DGM People

Mr. Dorji Wangda joined the Department of Geology and Mines (DGM) in 1982 after completing his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Applied Geology from the Indian School of Mines. Prior to his appointment as the Director of the DGM in 2000, he worked as the geologist and laid foundations for mineral exploration activities in the Kingdom. As the pioneering geologist, he introduced the mineral exploration and other geo-scientific activities at the forefront and helped establish several mineral-based industries in the country. Against all odds, the department came a long way to explore and develop nation's wealth and contribute to the economic development. With the exit of the Geological Survey of India, Bhutan Unit, the role of the department has doubled. However, under his guidance and far-sighted leadership, the department has made tremendous progress over the years. Besides guiding and reviewing exploration activities, he does remote sensing, slope instability, and other studies. He also led several expeditions to Lunana to study Glaciers and Glacial Lakes following the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) in 1994. While working for the department, he has undergone training in various discipline including Snow Hydrology, Remote Sensing Applications, Industrial Minerals Development, Flash Flood Study, and Disaster Management. As a head of the department, his multi-fold responsibility includes;
• Administration and management of the department.
• Review planned geologic activities.
• Issue clearance certificate and lease mines .
• Technical sanction for the approved field projects.
• Review and edit field reports.
• Coordinate all the geologic and mining activities.

In addition, he is the Board Director of the Bhutan Ferro Alloy Limited (BFAL). He spends his leisure time reading books, playing archery, and trekking.

Mr. Yeshi Dorji graduated from Indian School of Mines with B.Sc. Geology (Hons) in 1982 and with M.Sc. Applied Geology in 1984. He joined the deparment on December 14, 1984, and later pursued a Masters degree in Advance Engineering Geology from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom (UK) in 1989. After returning from the UK, he had worked in various engineering projects in Bhutan both in the caliber of an expert and also as a counterpart to the expatriates from the developed countries. To name a few, he worked as a counterpart to team from UK who were the consultants of World Bank on Road Bank stabilization; ITECO, Nepal, the WFP consultant for Road Bank stabilization; bridge foundation studies; Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) landslide studies; and also the study the stability of Dzongs. He was also involved in the investigation of Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) risk in Lunana and assessment of the damages caused by GLOF of 1994 and flash floods (Trashigang Town in 1994 and Pasakha in 2000).
As the Head of Geological Survey of Bhutan (GSB), his job responsibilities are as follows:
• Coordinate all the Geological activities within the country.
• Scrutinize all the reports.
• Plan all the geological activities and Five year plans of the Division.
• Prepare annual budget of the GSB.
• Inspect and guide the personnel of the Division both in field and office on technical issues.
• Act as national counterpart to the experts from the developed countries on activities related to geology and geologic hazard assessment.
His hobbies include playing outdoor games such as basketball and archery. He also enjoys fieldworks, trekking, chanting prayers, and reading religious scripts.

Mr. Sangay Gyaltsen joined the department in 1991 and was appointed as the Head of Mining Division in 1995. He obtained M.Sc. in Engineering Geology from ITC-Delft in the Netherlands and B.E. in Mining from REC, Rourkela, Orrissa, India.
His current job responsibilities are:
• Assessment of Feasiblility of Mineral Deposit for Mining.
• Evaluation and approval of Final Mine Feasibility Report
• Enforcement of Mines and Minerals Act and Mines and Minerals Management Regulation.
• Administration and placement of inspectors in Bhutan.
• Long term planning of Mining Division and Mining Policies for the department.
• Review of mineral taxation policies and preparation of FYP for Mining Division.
• Assigning roles and responsibilities for all mining engineers, mines coordinators, mines inspectors, and other mining staffs.
• Issuing environmental clearance for mines with area less than 3 hectares.
• Management of Project on Strengthening the Capacity of Slope Stability and Environmental Analysis.

Geological Survey of Bhutan

ADMINISTRATION

Karma

Mr. Karma joined the department in 1997 after graduating from Jadavpur University, Calcutta with B.Sc. Geology Honors. After working for two years, he underwent M.Sc. in Glaciology from Nagoya University, Japan. He is currently the head of remote sensing and glaciology section. His job responsibilites include time series monitoring of glaciers and glacial lakes, risk assessment from the potentially dangerous glacial lakes in the kingdom.

Karma Kuenza

Karma Kuenza is the head of the Engineering Geology Section. He comes from Nobgang (Talo) under Punakha. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Geology with specialization in Engineering Geology from the University of Kansas, USA as a Fulbright Scholar. After graduation in December 1998, he joined the Department. Two years later, he obtained an ADB-Japan Scholarship and graduated with a Master of Engineering in Geotechnical Engineering from the University of Tokyo (Todae), Japan. Currently, his job responsibilities include assessment of the impact of soil, rock, groundwater and other natural conditions on construction schemes and provision of other geotechnical consultancy services to both public and private sectors. He oversees the functioning of the geotechnical lab and endeavors to make DGM a focal point for geotechnical engineering practice and research in the Kingdom.

Currently, he is pursuing Ph.D. in Engineering Geology at the National University of Singapore.

Mr. Dowchu Drukpa holds M.Sc. in Geophysics from the University of Texas at El Paso and B.Sc. Geology Honors from Jadavpur University, Calcutta. As a part of his research during his Masters course, he worked on Seismicity and tectonic implications of the Bhutan Himalaya region. He presented his research work at 2002 AGU conference in San Francisco and at IRIS workshop held in Hawaii. During the course of his stay at UTEP, he worked both as research assistant (RA)and teaching assistant (TA). He was involved in setting up temporary seismic networks and two permanent GPS stations in the kingdom.

	Mr. Deo Raj Gurung holds M.Sc. in Geomorphology from the Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan. He joined the department in 1999 after completing his B.Sc. Geology Honors from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

Mr. Indra Kumar Chettri hails from Goshi, Dagana and was born in 1970. He completed Jr. High school studies from Goshi Jr. High School, High school from Punakha High School and Pre-university course from Sherubtse College, Kanglung in March 1991. Later on, he graduated from HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal (present Uttaranchal) in 1996 with Bachelors in Geology and Computer Science. Since then he has been employed by DGM and has worked extensively in litho-structural mapping of parts of Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Wangduephodrang and Trongsa Dzongkhags. He was involved in mineral exploration works and GLOF project in Lunana. While working with DGM, he attended the XXII orientation Course for Geologist conducted by GSITI. In March 2005, he obtained M.Sc in Engineering Geology from ITC, the Netherlands..

(personal website)

T. Tobgay (click here for his personal website) comes from Yadhi under Monggar Dzongkhag. He joined the Department of Geology and Mines in 2000 after completing his B.S. (Geology) from the University of Wollongong, Australia, as an AusAID scholar. He completed his Masters in Geology from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), USA, in May 2005. He did his thesis on the topic "Unique Topography of the Bhutan Himalaya: Implications for Active Tectonics". While studying at UTP, he presented his research at international conferences including Geological Society of America (GSA) in Denver and American Geophysical Union (AGU) in San Francisco. He worked as a Teaching Assistant (TA) and taught laboratory classes for Introductory Geology, Remote Sensing, and Digital Image Processing. Back in Bhutan, he managed the temporary seismic network in the kingdom installed in collaboration with researchers from the UTEP. He also took active participation in glaciology project undertaken in collaboration with researchers from the University of Vienna, Austria. Taking multi-fold responsibility, he endeavors to bring geo-scientific activities at the forefront and transform Geological Survey of Bhutan (GSB) a focal organization in the country. His interests in Structural Geology, Tectonics, Economic Geology, Metamorphic Petrology, Palaeoeismology, and Remote Sensing makes him a person of diverse background.

Currently, he is also pursuing Ph.D. in Geosciences at Princeton University, USA, under the supervision of Professors Nadine McQuarrie and Lincoln Hollister.

	Tashi Tshering, who is from Tshangkha, Trongsa, graduated from the Colorado School of Mines, USA with B.Sc. in Geophysical Engineering under Fulbright scholarship. As a student at the Colorado School of Mines, he worked as an intern with Occidental Oil and Gas in the summer of 2003 and with Petroleum Geo-Services in 2004. He joined the department in January 2005.

	Mr. Phuntsho Tshering is from Phongmey Gewog, under Trashigang Dzongkhag. He has done his undergraduate course in B. Sc Geology from Post Graduate College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India. He has joined the Department of Geology and Mines from 1st of January, 2008 after doing the Civil Service Common Examination (CSCE). He has a keen interest to specialize in the fields of Glaciology, Global Climate Change, Engineering Geology and Exploration.

	Mr. Tashi Tenzin completed his Bachelor of Science in Geology from Osmania University, Hyderabad, India, under GOI funding and joined the Department from 2008 under the Mineral exploration section, after passing the Civil Service Common Examination (CSCE). He wishes to specialize in “Earth Resource Exploration, Structural Geology and Hard Rock Petrology.” Accounting his background in physics and mathematics during his degree program, he is also interested in continuing his higher studies with the application of Geophysics in Mineral investigation and Exploration. His leisure time includes playing archery, basketball, soccer and reading news. He is from Phongmey Gewog under Trashigang Dzongkhag.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF BHUTAN

MINING DIVISION

LABORATORY PERSONNEL

Mr. Mani Kumar Pradhan is the Head of the Mines Evaluation and Information section of the Mining Division. He joined the department in 1987 after having graduated from the Indian School of Mines with a degree in B.Tech (Mining). He also holds a Post Graduate diploma in Remote Sensing and GIS from the Centre for Space Science & Technology Education in the Asia & the Pacific, and subsequently a Masters of Technology degree in the same, from Andhra University in 2003. His current job responsibility includes mines evaluation and planning, and the management of mines and minerals information system. He is also the focal person in the implementation of DANIDA assisted EUSPS project components under DGM.

Sangay Tshering has a B.E Mining degree from RKNE College in Nagpur India. After graduating in 2003 he joined the department under the Mines Inspection and regulation section. His current job responsibilities are inspection of mines and mineral deposits for feasibility, regulation and monitoring of existing mines and quarries in the country. Sangay Tshering comes from Wamrong under Trashigang Dzongkhag. He enjoys reading books, playing basketball and listening to music.

Binesh Pradhan graduated with a mining engineering degree from RKNE College in Nagpur, India in 2003. Since then he has been working under the Mines Inspection and Regulation section of the department. His current job responsibilities include inspection of mines, feasibility study of mining sites, regulation and monitoring of mines and quarries. He comes from Samtse Dzongkhag.

Lhendup Gyeltshen is one of the two persons under the Mines Evaluation and Information Section. He joined the department in 2004 after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. His job responsibility includes evaluation of mine plans and environmental management plans for new mining projects. He is also the department's focal person for the National Capacity Self-Assessment (NCSA) Project for global environmental management.

Laboratory Personnel

ADMINISTRATION

	Mr. Ugyen Dorji hails from Wangjokha, Wangduephodrang. He joined the department as a chemist in 1998 after graduating from Sherubtse College, Kanglung with B.Sc. (General). He completed his M.Sc. in Environmental Science from University of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, in 2002.

Mr. S.B. Prasad holds B.Sc. (Inter) from L.D. College, M.P., B.Sc. (Gen.) from Ravishankar University in Raipur, M.P, and Diploma in Quality Control Management from Indian School of Labor Education in Chennai. He joined the department in 1985 as a chemist. Prior to working with the department, he worked as a chemist for Birla Carbide and Gases, Texmaco Ltd, Kolkota, Superintendence Co. of India (Pvt.) Ltd., and Bhutan Carbide and Chemicals Ltd.
His current job responsibilites include: providing technical guidance to lab staffs, looking after the whole purchase of chemicals, and developing the future plan of the lab.

	Mr. Tshering Penjore did his B.E. in Metallurgy from PSG College of Technology, Tamil Nadu, India. After graduating in 2003 he joined this department and oversees the overall functioning of the GEO-TECH Lab. He comes from Narphung, Samdrup Jongkhar. He is now at University of Alaska, Fairbanks, doing his Masters in Geological Engineering.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF BHUTAN

MINING DIVISION

LABORATORY PERSONNEL