Sangay Choden (, , born 11 May 1963) is one of the four wives and queens of the 4th king

Jigme Singye Wangchuck Jigme Singye Wangchuck (, ; born 11 November 1955) is the fourth Druk Gyalpo ( Dragon King) of Bhutan, reigning from 1972 to 2006. He is the father of the present King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck. He is the only son of five ch ...

, who ruled in

Bhutan Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...

from 1972 until his abdication in 2006. She is the Queen Mother (Gyalyum Kude) of

Biography

Her father, ''Yab Dasho'' Ugyen Dorji (1925–2019), was the Founder and Proprietor of Ugyen Academy (03/04/2002). Her mother is ''Yum'' Thuiji Zam (b. 1932). She was educated at St. Joseph's Convent,

Kalimpong Kalimpong is a town and the headquarters of an eponymous district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is located at an average elevation of . The town is the headquarters of the Kalimpong district. The region comes under Gorkhaland Territo ...

, and St. Helen's School,

Kurseong Kurseong (, ) is a town and a municipality in Darjeeling district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Kurseong subdivision. Located at an altitude of , Kurseong is from Darjeeling and has a pleasant climate throu ...

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. Her three brothers are: * ''Lyonpo'' Sangay Ngedup (b. 1953), former

Prime Minister of Bhutan The prime minister of Bhutan (Lyonchen, ) is the head of government of Bhutan. The prime minister is nominated by the party that wins the most seats in the National Assembly (Gyelyong Tshogdu) and heads the executive cabinet, called the Counci ...

. * ''Dasho'' Ugyen Tsechup (b. 1964). * ''Dasho'' Topgay (b. 1966). Her five sisters are (three of them are the other Queen Mothers): * ''

Ashi Ashi (Avestan: 𐬀𐬴𐬌 ''aṣ̌i/arti'') is the Avestan language word for the Zoroastrian concept of "that which is attained." As the hypostasis of "reward," "recompense," or "capricious luck," ''Ashi'' is also a divinity in the Zoroastria ...

'' Beda (b. 1951). * HM ''Ashi''

Dorji Wangmo Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck (, ; born 10 June 1955) is the Queen Mother (Gyalyum Kude) of Bhutan, and first wife of former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who is married to four sisters all of whom were entitled to be called queen. Biography Her fath ...

(b. 1955). * HM ''Ashi'' Tshering Pem (b. 1957). * HM ''Ashi'' Tshering Yangdon (b. 1959), mother of King

Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (born 21 February 1980) is the fifth Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King) of Bhutan. His reign began in 2006 after his father Jigme Singye Wangchuck abdicated the throne. A public coronation ceremony was held on 6 November ...

. * ''Ashi'' Sonam Choden (b. 1969). Sangay Choden was appointed the

United Nations Population Fund The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a United Nations System, UN agency aimed at improving reproductive health, reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, incr ...

’s (UNFPA) Goodwill Ambassador in

in 1999. Sangay Choden is particularly interested in promoting the arts in Bhutan and advocating the country's rich cultural heritage. She is the patron of the Bhutan Textile Museum in

Thimphu Thimphu (; ) is the capital and largest city of Bhutan. It is situated in the western central part of Bhutan, and the surrounding valley is one of Bhutan's '' dzongkhags'', the Thimphu District. The ancient capital city of Punakha was replac ...

which she helped establish in 2001. Her Majesty also established the Tara Lhadron Zhingkham Lhakhang, a temple dedicated to the 21 Taras located in the historically and spiritually significant temple grounds of Parigzampa Astrology School in Dechencholing,

. On 1 July 2011 she visited the

Alhambra The Alhambra (, ; ) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Muslim world, Islamic world. Additionally, the ...

with her daughter, Princess ''Ashi'' Euphelma Choden Wangchuck.

Children

She had, with the former king, the following children:

Patronages

* Royal Patron of the Bhutan Textile Museum. * Chairman of the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan (RTAB). * Founder and President of RENEW (Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women) since 2004. * Goodwill Ambassador for

UNFPA The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies and protocols, increasing access to birth control, and leadin ...

since 1999. * President of the Gyalyum (Queen Mother) Charitable Trust.

Honours

* : ** United Nations Population Award (Individual Category, 10 December 2020).United Nations Population Award Ceremony
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References

Notes

External links

Bhutan News Online

{{Authority control Bhutanese royal consorts 1963 births Living people Bhutanese queen mothers Wangchuck dynasty