Award: Phurba Tashi, Zhemgang central school’s vice principal was awarded a gold medal for topping the MA in public administration from SRM University in Tamil Nadu, India.

He scored 8.688 CGPA, which is around 87 percent, in the master’s course that he completed in 2014.  There were also education ministry’s 10 officials, who graduated from the same course that was funded by the government of India.

Union minister of science and technology and earth science, Harsh Vardhan, awarded the medal on March 24 at the university’s convocation.

Phurba Tashi said the medal was the result of his hard work and dedication to his studies. “I feel proud to represent Bhutanese students in the university that has world class students,” he said.  “The award will motivate me to do better in my career.”

He is the third Bhutanese to be awarded the  gold medal from the university, which has more than 35 Bhutanese among the 40,000 international students.

Sonam Dendup, a gewog administrative officer in Tang, Bumthang, who graduated with an MA in public administration, and his wife Rinchen Lhamo, who completed her master of education, also received gold medals in February last year.

A secondary B.Ed. graduate in physics and chemistry from Samtse College of Education in 2004, Phurba Tashi teaches science and agriculture in Zhemgang higher secondary school, which recently became a central school.

Phurba Tashi was a recipient of best trainee award for his academic performance during his training in Samtse.

The 36-year-old from Jabana in Paro started his career in Deothang middle secondary school, Samdrupjongkhar and later moved to Zhemgang.

By Tenzin Namgyel