Jigme Palden Dorji

Dasho Jigme Palden Dorji (14 December 1919[1] – 6 April 1964)[2] was a Bhutanese politician and member of the Dorji family. By marriage, he was also a member of the House of Wangchuck.[3]

Dasho Jigme Palden Dorji
1st Prime Minister of Bhutan
In office 1952 – 6 April 1964
Monarch	Jigme Dorji
Preceded by	Position Established
Succeeded by	Jigme Thinley
Personal details
Born	(1919-12-14)14 December 1919 Bhutan House, Kalimpong, India
Died	6 April 1964(1964-04-06) (aged 44) Phuntsoling Guesthouse, Bhutan
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	Ashi Tsering Yangzom
Children	4 (inc. Paljor Dorji)
Parents	Sonam Topgay Dorji Chuni Wangmo

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.[4]

Appointed Chief Minister (Gongzim) in 1952, he became the first man to hold the title Prime Minister of Bhutan (Lyonchen). This followed the upgrading of the old position in 1958 as part of a wider series of reforms by Jigme Dorji Wangchuck.[5] As brother-in-law of the Dragon King of Bhutan Dorji helped to drive the king's modernisation policies. 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.[5]

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

References

1. Bhutan, 100 Years of Wangchuck Vision. Written by Shubhi Sood
2. Lindsay Brown, Bradley Mayhew, Stan Armington, Richard Whitecross, Bhutan, 2007, p. 40
3. BHUTAN (Kingdom) Archived 2009-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
4. "Grooming of the Father of Modern Bhutan". Archived from the original on 2009-07-09. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
5. Modernization under Jigme Dorji, 1952-72

Political offices
Preceded by office created	Prime Minister of Bhutan 1952–1964	Succeeded by Lhendup Dorji Acting