Mayeum Choying Wangmo Dorji

Mayeum Choying Wangmo Dorji
Mayeum Choying Wangmo Dorji and the king Jigme Singye Wangchuck (her grandson)
Born	Mayeum Choying Wongmo Dorji 1897 Gangtok, Sikkim
Died	May 26, 1994 (aged 97) Bhutan House, Kalimpong, India
Spouse(s)	Gonzing Sonam Topgay Dorji (m. 1918–1953; his death)
Children	5
Parent(s)	Chogyal Thutob Namgyal (father) Yeshay Dolma (mother)

Ashi Mayeum Choying Wangmo Dorji was the mother of Queen Grandmother Ashi Kesang Choden of Bhutan. She was also known as Rani Choying Wangmo Dorji.^[1] She is best known for designing the Flag of Bhutan. When she died in 1994, she was cremated.^[2]

Work

She created the flag when her daughter requested flag representing Bhutan as a flag was required for the first Asian conference in New Delhi on March 23, 1947, where Bhutan was invited to attend along with 27 other Asian countries. Mayeum Choying Wangmo Dorji and Bhutan's late prime minister, Lyonchen Jigme Palden Dorji, represented Bhutan at the conference.^[3]

Mayeum Choying Wangmo Dorji chose the Dragon as the symbol of Kingdom of Druk (Bhutan is sometimes referred to as the Kingdom of the Dragon) and the colours yellow and orange for the colours of the flag as the colours of Buddhist religion.^[4]

She was deeply religious and would donate large amounts of money to build temples and monasteries. ^[5]

She was educated privately.

Patronages

• President of the Sikkim Education Board.
• Vice-President of SRIT General Council (1964-1965).

Title

Although she was never a blood relative of the Wangchuck dynasty, she was granted a royal title for being the King's grandmother.

• Her Royal Highness^[6]Mayeum Choying Wangmo Dorji, the Royal Grandmother.

Honours

•  Sikkim :
  • Chogyal Palden Thondup Namgyal Investiture Medal (4 April 1965).^[7]
•  Bhutan :
  • King Jigme Singye Investiture Medal (2 June 1974).^[8]

References