Jigmi Y. Thinley, born in Bhutan in 1952, holds the distinction of being Bhutan’s first democratically elected Prime Minister, serving from 2008 to 2013. He pursued higher education at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University, earning an honors degree, and later obtained a Master’s degree in public administration from Pennsylvania State University in 1976.
Mr. Thinley represented Bhutan as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in New York and Geneva, serving as Ambassador to the EU and several European countries. His career culminated in appointments as Foreign Minister and Home Minister before being appointed Prime Minister by the King for two single-year terms in 1998 and 2003. After Bhutan’s transition to a multiparty democracy, Prime Minister Thinley founded a liberal political party and formed the country’s first democratically elected government.
Central to Prime Minister Thinley’s leadership is his advocacy for Gross National Happiness, a holistic development philosophy integral to Bhutan’s national policies since the 1970s. In 2012, he organized a successful ‘High-Level Meeting’ at the UN Headquarters in New York on ‘Wellbeing and Happiness: Defining a New Economic Paradigm’. This initiative led to Bhutan spearheading the UN General Assembly resolution declaring March 20 as the International Day of Happiness.
Under Mr. Thinley’s stewardship, Bhutan actively engaged in international dialogues on sustainable development. His government committed to maintaining carbon neutrality at COP 15 in Copenhagen and hosted the “Climate Summit for a Living Himalayas” in 2011, highlighting Bhutan’s proactive stance on environmental conservation.
Mr. Thinley is a recipient of many national and international awards including his country’s highest civilian decoration. He is a member of the Club de Madrid, Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, patron of Save the Asian Elephants, and member of the Global Leadership Council for Water and Sanitation for All.
