28 September 2012

Ugyen Panday Should be DDC Brand Ambassador

"The Dzongkha Development Commission (DDC) is the leading institute in the country for the advancement of Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan." Reads the home page of their website. It was founded in 1986 to preserve and promote use of Dzongkha but by the time I reached high school Dzongkha was almost considered outdated. People either spoke Sharshopkha, Nepali or English. We listened to English and Hindi songs. It was a pride to say, 'I 'm very poor in Dzongkha'. 
DCC worked harder but they were fighting a losing battle against the rampage of different influences through television and internet. The so many expenses pumped into Dzongkha essay, debate, skit and lozay competitions in schools only went on to polish those who were already shining in Dzongkha and had little or no effect on the majority of non-Dzongkha fans. 

  • DDC came up with numerous publications, but like always this only pleased the ones who were interested in Dzongkha. There was nothing special in those publications to win new hearts. Dzongkha-English Dictionary published and distributed last year looked like it could make a difference.
  • DDC brought foreign help to rescue national language, which was an irony in itself. They may be language experts but it takes people who understand Bhutanese to fix the problem.
  • DDC developed software which made typing on computer possible, and also on some mobile devices. But it only made computer popular among the Dzongkha lovers, rather than making Dzongkha popular among computer users.
  • DDC composed many new words, only to confuse the one who were already so confused. They reject the word we have been using for ages saying those were not Dzongkha, and went on to make new words thereby making Dzongkha a foreign language among the Bhutanese.
Our bad romance with Dzongkha was not something that would age with us and die slowly, it was something we would pass down to our children unknowingly, and few generations down the line Dzongkha could be a language of the past.
But a few years ago Bhutan woke up to a new morning of Bhutanese music. It was Namgay Jigs who made every Bhutanese hum Dzongkha songs. From taxis, to shops, to school concerts there was no place Dzongkha songs weren't played. But soon Namagy turned very Jigs, he started sounding like a young boy who spent all his life in the west.
Musical Revolution 
Ugyen Panday was a revolution, a young man with good sense of style and so appealing to the young generation, and someone who made Dzongkha language sound very beautiful in its original form. Overnight he invaded every music device; iPod, MP3 Player, Mobile Phones, Computers and most of all the beating hearts. Dzongkha has never been so popular in our country, and thanks to Ugyen Panday. And in 1986 was this musical boy born, the year DDC was founded.
Winning hearts from across borders
Therefore, I was wondering if Ugyen Panday could be the Brand Ambassador of DDC, he needn't do anything more than what he's doing everyday- playing his guitar and singing his songs and winning hearts, while DDC could pump a part of fund they waste in their fruitless activities into his musical career.

Musical Man


Courtesy: Photos are taken from Ugyen Panday's Facebook Profile.

13 comments:

  1. Passu,

    I agree with you.

    Tell me who is not a fan of Ugyen Pandey? His songs have changed the the dimension of Bhutanese Music industry. and today if we carefully make an observation, there are many Dzongkha songs and dances being performed on stages everywhere in the schools. This indicates our younger generations' love for our language. it only need to be simple and touching, just like the songs of Mr. Ugyen.

    And as you said a little bit of investment for Ugyen's mucic career by DDC can even do miracles...Who knows?

    Kuenzang

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  2. last time panday was singing his version of old bodra song on wangdue fundraising show which he says its demo for now. That day i realized that even our boedra can evolve in such a beautiful manner. i definitely agree with you Passu sir as he intrigued me into old traditional songs and others too.
    You know what, panday is Actually the one recognizing culture(traditional music) as an evolving dynamic force and strengthening and felicitating the continued evolution of traditional songs that are sustainable as progressive society. he is directly or indirectly contributing lot as per the constitution in preservation and promotion of culture. And yeah, definitely i would love to see him as brand ambassador of DDC.....
    Thank you passu for bringing up such a nice article including earlier posts.....

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  3. I'm one of the confused Dzongkha Speaker, sometimes I feel alien myself in our own good country, the words which we use and understood by majority are not considered as Dzongkha words, I wonder if same trends continue, whether Dzongkha can be a rich language and language for the mass!!
    your post is sth DDC people should ponder...

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  4. Passu Sir,
    It's so true that Bhutan is developing and our national language, Dzongkha is less important for some and even for me, I know very less of Dzongkha terms except for the Basics.

    Listening to Ugyen Panday's song is so soft and melodious. We love his song. We love his lyrics. We love the tune. Even staying abroad, he is the talk of the town in Wollongong among Bhutanese friends.

    It would be really an honour to have Ugyen Panday as the BrandAmbassador for DDC and bring change towards improving Dzongkha Language among the youths.


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  5. wow, i cannot believe that all this have been written about him and i agree with each and every word that has been written above. There are very few people who wants to bring changes in the bhutanese music and entertainment business, inorder to promote out culture and help provide and platform for the youth, very less people who actually try to do something for the youth very genuinely from the heart and ugyen is one of those people. Everyone is trying their best but given the opportunity .. and considering his popularity among the youth .. there is a big opportunity that something good can be done for the youth at the moment.

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  6. i totally agree sir and thank you onc again for this enlightment.....like all your other articles, this one also taught me a lesson....thank you so much.

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  7. dear sir,
    its hard to deny what you just mentioned above.....and just reading and not commenting on such a piece will be a sin and unfair on my part.....
    i too strongly agree that our language is at a great stake,unwilling to be accepted by the youths.
    so therefore as sir suggested it would be blessing in disguise for DDC if ugyen panday is appointed the brand ambassador of DDC.....

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  8. Sir.....i am with ur suggestion....Ugyen Pandey really made our language beautiful and with each song he make us fall in love with our language n our life....Ugyen Pandey U r loved.....

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  9. Ugyen panday has revolutionized the national Language through melodious songs as you said Passu sir, and I am sure he will continue throughout. And Hope DCC will take note of it.

    Kudos to Mr Ugyen Panday!..

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  10. I even love to hear his songs... Although i don't know what the song means...
    Is there really Dzongkha-English dictionary? I tried to find in any book stores in Singapore, but couldn't find. Next time I go Bhutan, hopefully can find one :)

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  11. True!...there was a time where the growing youth had no ample passion in listening to Dzongkha songs.........but up come of Ugyen Panday leads to better change where now days we could see young stars falling in love with bhutanese songs.....

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  12. I would say that a CM's responsibilities would not only be external but also internal. Its the middle role between the ops/s&m director(s) and the "shop floor"
    A Managers responsibility is to ensure exposure and conversion working along side the purchasing and sales teams.

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  13. DDC..........please take note of the above la.....

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