Hindustan-Bhutan Relations (1949-1971)

Abstract

Bhutan is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between 26°45.and 28°N lat and between 89°45 and 92°25E long, bordered on the North and East by Tibet and India, on the West and South by India1. With land area of roughly 18000 sq mile, Bhutan is a small Himalayan kingdom with a total population of 6,95,819. Bhutan's population can be conveniently categorized into three groups: the Sharchops, Lhotshampas and the Ngalungs (often called Drukpas). While the Sharchops and the Ngalungs live in the Eastern and Western Bhutan respectively, Lhotshampas reside in the Southern region. The Ngalungs are the ruling group who control the monarchy and the National Assembly, with a prominent place in the economy. The Ngalungs migrated from Tibet and are also called Drukpas. They follow the Drukpa Kagyu school of Mahayana Buddhism