The crematory rites for Dasho Sangay Dorji, who was the first secretary of the Dzongkha Development Commission, was performed yesterday. 

Due to the lockdown, the cremation was held following all lockdown protocols, with the support of the Office of the Gyalpoi Zimpon. 

Dasho Sangay Dorji was a recipient of the Druk Thuksey Medal in 2019, awarded to him in recognition of his important contributions in promoting the national language. He was conferred the red scarf by His Majesty The Fourth Druk Gyalpo in 1999. 

Dasho Sangay Dorji began his service as a teacher and then the personal secretary of Dasho Shingkhar Lam in the 1960s, serving under His Majesty The Third Druk Gyalpo. He went on to serve for 20 years in the National Assembly Secretariat before being appointed the first secretary of the Dzongkha Development Commission when it was set up in 1986. 

He retired as a civil servant in 2006 but continued to work with the DDC and Department of Culture, to write books on Bhutan’s history and culture. During his lifetime, he wrote numerous books, including the first records of the National Assembly proceedings, laws, biographies, textbooks, dictionaries, and guidebooks on Dzongkha, history, and culture.