Lotay Tshering[3] (Dzongkha: བློ་གྲོས་ཚེ་རིང་; born 10 May 1969) is a Bhutanese politician and surgeon[4] who was the prime minister of Bhutan,[5][6] in office from 7 November 2018 to 1 November 2023. He has also been the president of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa since 14 May 2018.[7][8]

Lotay Tshering
བློ་གྲོས་ཚེ་རིང་
Tshering in 2023
Prime Minister of Bhutan
In office
7 November 2018 – 1 November 2023
MonarchJigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Preceded byTshering Wangchuk (as Chief Advisor)
Succeeded byChogyal Dago Rigdzin (as Chief Advisor)
President of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa
Assumed office
14 May 2018
DeputySherab Gyaltshen
Preceded byTandi Dorji
Member of the National Assembly of Bhutan
Assumed office
31 October 2018
Preceded byYeshi Zimba
ConstituencySouth Thimphu
Majority3,662
Personal details
Born (1969-05-10) 10 May 1969 (age 55)
Political partyDruk Nyamrup Tshogpa
SpouseUgyen Dema
Children3 (two adopted)[1]
Alma materMymensingh Medical College (MBBS)[2]
Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons (FCPS)[2]
University of Canberra (MBA)
Signature

Early life and education

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Tshering was born on 10 May 1969,[9][10] in a humble family.[1] He hails from Dalukha village, Mewang Gewog, Thimphu.[11]

He received his early education from Punakha High School and graduated from Sherubtse College.[1] He graduated from Mymensingh Medical College under the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and received a degree of MBBS in 2001.[1][12] He completed his post-graduate education in surgery (FCPS)[13] from the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons and MS from BSMMU[14] in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[2][12] In 2007, he studied urology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, the US, under his World Health Organization fellowship. Upon his return to Bhutan, he was the only practicing trained urologist in his country. In 2010, he obtained a fellowship in endourology at Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, and Okayama University, Japan.[15] He received a Master of Business Administration degree from University of Canberra, Australia in 2014.[15]

Personal life

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Lotay Tshering is married to a doctor, Ugyen Dema.[16] The couple has one daughter and one son (Garab Lotey). During his tenure in Mongar Regional Referral Hospital, he adopted one girl and one boy.[1] Tshering speaks several languages, including Dzongkha, Lotshamkha, Bengali and English.

Professional career

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Tshering served as a consultant surgeon in JDWNRH and Mongar Regional Referral Hospital,[17] and was also served as a consultant urologist in JDWNRH for 11 years.[15]

After the payment of about Nu. 6.2 million to the Royal Civil Service Commission, he resigned from the JDWNRH as a urologist to join politics in 2013.

Political career

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Tshering contested the 2013 National Assembly Election but his party was knocked out in the primary round.[17]

On 14 May 2018, Tshering received 1,155 votes and was elected as the president of the Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT) just five months before the Third National Assembly Election.[18]

He was elected to the National Assembly of Bhutan as a candidate of DNT from South Thimphu constituency in 2018 Bhutanese National Assembly election. He received 3,662 votes, defeating Kinley Tshering, a candidate of DPT.[19] His party won largest number of seats in the 2018 National Assembly Election, bringing Tshering to premiership[20] and Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa into government for the first time.[21]

Prime minister

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On 7 November 2018, he replaced Tshering Tobgay and was sworn in as the third democratically elected prime minister of Bhutan.[22][23][24]

On 27 December 2018, he arrived in India for a three-day visit on his first foreign trip after assuming the office.[25][26]

On 13 April 2019, he arrived in Bangladesh on an official visit[27] and subsequently on 24 March 2021, on behalf of His Majesty to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh's independence.

Cabinet

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Tshering announced his 10 cabinet ministers on 3 November 2018.[28]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "The persuasive president – KuenselOnline". www.kuenselonline.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Be a good human being to become a good doctor: Bhutanese PM". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 15 April 2019. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  3. ^ "12 Things To Know About Bhutan's New Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering". dailybhutan.com. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  4. ^ Ellis-Petersen, Hannah (10 May 2019). "'I like to operate': Bhutan's PM spends weekends as a surgeon". The Guardian – via www.theguardian.com.
  5. ^ "Dr Lotay Tshering is the prime minister candidate". www.kuenselonline.com. 23 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Narendra Modi congratulates newly elected PM of Bhutan". Hindustan Times. 19 October 2018.
  7. ^ "DNT elects Dr. Lotay Tshering as President and Dasho Sherub Gyeltshen as Vice President - BBS". BBS. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Ready to lead DNT, says Dr Lotay Tshering – KuenselOnline". www.kuenselonline.com. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Dr Lotay Tshering". www.facebook.com.
  10. ^ "Bhutan 2018 Elections". www.peldendrukpa.com.
  11. ^ "DNT cannot be stronger than 2018's team".
  12. ^ a b "MMCH accords reception to its ex-student Bhutanese PM". The Financial Express. 14 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  13. ^ "Welcome back!". 14 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Lotay Tshering joins Pahela Baishakh celebration, says Bangladesh is his 'second home'". bdnews24.com. 14 April 2019. Archived from the original on 15 April 2023.
  15. ^ a b c d e f "11 Things To Know About Bhutan's New Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering". bhutantimes.com.
  16. ^ "Dr. Ugyen Dema, spouse of Prime Minister of Bhutan, visited Shinepukur Ceramics". The Financial Express. 14 April 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2019.
  17. ^ a b Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy (20 October 2018). "Centre-left DNT win may strengthen India-Bhutan relations". The Economic Times.
  18. ^ "DNT elects Dr. Lotay Tshering as President and Dasho Sherub Gyeltshen as Vice President". 14 May 2018.
  19. ^ "North and South Thimphu ayes for DNT – KuenselOnline". Kuenselonline.com. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
  20. ^ "DNT confirms Dr Lotay Tshering as its PM nominee". 23 October 2018.
  21. ^ "Bhutan chooses new party to form government". Times of India.
  22. ^ "Dr Lotay Tshering sworn in as Bhutan's new prime minister". The New Indian Express. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  23. ^ "Lotay Tshering sworn in as Bhutan's new prime minister – Xinhua | English.news.cn". Xinhuanet.com. 8 November 2018. Archived from the original on 7 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  24. ^ "New PM's Cabinet inaugurated in Bhutan". English.kyodonews.net. 8 November 2018. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  25. ^ "Maiden foreign tour: Bhutan PM Lotay Tshering arrives in India". 27 December 2018.
  26. ^ "Bhutanese PM Lotay Tshering arrives in India on maiden foreign visit". WION. 28 December 2018.
  27. ^ "We Are Landlocked But Our Minds Are Open: Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering Of Bhutan". dailybhutan.com. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  28. ^ "Bhutan's Newly Elected Prime Minister Lotay Tshering Unveiled The 10 Cabinet Ministers on 3 November 2018". www.bhutantimes.com.
  29. ^ "His Majesty confers Dakyen to PM, appoints ministers and grants Orange Kabney to Speaker, OL - BBS". 7 November 2018.
  30. ^ His Majesty confers Lungmar Scarf and Red Scarves
Political offices
Preceded by Prime Minister of Bhutan
2018–present
Incumbent
Party political offices
Preceded by President of Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa
2018–present
Incumbent