Bhutan is the last surviving Himalayan kingdom and also the last Vajrayana country. Buddhism has had a profound impact on the country’s people, history, and culture, as well as on its governance structure and political system. However, most of the scholarly engagements on Bhutan have not examined the roles of the monastic institutions. My research intends to be the first serious study on the Zhung Dratshang (the Central Monastic Body), focusing on both historical and contemporary reforms. Using the theory of Buddhist Modernism, I will analyze how the body has responded and adapted to changing socio-political situations.

My sense of public service is deeply inspired by His Majesty the King. I had the privilege of working for His Majesty’s royal projects for more than three years. His caring and compassionate leadership, genuine love for his people, and his level of commitment are an everyday motivation for me and many people. For him, kingship is all about service to the Buddha Dharma, the people, and the country. He is accessible to people from all walks of life and his joy comes from helping solve their problems and fulfill their aspirations. I have been blessed to receive guidance, support, opportunities, and recognition from His Majesty. One of the chapters in my forthcoming book is on the modernity of Buddhist Kingship in Bhutan, which His Majesty not only embodies, but also defines.

For me, the most important part is being clear about my research goals, which are the organizing principle for both fieldwork and writing. I challenge myself to share even preliminary research results through seminars and conferences to receive critical comments and input. This is tremendously helpful for sharpening ideas and reorganizing my material. It also gives me more confidence about the work I intend to publish.

I wish to complete a book on state-building in Bhutan, which I hope will be my magnum opus. The tentative title is Three Foundations of the State of Bhutan: King, Country, and People. It will be published by the Royal Institute of Governance and Strategic Studies and is expected to be widely read in Bhutan, used for teaching, and become a reference material. I have written a draft of most of the chapters, and I am working on the final chapter here at CSEAS in addition to my other research work.

The most challenging moment as a scholar was when the Bhutan Information and Media Authority did not grant me permission to publish my book Democratic Transition in Bhutan. The book is largely based on the PhD thesis I wrote here at Kyoto University. The State of Bhutan has no issue with the book, but the censor board deemed it very political during an election period owing to the publication of a news story summarizing my main arguments. However, this proved to be a blessing in disguise: although I was planning to self-publish the book in Bhutan, Routledge accepted the manuscript and published it concurrently in Delhi and London. 

Since I graduated from Kyoto University, I know about the research culture, academic standards and institutional reputation of CSEAS, as well as the support and conducive environment here. CSEAS faculty members have also engaged in studies and other activities in Bhutan. I wanted to further strengthen the CSEAS-Bhutan connection and contribute to Bhutan Studies here at CSEAS. My fellowship period coincided (by design) with the second conference of the International Society of Bhutan Studies, which just concluded at Kyoto University. I was honored to deliver one of the keynote addresses based on my research topic at CSEAS.

 (February 2025)