• MD (Psychiatry) - University of Colombo, Sri Lanka 1994 - 1998

• MBBS - University of Poona, India !981 – 1985

• One Year Internship in Command Hospital, Kolkata 1986

• One Year Fellowship in Drug Abuse treatment, Prevention and Education, Johns Hopkins University, USA 2007 – 2008

• Two Years Fellowship in Specified Specialist Training in Psychiatry with the

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists January 2014 –

December 2015

• One Year Fellowship in Specified Specialist Training in Psychiatry with the Royal

Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists July 1998 – June 1999.

Fellowships and Awards:

• Druk Thuksay Award from His Majesty the King of Bhutan as part of National

Health Response Team during Covid-19 pandemic 17 December 2020

• Alumni Endeavor Innovation Fund Project Award, Department of State, US

Government, 2019

• Life Time Achievement Award from His Majesty the King of Bhutan, Royal

Government of Bhutan, 2019

• Zero Project Award for Innovative Policy and Practice in Mental Health

Development in Bhutan by ESSL Foundation, Vienna, Austria 2019

• Recognition medal from the King of Bhutan for more than 20 Years of

distinguished Services to the RGoB and People of Bhutan December 2013

• Visiting Scholar, Department of Medical Anthropology, University College

London, UK 2013.

• British Academy Travelling Award, UK 2013

• Recipient of the Asian Young Psychiatrist Travelling Award – 2nd World Congress of Asian Psychiatry, Melbourne, Australia, August 2011

• Nominee for Geneva Award for Human Rights in Psychiatry 2011

• Winner of Changemakers Global Competition Award for Innovative Ideas in

Community Mental Health Care 2010

• Huppert Humphrey Fellow - Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA 2007 – 2008

• WHO Fellowship- Psychiatry Residency training Program in University of

Colombo, Sri Lanka 1994 – 1998

• SAARC Fellowship, International Centre for Diarrheal diseases research, Dhaka, Bangladesh Sept – Dec 1989

The development of modern psychiatry in Bhutan though started late has made significant strides in recent years, but still faces challenges such as limited resources, stigma surrounding mental health, and a lack of specialized mental health professionals. The integration of traditional medicine practice, such as SOWARIGPA, with modern psychiatry could hold promise in addressing some of these challenges and providing more holistic care for individuals in Bhutan. Collaboration between mental health and traditional medicine practitioners could help bridge gaps in care, provide culturally sensitive treatment options, and improve overall mental health services in the country. It will be essential to continue working towards these collaborative efforts to ensure comprehensive and effective mental health care for all individuals in Bhutan.