Lyonpo Om Pradhan

Lyonpo Om Pradhan has been in the service of the Royal Government of Bhutan since 1969 as Minister for Trade and Industries (1989-1998) and Deputy Minister (1985-1989). During these tenures he also was in charge of power and tourism portfolios. He served two terms as Ambassador and Permanent Representative at the United Nations in New York (1980-84 and 1998-2003), Ambassador to India, Nepal and the Maldives (1984-85). He led the first opening rounds of boundary talks with the People’s Republic of China starting in 1984. In addition, he served at the United Nations secretariat in New York on Programmes of Action for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States from 2003 till October 2007 when His Majesty the King appointed him Chairman of Druk Holding and Investments, the commercial and investment arm of the Royal Government.

Lyonpo Om Pradhan was responsible for negotiating and starting the Tala, Basochhu, Kurichhu and other hydroelectric projects. He has served as Chairman of these and projects like PCAL, STCB, BFAL, BCCL, BBPL, Wood Craft Centre, Bhutan Agro Industries; and served earlier on the boards of RMA, Bank of Bhutan and RICB, and as Vice Chairman of the National Environment Commission. He is the recipient of the Coronation Gold Medal (1974); Coronation Gold Medal (2008) and the Distinguished Alumni Award from North Point, Darjeeling (2007). He was a member of the cabinet and the National Assembly from 1975 to 1979 and 1986 to 1998. 

Lyonpo Om Pradhan is a graduate of St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi, and holds a Master’s Degree in economics and a Ph.D. in international relations from the United States. Born on 6 October 1946 in Neoly, Bhutan, he is married and has a daughter and two sons.