Lhakpa Tamang

Lhakpa’s story is an inspiring one – starting off as the eldest daughter in her family, growing up in a small village in the mighty Bhutanese mountains. Balancing her responsibilities as the eldest sibling, and her passion for education, she strived to be an inspiration for others in her village.

A young professional in Bhutan Power Corporation, Lhakpa just finished an intensive 6-month training called SAR100 alongside 110 other engineers from Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. She spent half a year learning about South Asia’s most pressing energy issues and the various technical solutions needed to tackle them.

I completed my high school while taking care of my younger siblings and doing household chores. Then, I achieved my goal of pursuing university education in engineering on a fully funded scholarship. I am the first in my family to do so.

Lhakpa only started working about 2 years ago. It was a challenge to balance the training schedules along with learning the ropes of her job and navigating the industry at the same time. But she was finally getting the chance to engage in and implement the theories she had learnt while in university.

In college, we learnt theoretical knowledge and studied for exams. But now, during SAR100 field visits and on my job, I am witnessing the implementation of those theories and even participating in their practical applications.

Along with subjects such as cross-border energy trading and gridding systems, SAR100 also included a module on women’s leadership. For Lhakpa, the module played an integral role in highlighting women’s roles in communities, workplaces, and government.

For Lhakpa, the SAR100 course is just the beginning. With a long career path ahead of her, she is using her experiences from this training to boost her career, as well as creating a lasting impact in her village back home.

I want to continue motivating my siblings and my friends and family from the village, to pursue their dreams, continue their education and take every opportunity that comes their way to upskill themselves. I, too, want to keep chasing different opportunities and gain more experience. I still have a long way to go.