A Legacy Etched in Our Foundation: A Farewell to Our Presidents

There are moments in the history of an institution that give us pause moments where we look back and realize we are standing on the shoulders of giants. This month, the Royal University of Bhutan faces one of its most profound transitions. Five of our distinguished Presidents are completing their terms and stepping into a well deserved retirement.

For more than two decades, these remarkable leaders have not just occupied offices; they have built the very fabric of our university.

To serve an institution for over twenty years requires more than just professional dedication-it requires a deep, abiding love for education and for the future of Bhutan. When they first stepped into their roles, our university was in its formative chapters. Through their vision, resilience, and unwavering commitment, they guided us through periods of immense growth, transformation, and modernisation.

Because of them academic excellence became our benchmark, our campuses expanded, fostering vibrant communities of learning and generations of Bhutanese youth walked through our doors and left as capable, compassionate leaders ready to serve the Tsa-Wa-Sum.

As an employee who has witnessed the daily operational grit, the quiet wisdom behind major decisions, and the genuine care they held for both staff and students, I know their departure leaves an undeniable void. You cannot easily replace two decades of institutional memory, mentorship, and steady leadership. The Royal University of Bhutan is deeply in loss of the enormous daily contributions they made, but we are infinitely richer for having had them at the helm.

"The true measure of a leader is not just what they achieve, but what they inspire others to achieve."

To our five retiring Presidents, Kadrinchey la. Thank you for your tireless service, for navigating the complexities of higher education with such grace, and for always keeping the welfare of this university close to your hearts. You have been our anchors, our guides, and our inspiration.

As you turn this page and begin this next beautiful chapter of your lives, please know that your legacy is securely woven into every classroom, every graduation ceremony, and every success story this university will ever celebrate. We will work hard to protect and grow the incredible foundation you have left behind.

Thank you for your service, and may the Triple Gem bless you with good health, peace, and endless happiness in your retirement.

Spoiled to perfection by making mistakes

In a world obsessed with flawless execution, it’s easy to look at blunders and think, I’ve ruined everything.

If milk sits out and ferments, we don't throw it away, it becomes yoghurt, which is more valuable than milk. If it ages and changes even further, it turns into cheese, which is worth more than both. When grape juice sours and ferments, it transforms into wine, a premium product prized around the world.

In nature, spoiling is just the first step toward becoming something premium. Why should it be any different for you and I? We are not broken because we made mistakes. Mistakes are simply the raw experiences that add layers, depth, and value to who we are. In fact, some of humanity’s greatest milestones were born out of pure, unadulterated blunders.

I put this whole write-up in AI and asked to generate an image in the Bhutanese setting.
This came out looking pretty darn good. What do you think?

Christopher Columbus made a massive math error while calculating the Earth's circumference. He didn't find the trade route to Asia he was looking for, instead his mistake led him to the Americas. 

Alexander Fleming left a petri dish uncovered in a cluttered sink before going on vacation. He returned to find a ruined, moldy experiment. That ruined mold? It was Penicillin, the world’s first life saving antibiotic.

If these history defining moments came from people messing up, why are we being so hard on ourselves for one’s own missteps? We’ve been fed the old cliché our entire lives: "Practice makes perfect." But honestly? That’s not quite right. If you practice the wrong thing perfectly over and over again, you just become an expert at doing it wrong. It isn't practice that makes perfect. It is the mistakes we learn from that make perfect. 

Mistakes do not define worth, they refine it. You are not bad or ruined because things didn't go according to plan. You are just in the middle of your own alchemy.

Like the wine, the yoghurt, and the cheese, you are becoming more complex, more resilient, and far more valuable than you were when you started. Stand up, keep walking, and let your mistakes bring out the absolute best in you.

I don't have a certification in life coaching, and I’m not here to give you a 10 step plan for your relationships. I’m just a working professional sharing real stories from the trenches of middle age. I’ve learned the hard way so you don’t have to. So, let's get real,  what’s a recent mistake you made that actually turned out to be a priceless lesson?