Hello from Bhutan!

Sasha Wakefield, who has had a deep relationship with Bhutan for more than two decades, has written Ascent of the Thunder Dragon (published by Shambala), a book about Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyel, Bhutan's founding father. The book offers both Bhutanese readers and those unfamiliar with the country an accessible introduction to the historical significance and enduring legacy of this extraordinary...

Welcome to Bhutan’s first podcast: Hello from Bhutan! This podcast was originally a virtual retreat organized by Bhutan Global Mindfulness & MICE Holdings (https://bhutanmindfulness.com) - a joint venture company between Druk Holding & investments Singapore, and G Nine Investment, also a Singapore-based company. The virtual retreat was  called “Finding Calm in the Chaos.” H.E Kalu Rinpoche...

Geophysicist Yeshey Seldon, is the first Bhutanese to set foot in Antarctica. She was in Antarctica as part of a research team called TIME (Thwaites Interdisciplinary Margin Evolution) who were there to study the Thwaites Glacier. Find out about her research and experience in Antarctica on this podcast. Yeshey is on Instagram: @yesheybokuuu. 00:00-Intro  1:45-Initial Antarctica experience  2:23-“H...

In this candid interview, Chencho Gyeltshen, talks about playing internationally – the struggles and the highlights. He shares tips on finding work outside Bhutan and little known details about his life before professional football. Language: English and Dzongkha

In this podcast, Arun Bhattarai, talks about the "Mountain Man," the first Bhutanese documentary to qualify for the Oscars (2025). The film features Bhutan's first qualified glaciologist Phuntsho Tshering. He also talks about his latest film "Agent of Happiness" that is the first Bhutanese documentary to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Arun shares what it takes to m...

In this episode, communications scholar, Dorji Wangchuk, talks about his award-winning research: “On Identity, Spirituality, Community and the Sacred Chronotope in Bhutan", the biggest announcement from Bhutan – GeSAR (Gelephu Mindfulness City) - a city like no other, and the unique Bhutanese identity. 00:00-Introduction 01:18-Background to Research 03:03-Types of Bhutanese Communities 04:08-...

This conversation takes us through Pawo's journey from being a photographer and writer to a film-maker. Pawo was nominated for an Academy Award for his very first film – Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom. Pawo's second film: The Monk and The Gun, is Bhutan's submission to the 2023 Academy Awards.

Episode 2 of Hello from Bhutan, Season 3, brings you an inside look at IMTRAT's famous Jalebi shop in Thimphu. If anyone should take credit for cultivating a sweet tooth among Bhutanese in the capital, it's the Jalebi shop! Did you know that they never reuse their oil and give the utmost importance to hygiene? All this and more on this podcast.

The first podcast of Hello from Bhutan's third season features Project DANTAK. Here, I find out the incredible history and wonderful connection formed over six decades between Bhutan and India through people, infrastructure, and food! It all began with the inspiring leadership and friendship between His Majesty the Third Druk Gyalpo and India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Fmr. US Ambassador Curtis S. Chin, talks about his two decades long relationship with Bhutan and why the country "defies stereotypes.' This is a candid insight into Bhutan from someone who is in a unique position to talk about the country as both an outsider and insider. This podcast highlights fashion and food as well! Curtis is also the chair of Milken Institute Asia, and on the advisory council...

This episode features running legend and race director of the Snowman Race, Luis Escobar, and the Snowman Secretariat's Damcho Rinzin. The first Snowman Race took place in October, this year. 29 international and Bhutanese ultra athletes took part. All participants underwent a selection process. The world's highest race has been conceptualised to raise awareness on Bhutan's melting glaciers and th...

Venerable Dr. Dhammapiya, the Secretary General of the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), was in Bhutan for the Centre for Bhutan and GNH Studies' 4th International Conference on Vajrayana Buddhism. IBC and Bhutan's central monastic body were the Centre's partners for the conference. Dr. Dhammapiya talks about the values of Buddhism, gender equality, conflict avoidance, and the role of th...

The Centre for Bhutan and GNH Studies has been organizing the international conference on Vajrayana Buddhism in Bhutan since 2016. Bhutan is the only Vajrayana nation in the world. The 4th conference which takes place from 1-4 October 2022,  is seeing unprecedented participation. There are speakers from 41 countries presenting original papers on everything from ritualistic traditions to Artif...

The tourism sector has undergone massive changes (also called "transformation" by the government) over the last couple of months in preparation for Bhutan officially welcoming tourists for the first time since the pandemic. In a major update, potential tourists may directly pay USD 200 as the revised sustainable development fee (SDF) along with a one time visa fee of USD 40 and enter the country w...

The Trans Bhutan Trail is an ancient trail used by Bhutanese in the past to get from one end of the country to another. It was the only route in existence then. The trail that will officially open this September, is now listed by Time as one of the "World's Greatest Places" to visit in 2022. The newly renovated trail has not been covered in its entirety by anyone yet. This is a great opportunity f...

Bhutan is opening to tourists by fall this year, after being closed for two years due to the pandemic. In this podcast recorded in April 2022, Namgay Zam talks to the Director General of the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB), Dorji Dhradhul, about Bhutan's unique "High Value, Low Volume" tourism policy and post-Covid tourism.  This podcast is brought to you by the Department of Tourism (https:/...

Karma Dupchen gives great advice on navigating queer relationships in this podcast.  Also hear a transboy in high school talk about understanding and expressing his identity, and hear him sing beautifully. 

Hello from Bhutan is highlighting queer stories from Bhutan this new season. This episode was originally filmed for Queer Talks Bhutan. It features Pema Dorji, founder of Queer Voices of Bhutan. Queer Voices of Bhutan are the producers of Queer Talks Bhutan. 

Hello from Bhutan is highlighting queer stories from Bhutan this new season. This episode was originally filmed for Queer Voices Bhutan. It features Aum Penjore, Bhutan's oldest known transwoman.

Hello from Bhutan is highlighting queer stories from Bhutan this new season. This episode was originally filmed for Queer Voices Bhutan. It features Tenzin Yoezer, a young gay college student. 

Bhutan is not as homophobic or transphobic as the laws of the land make the country out to be. In fact, the transwoman Ugyen in this conversation, talks about how painless it was for her to get her gender changed on her identity card despite no law existing to provide such an option. She is among the 5 transwomen in Bhutan to have legally changed their gender.  The gay couple Pema and Tashi talk a...

This is the first in a series of podcasts on Bhutanese living abroad. The series will explore their lives outside of Bhutan.  This episode highlights how the lives of a Clinical systems application trainer at the NHS in the UK and a postgraduate student studying sustainable resource management in Germany have changed due to Covid-19. 

Two young women who tested positive in quarantine share their experience in this episode. Lhachi and Tseki are 2 of the 3 Bhutanese confirmed Covid-19 cases.  Both are recovering well.  Bhutan has seen 5 confirmed cases till date, two of which were American tourists. The first confirmed case in Bhutan was an American tourist. 

How's your relationship with Social Media right now? Dorji Wangchuk talks about fake news, too much information and how to stay sane in the time of COVID-19. 

As of 2nd April, 3218 Bhutanese were in quarantine. I speak to former MP Sangay Khandu about life in quarantine. Bhutan recently extended the mandatory quarantine period to 21 days from 14 day. Khandu speaks candidly about mental health challenges he's faced due to COVID-19 and how a lot more needs to be done for the mental health of Bhutanese stuck abroad.