Yangyel Lhaden

Marking the end of the three-day festival of literature and arts, Bhutan Echoes presented the Bhutan Echoes Legacy Award to two distinguished figures – author Kunzang Choden and artist Kama Wangdi, affectionately known as Asha Kama.

Her Majesty the Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck presented the prestigious awards to the two recipients.

The Bhutan Echoes Legacy Award celebrates trailblazers in art and literature who have left an indelible mark on Bhutanese culture. It honours individuals for their exceptional creativity, dedication, and ability to inspire future generations, highlighting their contributions both nationally and internationally.

Asha Kama with Her Majesty the Queen Mother

Kunzang Choden with Her Majesty the Queen Mother

Kunzang Choden, 72, is the first female novelist in Bhutan to write in English. Since her debut book ‘Folktales of Bhutan’ was published in 1994, she has authored more than a dozen works. Her novel ‘Dawa: The Stray Dog of Bhutan’ has been included in the English syllabus for class IX and is often the first novel many Bhutanese students read.

“I am honoured and humbled to be recognised for my work by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck at this festival, which celebrates literature,” Kunzang Choden said. “I am passionate about writing even at this age, and this recognition has further motivated me. It is my pledge to keep telling stories, writing stories, and sharing them for as long as I can.”

Asha Kama, a pioneer of contemporary Bhutanese art and founder of Voluntary Artists’ Studio of Thimphu (VAST), dedicated the honour to his team. “I alone could not have achieved this. The work I do and this award are a result of the dedication of my team and the youth at VAST. This recognition brings with it a greater responsibility to work even harder,” he said.

The festival also celebrated the winners of the open art competition themed ‘Bhutan in Mind: A Visionary Art’, which saw participation from students across the nation, from classes VI to XII.

This year, the panel discussions and sessions at the festival covered a wide range of topics, including artificial intelligence, tradition, culture, economy, biodiversity, water security, and comic writing, offering the audience a diverse selection to choose from.

A civil servant mentioned that the festival was well curated this year, with each session lasting not more than 35 minutes. The live streaming also allowed her to choose which sessions to attend during her free time.

A student from Druk School, Tenzin Thaye said that this year’s festival was better than previous year’s. “I enjoyed the session titled ‘Global Perspectives in Visual Narratives: A Dialogue with Artists,’” he said.

He said that sessions were long enough to keep the audience engaged, and any overwhelming moments were quickly followed by the next session.

Bhutan Echoes is co-founded by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck as a Bhutan-India initiative. It has become a vibrant platform for cultural exchange since 2010. The festival is supported by India-Bhutan Foundation and the Indian Embassy.

The three-day celebration this year brought together a multitude of stories from around the world, with 70 speakers and participants from 14 countries, offering 34 sessions and 14 engaging workshops.