Honor: PM Modi is the first foreigner to receive Bhutan’s highest civilian award
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday became the first foreign head of the government to receive Bhutan’s highest civilian award, the “Order of the Druk Gyalpo.”
He received it during his two-day State visit to Bhutan, his third since he took over as the PM in 2014.
The award has been conferred in recognition of “his outstanding contribution to the growth of India-Bhutan relations and for his distinguished service to the Bhutanese nation and people.”
“Honoured to be conferred with the “Order of the Druk Gyalpo” Award by Bhutan. I dedicate it to 140 crore Indians,” PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter), soon after receiving it from Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
The announcement for the honor was made by the King of Bhutan during the 114th National Day celebrations on December 17, 2021.
A statement from the Indian Embassy in 2021 said, “As per ranking and precedence established, the “Order of the Druk Gyalpo” was instituted as the decoration for lifetime achievement and is the pinnacle of the honor system in Bhutan, taking precedence over all orders, decorations, and medals.”
In 2020, PM Modi received the “Legion of Merit” from the US Government award of the US Armed Forces, and in 2019, Russia conferred its highest civilian honor “The Order of St. Andrew” award on him.
Earlier in the day, hours after he arrived in the Himalayan nation, PM Modi expressed his gratitude to the Bhutanese people for according to him a “memorable welcome” to their beautiful country and hoped that India-Bhutan friendship “keeps scaling new heights.”
(VP)
