May, 2010
Nation observes Buddha Parinirvana
May 27: Bhutan observed the Buddha Parinirvana or the Duechen-Nga-Zom today. It was on this day that Buddha was conceived, born, subdued evil, gained enlightenment and attained Nirvana. Here in Thimphu, the day was marked at the Tashichhodzong. The sun today was encircled by a rainbow, which is considered an ... [more]
Buddha Air to operate from July
Bhutanese wanting to fly from Paro to Kathmandu in Nepal and back will soon have an option of taking another airline besides the National Airline, Drukair. The 19 seater 1900D Buddha Air, a privately operated airline based in Nepal, made a test flight to Paro earlier today. According to the Director of ... [more]
Documentary on GNH wins Emmys
25 May, 2010 - The documentary Bhutan: Taking the Middle Path to Happiness by Tom Vendetti (a Hawaii based producer, director, cinematographer and editor) was awarded two Emmys at the 39th annual northern California area Emmy awards on May 18. The documentary won in the historical/cultural program/special category; and the ... [more]
Opening up to private prospectors
Exploration no longer to be a government preserve Mineral Development Policy 25 May, 2010 - Prospective Bhutanese miners will be allowed to do their own exploration or ‘prospecting’, according to the draft Mineral Development Policy that has now been distributed to the business community for feedback. This is seen as a ... [more]
Canadian mission in Bhutan
High powered delegation on a listen and learn assignment Business 25 May, 2010 - Call it mere coincidence or meticulous planning. Barely three days after the government released the revised foreign direct investment (FDI) policy, representatives of world-renowned business companies from Canada are in the country on a “business mission.” Calling it ... [more]
Engaging the idea of a GNH centre
In the woods: PM inspects location for the GNH center 24 May, 2010 - The prime minister, Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley, spent several hours last Saturday morning, May 23, in the blue pine forests of Chokhor Toe, Bumthang, inspecting a possible location to establish a Gross National Happiness (GNH) centre. “Although ... [more]
PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT
The three days workshop for conceptual framework development for the second Bhutan Environment Outlook (BEO) Report ended yesterday. The workshop was held at Namgay Heritage and organized by the National Environment Commission (NEC) in collaboration with the United Nations development program (UNDP) country office, Bhutan. The first BEO was produced in ... [more]
OF WOMEN AND WRITERS
Kunzang Choden, the first Bhutanese woman to write a novel in English, and Urvashi Butalia, co-founder of India’s first feminist publishing house, during a mutual dialogue in the literary festival, talked on women, their place in society as writers, feminism and female portrayal by the media. “The silence of women in ... [more]
ANOTHER MILESTONE: THIMPHU TECH PARK
The groundbreaking ceremony and foundation laying ceremony of Bhutan’s first IT Park was held yesterday at the project site in Serbithang by His Excellency Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley along with Lyonpo Nandalal Rai, Lyonpo Thakur Singh Powdyel, Lyonpo Dorji Wangdi and dignitaries from the World Bank (WB), Assetz property group ... [more]
“Be yourself and be honest to yourself”
Iconic Indian poet, lyricist, filmmaker and writer, Gulzar, who is in the country for Mountain Echoes, the literary festival, talked to Kuensel about poetry, art and its importance to humanity 19 May, 2010 - What does Gulzar mean? I have cut, subtracted, added, divided and I’ve just this name – Gulzar. There ... [more]