A King of the People
During many of my visits to Bhutan as Chairman of the German Ngo ‘Pro Bhutan Association’, I have enjoyed the great honour and privilege to be received by His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck.His Majesty always graced our work in Bhutan and showed great interest in our humanitarian projects in rural health and education of disabled children, proving his care for and unrelenting commitment to the less privileged groups of Bhutanese people.
The audience His Majesty was so generous to grant my wife Angelika and me at the occasion of our marriage in 1999 turned out to be a wonderful experience.
It was His Majesty’s weekly ‘open day’ for Bhutanese citizens of any walk of life. His Majesty received one person after another: an elderly peasant woman, bent by hard work in the fields, a desperate shopkeeper, a hopeful student, a young pregnant lady, a hesitant civil servant. Once in front of His Majesty, who received them standing, it seemed that, after performing their correct reverence and greeting ritual, they were petrified by their won audacity to approach their sovereign.
But His Majesty, slightly bowing his head to his Bhutanese subjects, radiated such natural friendliness, such benign and personal interest, that, seeing his caring smile, hearing his encouraging welcome, the shyness fell from the shoulders of the humble visitors like a heavy chain cloak. And they then felt free to submit to His Majesty their grievances or wishes. His Majesty listened attentively, asked one or two questions and gave his verdict or recommendation. Sometimes, His Majesty gave immediate orders to an ADC to follow up the case.
Witnessing the happy smile, the shining eyes, the exuberant gratefulness of the Bhutanese citizens taking reluctant leave of their beloved King, we were deeply touched: His Majesty thus gave proof that he was a real King of the people, and inspired life, also in this extraordinary way. His very own project of enhancing the ‘Gross National Happiness‘ of his people in contrast to the ‘golden calf’ of ‘Gross National Product’ is now venerated everywhere in the world. We asked ourselves: where would there be another head of state with such a personal interest in his subjects and who shows such care for the well-being of his citizens?
Herald N. Nestroy
German Ambassador (retired)
Executive Chairman, Pro Bhutan Association
2007
Source: The Legacy of a King