Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the Order of the Druk Gyalpo, Bhutan’s highest civilian decoration, by His Majesty the King of Bhutan in a public ceremony at the Tendrelthang in Thimphu.
Notably, PM Modi has become the first foreign leader to be given this prestigious award.
His Majesty the King of Bhutan announced the conferment of the award during Bhutan’s 114th National Day celebrations held at Thimphu in December 2021.
The award recognizes PM Modi’s contribution to strengthening India-Bhutan friendship and his people-centric leadership. The citation added that the award also honors India’s rise as a global power under his leadership, and celebrates Bhutan’s special bond with India. PM Modi’s leadership has set India on the path of transformation, and India’s moral authority and global influence have grown.
Prime Minister underlined that the award was an honor bestowed on the 1.4 billion people of Bharat and a testament to the special and unique ties between the two countries.
As per ranking and precedence established, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honor system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations, and medals.
Earlier today, PM Modi and H.E. Tshering Tobgay inaugurated the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital, a state-of-the-art hospital, built with the assistance of the Government of India in Thimphu.
The Government of India has supported the development of the 150 - bedded Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital in two phases. The first phase of the Hospital was constructed at a cost of Rs. 22 Crores and is operational since 2019. The construction of the second phase was taken up in 2019, as part of the 12th Five Year Plan at a cost of Rs. 119 Crores, and was completed now.
The newly constructed Hospital would add value to the quality of mother and child health services in Bhutan. The new facility will house state-of-the-art facilities for Pediatrics, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Anesthesiology, Operation Theatre, Neonatal Intensive Care and Pediatric Intensive Care.
