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Tess La
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A Tibetan. Wife of the first Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigme Palden Dorji. As the wife of Bhutan’s Prime Minister, Tess La, had an important behind the scenes role to arrange meals and host important guests both domestic and foreign.
After her husband's assasination, she went to teach in a Tibetan school for young refugee students, and she eventually remarried.
Better known as Tess La (a nickname given to her by English nuns who were unable to pronounce her name).
She had 3 sons with her first husband: Dasho Benji Dorji, Tobgye Sonam Dorji and Kalden Wangchuk Dorji.
Tess La did not hold any official position in the Royal Government of Bhutan, but her unofficial duties and interests played an important role in Bhutanese education and diplomacy. She played an important role during the advent of modern education in Bhutan and was involved in starting Bhutan’s first agricultural cooperative to help farmers.
In the earlier days Tess La looked after a young Crown Prince Jigme Dorji Wangchuck who would go on to become His Majesty The Third King, HRH (Paro Penlop) Namgyel Wangchuck, HRH Ashi Deki Yangzom Wangchuck and many ordinary Bhutanese students who were among the first waves of Bhutanese studying in Darjeeling and Kalimpong.
Tess La was also part of the 3-member all women delegation sent from Bhutan headed by Ashi Tashi Chodzom Dorji to Australia in 1962 that enabled Bhutan to get a surprise entry into the Colombo Plan and here again Tess La played an important role behind the scenes. Ever the skill full host, full of charm and a good dancer, Tess La was a social hit and became popular with the international crowd already amazed by the all-women delegation from Bhutan to the Colombo plan talks.
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Bhutan
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Created: 24 August 2026, C. Kemnitz
Language(s)
English
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Latin
Sources
Tenzing Lamsang (2024). Tess La, the wife of Bhutan’s first prime minister, passes away. [online] The Bhutanese. Available at: https://thebhutanese.bt/tess-la-the-wife-of-bhutans-first-prime-minister-passes-away/#google_vignette [Accessed 24 Aug. 2026].
Photograph: "Tess la with the late PM at Paro during Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit in 1958" from Tenzing Lamsang (2024). Tess La, the wife of Bhutan’s first prime minister, passes away. [online] The Bhutanese. Available at: https://thebhutanese.bt/tess-la-the-wife-of-bhutans-first-prime-minister-passes-away/#google_vignette [Accessed 24 Aug. 2026].