Jigme Palden Dorji

Prime Minister of Bhutan
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroPrime Minister of Bhutan
PlacesBhutan
wasPolitician
Work fieldPolitics
Gender
Male
Birth1 January 1919, Bhutan House
Death6 April 1964Phuntsholing (aged 45 years)
The details

Biography

Dasho (Lord) Jigme Palden Dorji (1919 – 6 April 1964) was a Bhutanese politician and member of the Dorji family. By marriage, he was also a member of the House of Wangchuck.

The brother-in-law of Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, Dorji was close to his kinsman and accompanied the future king when he lived in the United Kingdom in 1950.

Appointed Chief Minister (Gongzim) in 1952, he became the first man to hold the title Prime Minister of Bhutan (Lonchen). This followed the upgrading of the old position in 1958 as part of a wider series of reforms by Jigme Dorji Wangchuck. As brother-in-law of the Dragon King of Bhutan Dorji helped to drive the king's modernisation polices. However his reforms antagonised both the military and the religious institutions leading to a corporal in the army assassinating him in April 1964. Namgyal Bahadur, head of the Royal Bhutan Army, was amongst those executed for the murder plot.

Honours

  • King Mahendra Investiture Medal (Kingdom of Nepal, 2 May 1956).

    Ancestry

    Ancestors of Jigme Palden Dorji
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    16. Pala Gyeltshen
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    8. Sherpa Puchung, Dzongpon
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    17. a Lady from Tsento, Paro
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    4. Raja Ugyen Dorji
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    9. Tsherim, a Lady from Tsento, Paro
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    2. Raja Sonam Tobgye Dorji
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    1. Jigme Palden Dorji
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    24. Tenzing Namgyal, 6th Maharaja of Sikkim
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    12. Tsugphud Namgyal, 7th Maharaja of Sikkim
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    25. Anyo Karwang
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    6. Sir Thutob Namgyal, 9th Maharaja of Sikkim
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    13. Maharani Menchi
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    3. Rani Mayum Chonying Wangmo Dorji
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    14. Shiafe Uthok, of the Lhading House of Lhasa
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    7. Yeshay Dolma
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
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