Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck

Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck (born 22 December 1957) is a Queen Mother (Gyalyum) of Bhutan and the second of the four queens of His Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo. She married the King in 1979 alongside her three sisters, all of whom became co-queens. Since the voluntary abdication of the Fourth King in 2006, she has held the title of Queen Mother and has focused her public work on youth development and education.^[1]

Ashi Tshering Pem is the second of four daughters of Yab Dasho Ugyen Dorji (1925–2019), the founder of Ugyen Academy, and Yum Thuiji Zam (born 1932). All four sisters — Ashi Dorji Wangmo (first queen), Ashi Tshering Pem (second queen), Ashi Tshering Yangdon (third queen), and Ashi Sangay Choden (fourth queen) — married King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. Their brother, Sangay Ngedup, served as Prime Minister of Bhutan. The four queens have been widely regarded as pillars of national service, each channelling her public role into distinct areas of social development.^[2]

Ashi Tshering Pem serves as co-chairman of the Bhutan Foundation and as president of the Bhutan Youth Development Foundation, through which she has advanced programmes in education and youth empowerment across the country.^[3]

Early Life and Education

Ashi Tshering Pem was born on 22 December 1957 in the village of Nobgang in the Punakha district of western Bhutan. She grew up in a family with deep connections to Bhutanese rural life and public service. She received her education at St. Joseph's Convent in Kalimpong and St. Helen's School in Kurseong, India, institutions in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal that were attended by several members of the Bhutanese elite during the mid-twentieth century.^[4]

Marriage and Family

Ashi Tshering Pem married King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1979. The four sisters married the King privately in 1979, with a public ceremony held on 31 October 1988 at the Dechog Lhakhang in Punakha Dzong, on the Buddhist holiday of Lhabab Duchen. As the second queen, Ashi Tshering Pem assumed public responsibilities alongside her sisters, each focusing on distinct areas of national service.^[5]

She has three children with the Fourth King:

Princess Ashi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck (born 10 January 1980)
Princess Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck (born 23 January 1982)
Prince Dasho Ugyen Jigme Wangchuck (born 11 November 1994)

^[6]

Role as Queen and Queen Mother

During the reign of the Fourth King, Ashi Tshering Pem played a significant role in the social and cultural life of Bhutan. She accompanied the King on tours throughout the country, engaging with citizens in remote communities and gaining an understanding of the challenges facing rural Bhutanese society.

After the Fourth King's historic voluntary abdication in favour of his son, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in December 2006, Ashi Tshering Pem transitioned into the role of Queen Mother. The abdication marked the country's shift from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. As Queen Mother, she has continued to represent the royal family at ceremonial functions, religious observances, and diplomatic engagements.^[7]

Youth Development and Education

Ashi Tshering Pem has focused much of her public work on youth development and education. As president of the Bhutan Youth Development Foundation, she has championed programmes that support young Bhutanese in accessing educational opportunities and developing leadership skills. She also serves as co-chairman of the Bhutan Foundation, which supports community-based development and cultural preservation initiatives.^[8]

In 2023, Ashi Tshering Pem received the Champion of Rising Leaders Award from Teton Science Schools in recognition of her dedication to youth education. In 2025, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from Murdoch University, Australia.^[9]

Legacy

Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck's legacy is intertwined with the transformation of Bhutan from an isolated Himalayan kingdom into a modern constitutional monarchy. As a Queen Mother, she has served as a bridge between two eras of Bhutanese governance. Her commitment to youth welfare, education, and her dignified public presence have earned her widespread respect both within Bhutan and internationally. Her work aligns with Bhutan's broader development philosophy of Gross National Happiness, which emphasises social equity and well-being alongside economic growth.

References

Contributed by BhutanWiki Editorial