Tuesday, December 22, 2009

The People’s King

He is regal. He is humble. He knows the past and he understands the problems of the present. And he tells us what we should bequeath to our children. And he is right.

He walks in the rain, sleeps in a tent and plays football barefoot with children. And he has even cooked for them. He is the ultimate father.

For the last so many months, he had made his headquarters in the east. While in the midst of comforting people, affected by the earthquake and fires, he made it a point to run back to the capital to see how things are going: attending to both national and international events.

His Majesty, King Jigme Khesar is the real people’s king. It is presumptuous to even to think how he manages. Can we do it even if we are of his age? No, we have had rather a very easy life. But then that was another generation.

But then, what is beautiful is that King Jigme Khesar knows how to bridge that gap between all the generations that may be living. As he pats and kisses the young children, or bends down in reverence and respect t for the elderly, from all walks of life, is a testimony of his great feeling and love for the people.

May be, we have forgotten to show respect to our elders. But His Majesty has not forgotten it, as he bowed to his father, the Fourth Druk Gyalpo yesterday at the National Day celebrations. Of course, as parents, we shouldn’t forget our responsibilities to our children.

Addressing the nation, His Majesty the King said that we should be in a position to hand over our country intact to our children and they should be in a better position than us to manage it.

The youth has the strength. For, it is the present that moves into the future. But then the present relies on the past to chart the way for the future. That is what His Majesty had always being telling us. For the wisdom of the past shows the way into the future.

It takes every one big and small to make up this great nation. This year’s honour list reflected that. His Majesty conferred the national order of merit to 16 private individuals, school teachers and an association of film makers. The awardees were nominated on two themes- dignity of labour for the general public and an excellence for quality education for teachers. (HIGHLIGHT THISPARA)

His Majesty the King expressed his appreciation to all the teachers of the country for the efforts that they have undertaken for the education of the future. Gaur Hari Manna, from Kolkotta, working in Yangchenphug High School, was one of the teachers who was conferred the national Order of Merit among other four Bhutanese teachers.

All buildings have to start with bricks and stones. It is the small man who makes a great nation. This year’s honour list salutes these small men.

What makes this small but great nation going?

It is the personality of King Jigme Khesar’s stature that makes us a part of this great nation. That is what makes us going. More than that, it is the hopes His Majesty the King has reposed in our youth that keeps us going.

We have a great hope for the future; for the King has always said the youth and the children are our future. And he keeps a great store by them. The youth of the country should rise to the occasion and rally behind his cause.

For that is where the destiny leads.

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