Agency: In 2006, when His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo travelled across the country to personally speak to the people about Bhutan’s transition to democracy, every gathering became a moment of profound emotion and inspiration. For many Bhutanese, those words were more than a royal message, they were a call to take responsibility for the nation’s future.
Among the thousands who gathered to hear His Majesty’s historic announcement was a young woman from Paro, then only 26 years old.
Today, she is known as Sangay Lhamo the Gup of Shaba Gewog, Paro. Nearly two decades later, she still remembers that day at Paro NIE College as if it were yesterday.
“His Majesty said he would be handing over the country to its people by forming democracy, and stepping down from the throne for his son. People were weeping, pleading to him that it was still early for democracy and that we are content with monarchy. But His Majesty told us that Bhutanese are capable, and that each of us must take responsibility. Those words instantly courage me,” Gup Sangay Lhamo said.
It was a message that would quietly shape the rest of her life.
When democracy was introduced in 2008 and Bhutan’s first Local Government elections began to take form in 2011, Sangay found herself returning again and again to His Majesty’s words.
Further encouraged by the Election Commission’s advocacy for women’s participation and guided by that inner voice of duty, she decided to take part.
“I wanted to serve, but I also wanted to live up to His Majesty’s faith in his people,” she said.
She first contested for the position of Mangmi, narrowly losing by a few votes, yet the experience only strengthened her resolve.
When her chiwog lacked a candidate for Tshogpa, she stood up again, this time winning by a landslide.
Despite her successful tenure as Tshogpa, Sangay’s journey was far from easy. When her five-year term ended in 2016, she once again decided to contest, this time for the post of Gup. Backed by strong community support and encouraged by her earlier experience, she entered the race with optimism.
