{"id":5808,"date":"2025-11-01T13:45:39","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T08:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/?p=5808"},"modified":"2025-11-01T14:00:02","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T08:15:02","slug":"bhutans-voice-in-the-digital-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/?p=5808","title":{"rendered":"Bhutan\u2019s voice in the Digital Age"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kokrajhar, Assam.\u00a0 \u201cA language that finds its voice in media will always find its place in society.\u201d With this reflection, Bhutan\u2019s representative reminded a gathering of scholars, linguists, and media experts that language and media are inseparable partners in shaping identity and preserving culture.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the International Seminar on the Dialogue of Languages and Media:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A Contemporary Perspective held in Kokrajhar, Assam, Bhutan shared its story \u2014 one of rich linguistic heritage facing the test of modern communication. The event was organised by the Centre for Bodo Studies and the Department of Bodo, Bodoland University, in collaboration with the Central Institute for Indian Languages, Mysuru.\"\"<\/span>The Bhutanese delegation, led by the Executive Director of the Journalists\u2019 Association of Bhutan (JAB), Rinzin Wangchuk, presented \u201cThe Dialogue of Language and Media: A Bhutanese Reflection\u201d, highlighting the delicate balance between Dzongkha, Bhutan\u2019s national language, and the growing dominance of English in the country\u2019s media landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is a great honour to be here in Assam \u2014 a state that beautifully represents linguistic richness and media vitality,\u201d he said. \u201cI was last here twelve years ago. Today, I share how Bhutan is negotiating its linguistic identity in a rapidly changing media environment.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A small country with many tongues<\/span>
\nBhutan\u2019s size belies its linguistic diversity. More than 19 dialects are spoken across its valleys and mountains. Dzongkha, codified and declared the national language in 1971 under the visionary leadership of His Majesty the Third Druk Gyalpo, Jigme Dorji Wangchuck, stands as a unifying force \u2014 a symbol of sovereignty and identity.\"\"<\/span>\u201cAll civil servants are required to use Dzongkha for official communication,\u201d the presenter said. \u201cBut outside the government offices and the Parliament, English dominates \u2014 especially in the media and digital spaces.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Media as the mirror of language:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Media, the presenter said, is where a language either thrives or fades. Newspapers, radio, and television once helped keep Dzongkha vibrant. Today, that role is shifting to social media \u2014 but the transition is uneven. Bhutan has only two Dzongkha newspapers left \u2014 Dzongkha Kuensel and Gyalchi Sershog \u2014 both struggling to survive.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMother language journalism in neighbouring countries like Nepal and India is thriving,\u201d he said. \u201cBut in Bhutan, vernacular journalism faces an uphill battle due to small readership and low commercial returns.\u201d Dzongkha Kuensel, Bhutan\u2019s first national language newspaper, began publication in 1965. After media liberalisation in 2006, several private Dzongkha papers were launched. Most closed within years due to financial constraints.<\/span>\u201cThis is not just about business,\u201d he said. \u201cIt is about how technology, language, and literacy intersect in Bhutan\u2019s communication landscape.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

English dominance in a digital Bhutan :<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The presenter acknowledged the advantages of English \u2014 a language that connects Bhutan to global conversations. Yet, it comes at a cost. On social media platforms where Bhutanese youth are most active, English has become the preferred medium. Dzongkha struggles online due to limited Unicode tools, poor keyboard support, and a shortage of digital content.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a language disappears from the media, it begins to fade from public consciousness,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen Dzongkha loses visibility in our newspapers and online spaces, it weakens its role in shaping national dialogue and identity.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Reviving Dzongkha through innovation<\/span>
\nThe Bhutanese reflection proposed a forward-looking path \u2014 one that blends tradition with technology.<\/span><\/p>\n

Four key strategies were outlined:<\/span>
\n* Incentivising Dzongkha content creation through grants, contests, and innovation funds.<\/span>
\n* Empowering young creators to produce podcasts, short videos, and digital stories in Dzongkha.<\/span>
\n* Strengthening digital tools such as fonts, input systems, and translation interfaces.<\/span>
\n* Promoting bilingualism by balancing Dzongkha and English in media content.\"\"<\/span><\/p>\n

Neighbouring examples, particularly from India and Nepal, show how local-language media can flourish with community participation and policy support. \u201cLanguage sustainability,\u201d the presenter said, \u201cdepends not on population size, but on innovation and intent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy own children struggle with Dzongkha\u201d <\/span>Adding to the Bhutanese perspective, Ugyen Penjor, Chief Executive Officer of Kuensel Corporation Limited, expressed concern over young Bhutanese distancing themselves from Dzongkha. \u201cEven my own children find it difficult to learn Dzongkha, though it is my native language,\u201d he said. \u201cThe majority of children prefer English because it is the medium of instruction in schools and colleges.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

While the government has policies to promote Dzongkha, implementation remains weak. \u201cThe prime minister has even issued an executive order requiring institutions to conduct meetings in Dzongkha,\u201d he said. \u201cBut English still dominates official communication.\u201d A dialogue between past and future <\/span>For Bhutan, the dialogue between language and media is not a debate between English and Dzongkha. It is about coexistence \u2014 ensuring both complement and enrich each other. \u201cAs we navigate the digital age,\u201d the Bhutanese delegate concluded, \u201cwe must remember: A language that finds its voice in media will always find its place in society.\u201d – By Rinzin Wangchuk\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kokrajhar, Assam.\u00a0 \u201cA language that finds its voice in media will always find its place in society.\u201d With this reflection, Bhutan\u2019s representative reminded a gathering of scholars, linguists, and media experts that language and media are inseparable partners in shaping identity and preserving culture. At the International Seminar on the Dialogue of Languages and Media: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":5809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-highlights"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG-20251101-WA0012.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5808","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=5808"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5808\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5817,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5808\/revisions\/5817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesasian.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}