session, information regarding the launch of NamasteYoga App by the Ministry of Ayush, Common Yoga Protocol, Volunteer Training Programmes of the M/o Ayush, ICCR and the Mission’s new role as the nodal point to facilitate examination and certification of training courses accredited by the Yoga Certification Board of India was disseminated to all attendees. 4. On the eve of the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche, a special India@75 function was held on a digital platform where President, ICCR gifted a statue of Lord Buddha to the Foreign Minister of Bhutan, as a gift from the Government and people of India to the Government and people of Bhutan. 5. The consecration and enshrining ceremony of the statue of Lord Buddha took place at the magnificent Grand Kuenrey of the Tashichhodzong coinciding with the birth anniversary of Guru Rinpoche. Ambassador symbolically handed over the statue of Lord Buddha to the Foreign Minister of Bhutan at this ceremony. 6. The Embassy organized a special Yoga practice session with celebrities such as Kelly Dorji, Actor and Director, Bhutan Echoses Literary Festival as well as Gyltshen, Captain, Bhutan National Football Team who plays on contract basis for Punjab Round Glass Football Club as well as the Health Secretary of Bhutan at the India House lawns to commemorate the 7th International Day of Yoga. 7. The Embassy of India, Thimphu organized a special programme for distribution of prizes to the winners of several competitions held for Bhutanese nationals over the last few months. Hon’ble Minister of Education Jai Bir Rai was the Chief Guest at this special function. Prizes and certificates were awarded to all the winners of the following competitions:- (i)Bharat Ko Janiye Quiz (ii)World Hindi Day competition (iii)India@75 Inter Dzongkhag Quiz Competition for Bhutanese school students (iv)National Yoga Competition for Bhutanese youth
India@75 Special Week: Ambassador's interaction with the Lady Dragons of Bhutan
As part of the India@75 ‘Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav’ celebrations to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence, the Embassy of India organised an interaction on 1 August 2021 between the Ambassador of India to Bhutan Ruchira Kamboj and Bhutan’s Women’s National Cricket Team. The Lady Dragons, as they are fondly known, will be participating in the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Asia qualifier in Malaysia in November 2021.
India@75 Special Week: Space Odyssey: Showcasing India's Achievements in Space Technology through a virtual Webinar co-hosted with ISRO
As part of India@75 ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence, the Embassy of India organised an interactive session on 4 August 2021 on the topic “India’s Space Program- An Incredible Journey!” The keynote speaker for the event was Shri R. Umamaheswaran, Distinguished Scientist and Scientific Secretary, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) who addressed Bhutan’s space engineers and science students from three schools and one college: Lungtenzampa Middle Secondary School, Motithang Higher Secondary School, Royal Academy, Paro and Royal Thimphu College.
India@75 Special Week: Virtual Conference on the contribution of Assam in India's Freedom Struggle
As a part of the Government of India’s ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav ’India@75 celebrations to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’sIndependence, the Embassy organised a conference on 6 August 2021 on the contribution of Assam in India’s freedom struggle, connectivities and synergies between Assam and Bhutan in hybrid format.
India@75 Videobyte competition: “What India Means to Me”
As part of the ongoing India@75 Special Week in Bhutan, the Embassy of India invited the youth of Bhutan to speak on the theme: “What India means to me?” The winning entries included brilliant video-bytes from Samten Tenzin Drolma, student of Motithang Higher Secondary School; Neelam Phuyel, student of Changangkha Middle Secong and Karma Tenzin, student of Gedu College of Business Studies. In her prize-winning video, Samten Tenzin Drolma said, “India is like My Best Friend –who is there with you during your ups and downs. A number of participants from Bhutan who took part in the online course on Gandhian Philosophy by Dr. Shobhana Radhakrishna also received their Certificates of Appreciation from the Embassy of India.
Celebrations of the 75th Independence Day of India
The 75th Independence Day of India was celebrated in solemn and dignified demeanour at the Embassy of India, Thimphu, as part of the ongoing celebrations of AzadiKa Amrit Mahotsav.Ambassador of India hoisted the National Flag followed by the National Anthem, at the India House Estate. She also read out excerpts from the Hon’ble President’s Address to the Nation. Major General Sanjeev Chauhan, Commandant IMTRAT, Brigadier Kabir Kashyap, Chief Engineer, Dantak and Druk Thuksey Medal recipient Arun Kapur attended the Independence Day celebrations amongst other prominent members of the Indian community. Ambassador delineated the ethos and the themes of the Amrit Mahotsavduring her keynote address. Two special videos on the Amrit Mahotsav celebrations produced by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of External Affairs were also played at the India House auditorium. The programme concluded with a live performance of patriotic songs by the B4B (Bhutan for Bharat) band.
India At 75 Cricket Cup
As part of the ongoing Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations in Bhutan, the Embassy of India, Thimphu has this year instituted an annual Bhutan-India Friendship Cricket Series to foster people-to-people ties between the two friendly countries. The first edition of the series was held at the India House Estate ground. Team Ambassador’s XI comprising players from the Embassy ofIndia and Bhutan Women’s National Team played a friendly T20 cricket match against Team President’s XI comprising players from Bhutan’s Men’s National Team. The Chief Guest for the event was Lyonpo Tandi Dorji, Foreign Minister of Bhutan. The Guest of Honour was the Chief Operations Officer, Lt. General Batoo Tshering. The match also was attended by members of the diplomatic community, press corps and prominent Bhutanese from various walks of life. On 2 August 2021, the Indian Embassy in Thimphu had offered its ground to Bhutan’s Women’s Cricket Team for their training sessions as a special gesture of friendship.
Hindi Divas Celebrations in Bhutan
In order to commemorate the declaration of Hindi as the official language of the Government of India, Hindi Divas was celebrated at India House on September 14, 2021.The event was attended by the officials of the Indian Embassy as well as the prize winners of the online poetry recitation competition launched by the Embassy of India on September 1, 2021.At the event, officials of the Indian Embassy undertook the official pledge and the winners of the online poetry recitation competition were felicitated with cash prizes and certificates of appreciation. Ms. Archana Thakur, Hindi Teacher at Rinchhen Kuenphen Primary School and Changangkha Middle Secondary School in Thimphu delivered a speech on the beauty of the Hindi language and Ms. Rajwati Chauhan, Hindi Teacher at Druk School, Thimphu shared her experience of teaching Hindi in Bhutan. The Embassy of India is also delighted to announce that in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and on the special request of the Royal Government of Bhutan, Hindi classes for the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Tourism Council Board will begin on September 16, 2021. The Hindi classes will be conducted virtually by the Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishvavidyalaya, Wardha, a premier institution in India established for the promotion and development of the Hindi language and literature through teaching and research.
India@75 Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Gandhi Jayanti 2021celebrations
As part of the ongoing India@75 Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations in Bhutan, a Special Programme was organized on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, viz. 2 October 2021 in honour of MahatmaGandhi, the Father of the Nation at the India House Estate. Floral Tributes were offered by the Ambassador of India to Bhutan and prominent Bhutanese dignitaries to the life-size statue of Mahatma Gandhi at the front lawns of the Chancery of the Embassy of India. Lead vocalist of the well-known B4B band, Pashupati Diyali sang Gandhiji’s favourite prayer-song “Vaishnav Jan To”, to lend a solemn and special touch to the function.
India@75 Amrit Mahotsav Special Export Promotion of Indian Mangoes in Bhutan
Under the ambit of India@75 ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence, the Embassy of India, Thimphu and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority of India (APEDA) organised a virtual Buyer-Seller Meet on 28 July 2021 between the Uttar Pradesh State Horticultural Co-operative Marketing Federation (HOFED) and Bhutanese importers in order to promote the export of Indian mangoes to Bhutan, with particular focus on the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh. The Embassy also held a Trade Exhibition of Indian Mangoes where Bhutanese dignitaries samples Indian mangoes at India House on 29 July.
India@75 Special Week: Handing over of the ICE UK Brunel Medal awarded to Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Power Project
As part of India@75 celebrations, Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Smt. Ruchira Kamboj handed over the prestigious Brunel Medal to Lyonpo Loknath Sharma, Chairman, Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority. The Brunel Medal is an award given by Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), London to recognize excellence in civil engineering and valuable service or achievement, which has been rendered to or within the civil engineering industry. Mr. Paul Scheffield, the president of ICE, through a video message congratulated the project for showcasing excellence in research and innovation.
India@75 Amrit Mahotsav Event: Virtual Signing Ceremony for the Implementing Arrangement on the Joint Development of a Small Satellite for Bhutan
On September 24, 2021, a virtual signing ceremony for the Implementing Arrangement between Indian Space Research Organisation and Department of Information Technology and Telecom on the Joint Development of a Small Satellite for Bhutan was held at the Ministry of Information and Communication, Royal Government of Bhutan. The ceremony was attended by Ambassador of India to Bhutan Ruchira Kamboj, Ambassador of Bhutan to India Major General Vetsop Namgyel, Scientific Secretary of the Indian Space Research Organisation Umamaheswaran R, Officiating Foreign Secretary of Bhutan Aum Pema Choden, Secretary of Ministry of Information and Communication Phuntsho Tobgay, and officials from the Ministry of External Affairs.
India@75 Art Competition held in collaboration with Sherubtse College to commemorate the birth anniversary of the Third Druk Gyalpo
The Embassy of India organized an India@75 Art Competition to commemorate the birth anniversary of His Majesty the Third Druk Gyalpo, in collaboration with Sherubtse College, Royal University of Bhutan. The Third Druk Gyalpo, known as the ‘Father of Modern Bhutan’, was also the founder of Sherubtse College, Bhutan’s first tertiary educational institution, which was affiliated to the University of Delhi till the establishment of the Royal University of Bhutan. The India@75 Amrit Mahotsav art competition was launched in four categories amongst school and college students of Bhutan. While the primary category constituted Class PP – Class VI students of the schools in Kanglung Gewog, Trashigang; the secondary category witnessed competition amongst students of Grades 9-12 from schools located within the Trashigang Dzongkhag. College students from all colleges of the Royal University of Bhutan comprised the tertiary category and there was a special category for Draktsho students based at Kanglung.
India@75 Amrit Mahotsav celebrations – Virtual Tour of the Buddhist Circuit in India streamed by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India
As part of the ongoing India@75 Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, the Embassy of India, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, hosted a Virtual Tour of the Buddhist Circuit in India highlighting the eight iconic sites associated with the life of Lord Buddha. The Virtual Tour of the Buddhist Circuit is a celebration of the cultural and people-to-people linkages between India and Bhutan. The Virtual Tour was anchored by Dharmacharya Shantum Seth and also featured an intervention by Professor Ravindra Panth on the linkage between Nalanda and Bhutan. The event comprised a presentation and interactive session interspersed with slides, short films of Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Sravasti, Sankasya, Rajgir and Vaishali.
India@75: Synopsis of the India Week Activities
In collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, the Embassy of India will on this day host a Virtual Tour of the Buddhist Circuit in India highlighting the eight iconic sites associated with the life of Lord Buddha. The Tour will be anchored by Dharmacharya Shantum Seth and also feature an intervention by ProfessorRavindra Panthon the linkage between Nalanda and Bhutan. The event will comprise a presentation and interactive session interspersed with slides, short films of Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Sravasti, Sankasya, Rajgir andVaishali. The Tour would also cover Rewalsar in Himachal Pradesh, which is of particular interest to the people of Bhutan. The Virtual Tour would be broadcast by the National Broadcaster, Bhutan Broadcasting Service during prime time on BBS Television. To maintain the spirit of the Virtual Buddhist Tour, the Embassy is organizing an Inter Dzongkhag Quiz on Buddhism amongst Bhutanese school students from 21 schools located in every Dzongkhag (district) of Bhutan. The winning school team members will get to visit a Buddhist site of their choice (in India) sponsored by the Government of India. The other finalist teams will receive attractive prizes from the Embassy of India.
India @75: Celebration of the 6th Ayurveda Day in Bhutan, 2 November 2021
A Webinar on the theme ‘Ayurveda for Nutrition’ was hosted by the Embassy of India to celebrate Ayurveda Day on 2 November 2021 also known as the Dhanwantri Diwas-the birthday of Lord Dhanvantari who is regarded as the physician of the Gods.The Webinar was organized is active collaboration with the Department of Traditional Medicine Services of the Ministry of Health, Royal Government of Bhutan, as part of the #AmritMahotsav celebrations in Bhutan. Hon’ble Health Minister of Bhutan delivered the keynote address at this Webinar. Ambassador of India to Bhutan launched the virtual conference with her Opening Remarks. Mr. Pemba Wangchuk, Director General, Dr. Karma Ugyen from the Department of Traditional Medicine Services and Ms. Yeshey Lhaden spoke about the parallels between the system of traditional medicine in Bhutan and the practice of Ayurveda.
Re-opening of the India House Golf Club
On the 13th Coronation Anniversary of His Majesty the King of Bhutan, the India House Golf Course was reopened in a short ceremony. The Chief Guest for the function was the Foreign Minister of Bhutan and the Guest - of - Honour was Chief Operations Officer, Royal Bhutan Army. The function was attended by avid golfers of Bhutan. Speaking at the function, Ambassador spoke of how India House Golf Club has been a key centre for furthering Bhutan - India sporting links. The course has been closed since March 2020 due to the onset of COVID - 19 pandemic. During this period, the course underwent major renovations in its Greens, Fairways, and Club House. In keeping with the renewed facilities, a brand new India House Golf Club logo was also unveiled by Lyonpo Dr. Tandi Dorji. Ambassador of India to Bhutan announced that in the month of November 2021, the Embassy of India is organising the annual India House Golf Club Tournament to commemorate the Birth Anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan and the Coronation Day Ceremony of His Majesty the King. The Juniors segment of this Tournament will be held on 07 November 2021 and the Seniors Tournament will be held from 24 to 28 November 2021.
India House Golf Tournament 2021
The Juniors Segment of the India House Golf Club Tournament, organised annually to commemorate the coronation anniversary of His Majesty the King of Bhutan, was held on 7 November 2021. Thirty three young and avid golfers between the ages of 8 to18 participated in the tournament. All the winners will be handed over gifts during the prize distribution ceremony in December. Speaking at the event, Ambassador stated that the India House Golf Club has been a key centre for furthering Bhutan-India sporting and people to people links. The India House Golf Tournament is one of Bhutan’s most prestigious and anticipated sports events that provides an opportunity to avid golfers to enjoy golf and build friendships
India@75 Export Promotion of Electric Vehicles in Bhutan
Under the ambit of India@75 ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence, the Indian Embassy –in collaboration with the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India; the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI); the Society of Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM); and the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) – organised a virtual Buyer-Seller Meet on Thursday, 18 November2021between Indian exporters / manufacturers and Bhutanese importers / dealers to promote Indian electric vehicles (EVs) in Bhutan including two-wheelers, mid-sized passenger EVs, buses, and trucks. This virtual meeting was aimed at expanding the presence of Indian-manufactured electric vehicles in Bhutan. The event included an interactive business networking session with participation from leading Indian electric vehicle manufacturers including Ashok Leyland Ltd., Bajaj Auto Ltd., Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL), Hero Electric Vehicles Pvt. Ltd., Hero MotoCorp Ltd., Jaguar Land Rover India, Kabira Mobility Pvt. Ltd., Kinetic Green Power Solutions Ltd., Mahindra &Mahindra Ltd., Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., Olectra Greentech Ltd., PiaggioVehicles Pvt. Ltd., Stellantis India, Tata Motors Ltd., TVS Motor Company Ltd., etc. and interested Bhutanese importers and dealers including Bhutan Hyundai Motors, Changlo Motors, Dhejung Honda, Hung Motors, Karjung Motors, Kee Dee Motors, Kia Bhutan, Samden Suzuki bikes, Seothog EV,Singye Agencies, Tara Ford Motors, Thunder Motors, Yangki, Zimdra, etc
India@75 Amrit Mahotsav Inter-Dzongkhag Quiz on Buddhism
In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Royal Government of Bhutan and the Bhutan Broadcasting Service, the Embassy of India organized an Inter-Dzongkhag Quiz on Buddhism amongst school students of Bhutan. The Quiz on Buddhism was a sequel to the India @75 Virtual Tour of the Buddhist Circuit in India hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Embassy of India on 26 October 2021. The Preliminary Round of the Quiz was held on a digital platform, with 15 multiple-choice questions to be answered by the participating school teams. The first prize for the top scoring team in the Final Round of the Quiz will be a 5-day all expenses paid tour to two Buddhist sites in India, sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
India@75 Export Promotion of Tea & Coffee in Bhutan
Under the ambit of India@75 ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence, the Indian Embassy –in collaboration with Tea Board India; Coffee Board India; Indian Tea Association(ITA); Tea Coffee Association (TCA), India; Indian Chamber of International Business (ICIB); and Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) –organised a virtual Buyer-Seller Meet on 25 November 2021 between Indian exporters and Bhutanese importers to promote Indian tea and coffee in Bhutan. This virtual meeting is aimed at expanding India’s exports of tea and coffee to Bhutan. Through this meeting and subsequent interactions, the Indian side should be able to penetrate the Bhutanese market better for mutual benefit of both sides.
India House Golf Tournament 2021 - Prize Distribution
The Prize Distribution Ceremony for the India House Golf Tournament 2021 was held at the Embassy of India, Thimphu. The Chief Guest of the function was HRH Dasho Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck. The event was also attended by Dasho Palden Y. Thinley, Dasho Ugen Junay Wangchuck as well as Lyonpo Tandi Dorji, Foreign Minister of Bhutan, and Lt. General Batoo Tshering, Chief Operations Officer of the Royal Bhutan Army. The India House Golf Tournament is held annually since 1995 to mark the auspicious birth anniversary celebrations of the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. A Juniors Category is also held alongside the main tournament to celebrate the Coronation Ceremony of His Majesty the King of Bhutan. This year, the Juniors Tournament was held on 07 November 2021 and the Main Tournament was held from 24 to 28 November 2021.To promote the sport of golf among young and upcoming golfers, 10 amateur players participated under the ‘Amateur Category’. The category winners are Dechen Dorji and Nim Dorji Tamang. The Champion of the India House Golf Tournament 2021 is Tshering Dorji Rai, who takes home a cash prize of Nu. 250,000. The over all gross winner of the tournament Budha Singh Tamang won a cash prize of Nu. 150,000.
Mahaparinirvana Diwas
On the occasion of 66th death anniversary of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, Government of India will celebrate Mahaparinirvana Divas on 6 December 2021 as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. In line with the original spirit of the famous slogan "Baba Saheb Amar Rahe", cultural programmes will be held at Sansad Bhawan, Dr. Ambedkar International Center, Panchteerth sites associated with Babasaheb, and other locations such as Ambavade, Symbiosis International University, Pune, Ambedkar Bhawans, and Ambedkar Parks to pay tribute to Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar on the occasion of his 66th death anniversary.Babasaheb was regarded as a Buddhist guru because of his great influence in India to eradicating the social scourge of untouchability. Ambedkar's admirers and followers believe he was as influential as Lord Buddha, which is why his death anniversary is celebrated as Mahaparinirvana Divas.
Announcement of the award of the Ambassador’s Scholarship (2021-2022)
The Embassy of India is pleased to announce the award of the Ambassador’s Scholarship 2021-2022 for self-financing Bhutanese students who are enrolled and pursuing education in Indian colleges, institutes and universities. All Bhutanese students who met the eligibility criteria for the Ambassador’s Scholarship have been granted the Scholarship and the complete list of recipients of the Ambassador’s Scholarship may be seen on the website of the Embassy of India, Thimphu.A special programme was held at the India House Estate on 29 November 2021 which was attended by several Thimphu-based recipients of the Ambassador’s Scholarship.