SSC
Gongsar Ugyen Wangchuck became the first hereditary King (Druk Gyalpo) of Bhutan in:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option B — 1907
Detailed Solution
Ugyen Wangchuck was unanimously elected as the first hereditary King ("Druk Gyalpo", meaning "Dragon King") of Bhutan on 17 December 1907, at Punakha Dzong.
About Ugyen Wangchuck:
- He was born in 1862.
- He was the "Penlop" (governor) of Trongsa, in central Bhutan.
Before 1907, Bhutan was ruled under a dual system of government set up by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in the 17th century: a spiritual leader (the Je Khenpo) and a temporal ruler (the Desi or Druk Desi). In the 19th century, this system weakened, and regional governors fought civil wars.
Ugyen Wangchuck won the civil wars and unified the country.
He helped the British during their expedition to Tibet (Younghusband Expedition, 1903-1904), acting as a mediator, and was knighted by the British.
He was elected king by an assembly of monks, officials and representatives of the people. 17 December is celebrated as Bhutan's "National Day".
He ruled until his death in 1926.
The Wangchuck dynasty:
- Ugyen Wangchuck (1907-1926).
- Jigme Wangchuck (1926-1952).
- Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (1952-1972): called the "Father of Modern Bhutan"; set up the National Assembly (1953) and began modernisation; Bhutan joined the UN in 1971.
- Jigme Singye Wangchuck (1972-2006): introduced the idea of "Gross National Happiness"; abdicated in favour of his son.
- Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck (since 2006): the present King; crowned in 2008.
- Bhutan became a constitutional monarchy with the adoption of its first written Constitution in July 2008, and the first parliamentary elections were held in 2008.
Relations with Britain and India:
- The Treaty of Punakha (1910) with British India placed Bhutan's foreign affairs under British guidance, while Britain agreed not to interfere in its internal affairs.
- After India's independence, the Indo-Bhutan Treaty of Friendship was signed in 1949; it was revised in 2007.
- In March 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Bhutan's highest civilian award, the "Order of the Druk Gyalpo", the first foreign head of government to receive it.
Why not the other options?
- ✗1865 is the year of the Treaty of Sinchula, after the Anglo-Bhutan War (Duar War).
- ✗1949 is the year of the India-Bhutan Treaty of Friendship.
- ✗1972 is the year the fourth King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, came to the throne.
Quick tip
Remember: first King of Bhutan = Ugyen Wangchuck, 17 December 1907 (National Day; at Punakha); Treaty of Punakha = 1910; India-Bhutan Treaty = 1949 (revised 2007); constitutional monarchy = 2008; present King = fifth.
💬 Discussions on this question
Ask a doubt ›Still stuck on this question? Ask our faculty and fellow students — answers appear here.
Ask a doubtMore World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies Questions
View all ›More General Knowledge Questions
- Q1.The techniques of Rasa and Bhava used in Indian classical dance trace their origin to which ancient text?Indian Dance Forms
- Q2.Lavani, Powada, Koli, Waghya Murali and Dhangari Gaja are folk dances of which state?Indian Dance Forms
- Q3.The one-act play associated with the Sattriya tradition of Assam is called:Indian Dance Forms
- Q4.Which dance form of Goa is known as the 'Warrior Dance'?Indian Dance Forms
- Q5.Manipuri dance is based on the Rasleela themes of:Indian Dance Forms
World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of World GK: Countries, Capitals & Currencies, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers world GK: countries with their capitals, currencies and parliaments, national symbols, famous landmarks, the longest, largest and highest features of the world, and international boundary lines such as the Radcliffe, McMahon and Durand Lines. The most common questions match a country with its capital or currency, or a parliament with its name (such as the Knesset of Israel or the Diet of Japan). Revise countries continent by continent, giving extra attention to India's neighbours. Questions on boundary lines usually ask which two countries a line separates. Practise the world GK questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.