Embassy of India

Press Release

Visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck to India

A delegation led by Her Royal Highness Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck, Founding President of the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law (JSW), visited India from 24-28 August 2023. The delegation visited New Delhi and Bengaluru, where HRH Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck was the Chief Guest at the 31^st Annual Convocation Ceremony of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU). 

In Bengaluru, Her Royal Highness held discussion with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India Dr. D.Y. Chandrachud on  expanding bilateral collaboration in the legal sphere. Hon’ble Chief Justice of India outlined the innovations and practices of the judicial system in India and extended support to the judiciary of Bhutan with respect to training programs, internships as well as sharing of best practices including through the use of technology.

On 25 August 2023, Her Royal Highness visited the NLSIU, Bengaluru, a partner institution of the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law. In her interaction with the students, Her Royal Highness shared her personal journey of establishing the JSW School of Law - the first law school of Bhutan and the JSW’s focus on inter-disciplinary exploration of the relationship between the Gross National Happiness framework and Law.

Her Royal Highness participated as the Chief Guest in the 31st Annual Convocation Ceremony of the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru. The Convocation Ceremony was attended by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India Dr. D.Y Chandrachud, Cabinet Ministers of the Government of Karnataka, Judges of the Supreme Court, Chief Justices of the High Court and senior advocates. In her convocation address, Her Royal Highness highlighted the strong bonds of friendship between India and Bhutan and exhorted the graduating students to live by the values of Justice, Service and Wisdom in their professional lives.

Her Royal Highness along with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, inaugurated the Sri Narayan Rao Melgiri Memorial National Law Library, one of the largest law libraries in the country housing over 70,000 books and digital resources.

The National Law School of India University, Bengaluru and the Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law, Paro had signed a MoU for enhancing relations in the areas of legal education and research during the visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Bhutan in August 2019. The NLSIU, Bengaluru is one of the foremost partners of the JSW School of Law and both sides are cooperating on student and faculty exchanges, faculty training, and sharing of academic resources.

In New Delhi, Her Royal Highness met with Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary of India and exchanged views on ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in legal field, particularly collaboration of JSW with the NLSIU and other Indian institutions. She had an interaction with senior partners of leading Indian law and technology firms and discussed possibilities of internships for graduates of JSW Law School and Bhutanese lawyers.

The visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Sonam Dechan Wangchuck is in keeping with the long-standing tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries. India and Bhutan share an exemplary bilateral partnership characterized by trust, goodwill and mutual understanding at all levels, and strong bonds of friendship and close people-to-people ties.

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