Penn State Alumnus to Lead Bhutan
Bhutan, the world's newest democracy, will be led by College of the Liberal Arts alumnus Jigmi Y.
Thinley, who received a master's degree in public administration in 1976. Thinley is expected to become prime minister because of his position as leader of the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) or Bhutan United Party, which captured the majority of seats in Bhutan’s first ever democratic election in March. Thinley is a two-time former premier under the previous royal governments, but this government will be the first under a constitutional monarchy. Bhutan is a small country located in the Himalayas and bordered by India and Tibet.
A Penn State Alumni Fellow, Thinley is one of the architects of Bhutan’s efforts to measure its growth and prosperity in terms of happiness, a system he calls Gross National Happiness. The measurement includes Gross National Product, among other considerations, as the country attempts to maintain a balance between material and spiritual development.
Thinley came to Penn State in 1974 and studied with Robert LaPorte, professor of public administration and political science. After graduation he returned to Bhutan to serve in the Ministry of Development. In 1998, when the King of Bhutan decided to relinquish power to an elected council of ministers with a rotational head-of-government system, Jigmi became the first Head of Government and Minister of Foreign Affairs. This role required him to represent Bhutan to the United Nations, a job he has held since 1988.