National Order of Merit (Bhutan)

The National Order of Merit was founded by King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck on 7 November 2008.

National Order of Bhutan
Awarded by Bhutan
Type	Order
Awarded for	distinguished and meritorious services to the state
Status	Currently constituted
Sovereign	Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
Grades	First Class Second Class Third Class
Precedence
Next (higher)	Royal Order of Bhutan
Next (lower)	Order of the Beloved Son of the Dragon
Ribbon bar of the order

Award

It is awarded as reward for distinguished and meritorious services to the state.

Ranks

It is composed of three classes :

• First Class - a chest medal in gold.
• Second Class - a chest medal in silver.
• Third Class - a chest medal in bronze.

Insignia

The badge of the medal is a medallion with right-profile image of the King, inside an eight-petals stylised flower, itself inside an eight-pointed stylised star, simply hanging from a ribbon. The whole medal is in gold, silver or bronze, according to the rank.

The ribbon of the medal is dark orange with lighter orange borders

Notable recipients

• 

  Phuntso Wangmo, CEO, and Needrup Zangpo, Editor in Chief, of Bhutan Observer with their National Order of Merit, awarded by His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, in December, 2011.

• Bhutan Observer, Bhutan's first private bilingual newspaper [in Gold] (17 December 2011).
• Sonam Kinga, Chairperson of National Council (current position), Actor and Researcher at the Center for Bhutan Studies [in Gold] (17 December 2014).
• Harald Nestroy, Ambassador and Chairman of the society Pro Bhutan (17 December 2015).
• Sanduk Ruit, Doctor, eye surgeon (17 December 2015).
• Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan [in Gold] (17 December 2016).
• Chablop Passang Tshering (17 December 2016).
• VAST Bhutan (17 December 2016).
• Toeb Karma (17 December 2021).
• Bhutan Association of Women Entrepreneurs, whose founder and president is Damchae Dem (17 December 2016).
• Bhutan Red Cross Society (BRCS) (17 December 2021).
• Poonam Khetrapal Singh [in Gold] (17 December 2023).
• Chencho Gyeltshen [in Gold] (17 December 2023).