{"id":5292,"date":"2024-12-17T12:49:39","date_gmt":"2024-12-17T07:04:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/?p=5292"},"modified":"2024-12-27T05:49:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-27T00:04:29","slug":"assam-chief-minister-joins-bhutans-national-day-celebration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/?p=5292","title":{"rendered":"Assam Chief Minister Joins Bhutan\u2019s National Day Celebration"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Rinzin Wangchuk<\/strong><\/p>\n

THIMPHU, Bhutan \u2014<\/strong> For the first time, the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, is attending Bhutan\u2019s National Day celebrations as a state guest. The 117th National Day, commemorating the coronation of Bhutan\u2019s first king in 1907, will be marked with grand festivities at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu on December 17.<\/p>\n

Mr. Sarma, accompanied by his wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, and senior officials from Assam\u2019s government, arrived in Bhutan on December 16. He was received at Paro International Airport by Bhutan\u2019s Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, D.N. Dhungyel, the Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, and senior government officials.<\/p>\n

The visit, at the invitation of Bhutan\u2019s government, is scheduled to run through December 19 and includes an audience with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Bhutan\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade described the visit as a historic milestone in the ties between Assam and Bhutan. \u201cThis visit will further strengthen the warm, historical bonds of friendship and foster closer relations between Bhutan and the State of Assam in India,\u201d the ministry stated.<\/p>\n

The Chief Minister\u2019s visit builds on deepening ties between Assam and Bhutan. Last year, His Majesty The King made his first official visit to Assam, underscoring the importance of relations along the two nations\u2019 267-kilometer shared border.<\/p>\n

A Day of National Unity\"\"<\/h3>\n

Bhutan\u2019s National Day marks the coronation of Sir Ugyen Wangchuck as the first hereditary king on December 17, 1907. His ascension established the Wangchuck dynasty, ushering in an era of stability and prosperity. The day has since become an occasion for national reflection and gratitude.<\/p>\n

Festivities began early, with residents of Thimphu lining up outside Changlimithang Stadium as early as 6 pm. on the eve of December 17 to secure spots for the celebration. His Majesty the King\u2019s address to the nation will be broadcast live at 9 am.<\/p>\n

Among those in attendance is Ten Tshering, 81, who served during the reign of Bhutan\u2019s third king. \u201cI am old now. I don\u2019t know if I will be able to attend next year,\u201d he told the Bhutan\u2019s National Newspaper Kuensel<\/em>. \u201cMy wish is to see our kings, pray for their well-being, and for the betterment of our country.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Sonam Choden, a mother of three, the National Day represents a moment to honor Bhutan\u2019s past and pledge commitment to its future. \u201cIt\u2019s a day to express gratitude to our forefathers for handing over a strong, sovereign nation,\u201d she said. \u201cIt reminds us of our responsibility to serve Bhutan to the best of our abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Strengthening Cross-Border Ties\"\"<\/h3>\n

Bhutan\u2019s relationship with India, particularly with Assam, has long been marked by collaboration and cultural ties. The Chief Minister\u2019s visit underscores the importance of regional partnerships, especially for communities living along the porous border.<\/p>\n

Upon arriving in Thimphu, Mr. Sarma called on Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay. The Chief Minister also launched the \u201cAdvantage Assam 2.0\u201d roadshow series in Thimphu, marking a significant milestone in the deepening friendship between Bhutan and Assam.<\/p>\n

In his remarks at the launch, Prime Minister Tobgay expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister, the Government of Assam, and the Government of India for this meaningful gesture, particularly as Bhutan prepared to celebrate National Day on December 17.<\/p>\n

The Prime Minister also underscored the close bond between Bhutan and Assam, a relationship rooted in trust, respect, and mutual benefit. He highlighted the immense opportunities that Advantage Assam 2.0 presents, not only for Assam but also for Bhutan and the region.<\/p>\n

With the recent opening of the Darranga Integrated Checkpost, Bhutan and Assam have taken another step toward stronger relations and closer people-to-people connections. Initiatives like these pave the way for enhanced collaboration, shared growth, and prosperity for both sides.<\/p>\n

Observers see the visit as an opportunity to deepen engagement on trade, environmental conservation, and cross-border connectivity, ensuring that the historic bond between Bhutan and Assam continues to flourish.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Rinzin Wangchuk THIMPHU, Bhutan \u2014 For the first time, the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, is attending Bhutan\u2019s National Day celebrations as a state guest. The 117th National Day, commemorating the coronation of Bhutan\u2019s first king in 1907, will be marked with grand festivities at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu on December 17. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5293,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5292","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newspaper"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/IMG-20241217-WA0002.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5292","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5292"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5292\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5299,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5292\/revisions\/5299"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5293"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5292"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5292"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5292"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}