Contents: Preface. Foreword/Shri Romesh Bhandari. Address/A.S. Brar. Welcome address/P.K. Srivastava. 1. Revolution from above: the role of monarchy in transformation of Bhutan/Nalini Kant Jha. 2. Bhutan: monasticism, monarchy and migration/Bhawani Singh. 3. Hundred years of monarchy in Bhutan/Shalini Gupta and Madhu Rajput. 4. Bhutan: A 'Forever' epitome of artistic traditions and culture/Alka Chadha. 5. Bhutan's development strategies/Krishan Gopal. 6. Democracy and human rights in Bhutan/Sudhir Singh. 7. Revolution from the above - elections in Bhutan 2007-08/Madhu Rajput. 8. Potential positive impact of information and communication technology on Bhutan's gross national happiness/Shruti Wahi. 9. A window to Bhutan: Tradition and modernity and the anxiety of belonging/Subhra Rajput and Achla Sonker. 10. Gross national happiness, development and democracy - a case study of Bhutan/R.C. Misra. 11. Clash of two cultures in Bhutan - challenge to democracy/Dharampal Singh. 12. Political development in Bhutan/Madhuri Misra. 13. Development under the aegis of monarchy in Bhutan (1972-2008)/Monika Srivastava. 14. Revolution by consent: the Bhutanese experiment/Aradhana Singh. 15. Bhutan : language and politics of diverse affiliations/Apeksha. 16. Indo-Bhutan Relations in new perspective/Amit Kumar Pandey. 17. The Wangchuck dynasty - transformation of Bhutan from within/Shilpi Singh. 18. The destitutes of displacement: story of the Lhotshampas/Nandini Basistha. 19. Bhutan : The impact of environment/Gopal Singh. 20. Socio-political changes in Nepal and Bhutan : a comparative study/Rishi Kumar Sharma. 21. Bhutan - A sociologist's paradise/Karuna Pandey. 22. Indo-Bhutanese Relations Since 1947/P.C. Meena. 23. Bhutan : response to terror/Bajrang Lal Saini. 24. Sino-Bhutanese Relations : a historical perspective/R.P. Rajora. 25. Bhutan and the British/Narendra Nath. 26. Indo-Bhutanese relationship: a foreign policy perspective/Abhilasha Abusaria.
"Bhutan, a country in the North East of Indian subcontinent has always been a "Mysterious" mountain kingdom. India and Bhutan have always been good neighbours and friendly states. An unfamiliar mist has always enveloped the events happening inside this mountain kingdom. 2008 has been an important year for Bhutan, as it heralds a new era for its people.
To unveil the mystery, that is Bhutan, this work is an effort to gaze into the political, social and economic development of Bhutan, particularly during the time of His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth King, who capitalized on the firm foundation of Bhutan laid by the third King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck and has led his people into a new age.
The year 2008 will always have a special place in Bhutan's history, for it earmarks the inevitable transition of Bhutanese society into a modern one. The impact of democracy on Bhutan will take some time to be visible, but it has certainly very promising prospects for the future of Bhutan and its place in the world.
This book focuses on the comprehensive coverage of the ideas on Bhutan as expressed by various scholars and will help comprehend the rapidly unfolding scenario with a fresh perspective." (jacket)
