This small boy from a poor and remote village in Zhemgang didn’t have very lofty dreams. He just wanted to be a teacher. But fate had different plans.
The popular prayer captain from school to college grew up to become Bhutan’s first minister from Zhemgang. He is the labor minister, Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi, the country’s youngest minister in the cabinet.
But the journey was tough. His school was half-a-day walk from his house. So he stayed with his uncle and aunt to complete primary schooling. But they gave him the parental warmth.
Lyonpo was a prayer captain for 12 years. Old practices die hard. The labor minister is a very spiritual person. He belonged to a family of lay monks. Those days, his father was an anti- smoking campaigner in the village, giving money to those who didn’t smoke. But unfortunately the prayer captain was caught smoking one day by his father and that moment he was taught the lesson of a life time. He has never smoked since.
He grew up reading Buddhist texts, but wanted to learn English grammar. When he went to Sarpang High School, one of his seniors gave him an English grammar text, which minister said helped him better his English. Along with learning English, he also wore trousers from the first time when in Sarpang. In June 1994, Lyonpo graduated from Sherubtshe College with a degree in Commerce. Then he decided to take on with his dream to be a teacher but his friends pursued him do the Royal Civil Service Commission exam( RCSC) and that was another major decision that shaped him into being what he is now. After the exam he started working at the planning commission.
The then planning commissioner had won medals for academic performance and for an international English essay writing competition. After working as the planning secretary for five years, in 1999, he went to Philippines for a short training with full scholarship, but the government pressured him to come back and work.
The 42-year-old minister, before resigning to join politics served as the deputy cabinet secretary for seven years with the credit of not taking a single leave during the tenure. He mentioned that his experience had taught him fairly well of the how the government functions.
To the young who wish to be future leaders, he stressed on honesty and commitment to what one takes up. “One don’t have to be extraordinary or extremely talented,” he said.
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