About Us

The seeds of this partnership were sown back in 2018, during a family trip Rajay took to Bhutan, where Tshering served as his guide. Over the years, the two maintained a lively WhatsApp conversation, which led to a greater appreciation for each other’s cultures. Bhutan Mindfulness emerged in response to the global upheaval caused by COVID-19, a time when the world endured hardships, grew more interconnected, and faced distinct challenges.

Bhutan Mindfulness, founded by Rajay Bagaria and Tshering Wangchuck, launched on March 28, 2023.

Following the outbreak of COVID-19, Americans developed a greater appreciation for their time and health. Many saw how the trappings of modern life and traditional notions of success had created a life out of balance. Focus shifted away from consumption and towards obtaining meaningful experiences.

The challenges were different in Bhutan, where most live on just USD 10 a day. The Bhutanese had a limited safety net and a stark economic reality. The brightest started leaving the country for better jobs. Those who couldn’t afford student visas moved back home. Youth unemployment soared to nearly 30%.

This is particularly sad as Bhutan’s economy was making significant progressive reforms. Over the past 60 years, the country has transitioned from an economy dependent on agriculture to one with more vibrant industries. Schools, roads, and hospitals were developed. The country embraced hydroelectricity as a natural growth industry that fed off its glacier waters while having a limited impact on Bhutan’s treasured way of life. Universities were established to educate a new generation that could propel Bhutan forward.

Bhutan's tourism industry was created after opening its first international airport in 1968. For college-aged youth, tourism provided a way out of life on the family farm. Many families scraped together savings to send children to college, the first of their line. This new generation shared respect for Bhutan’s traditions, which protected the environment, promoted responsible growth, and upheld Buddhist notions of civility. But they also wanted to lead a life with a higher standard of living.

When COVID hit in March 2020, Bhutan’s tourism industry collapsed. For many, after years of unemployment, it’s been “survival.” The prospects of employment remain challenging.

Covid-19 Challenges

Our Founders

Bhutan is a poor country of 800,000 in a world of 8 billion. But they live conscientiously like few others on the planet. It’s one of the few countries that is carbon negative. It has not accepted the conventional model of progress; instead, it measures itself against its benchmark of gross national happiness. We find Bhutan a conundrum: underdeveloped in some ways, advanced in others.

Most Bhutanese believe in the immutable laws of karma: a notion that your conditions result from past actions and your current actions create the conditions for future welfare. If you want happiness, give happiness; if you want wealth, help others. The ideals fostered encourage ethical conduct, self-restraint, and working toward the well-being of all sentient beings. At the heart of the culture is a path towards inner transformation that has been practiced for over 2,000 years.

Why Bhutan

Tshering’s Story

“I was born in one of the most beautiful districts known as Paro in Bhutan.

Born to a farmer’s family. Life was challenging until I graduated from one of the oldest colleges in the country. After graduating, I applied for a civil servant government job along with many others. There were around 4,500 fresh graduates appearing for the examination and only 200 to 300 spots. Most of the graduates didn’t qualify, and I was one of them.

After that, I took a culture-guiding course to become a tour guide in the country. I thought I would be doing that for a short time, but after starting the work, I began to love my profession. I was learning more about my country’s culture and history. I was also getting opportunities to interact with various people from all over the world. So my work was going well until the pandemic, even I was earning well.

Then, unfortunately, we had our first case of Covid in March 2020, and the country went into lockdown. Life after that was one of the most challenging times in my life. I totally lost my work and my wife was pregnant during that time. Luckily, we had our king who provided some income to those of us who lost work because of COVID. Still then, it was challenging because we had zero income. We were eagerly waiting for the moment of opening our borders and the opening of tourism. Finally, it opened after two and half years on the 23rd of September 2022. We were so happy about it but then another challenge came.

Our Ruling Government changed our tourism policies. If a foreigner wanted to now visit Bhutan, they would have to pay a minimum of USD 200 per diem per visitor towards an SDF (Sustainable Development Fund), which does not include the cost of anything else. It was USD 65 per day until the pandemic. After the changes in per diem pricing, the number of visits is much below normal even though our borders are open. We have less tourists visiting the country and lots of unemployment problems.

Now many graduates and young people are going to Australia and other countries for better opportunities and income. The numbers of youth leaving is drastic. Even my dream was to go to Australia for better opportunities and income. I was unemployed for almost 3 years and when tourism finally opened the government changed its policies. I didn’t see much future in the country. But going to Australia is not easy as we can only get a student visa (not a work visa) and college fees are tens of thousands of dollars.

So in the meantime, my friend Mr. Rajay from the USA who visited Bhutan in 2018 and who was also helping me during the pandemic time came up with the idea of exporting mindfulness training and using donations and incomes to create jobs and help persons with disabilities. The non-profit organization is a very inspiring one. We are really excited about the project. If it goes well, we will be able to provide lots of opportunities and support to our communities.”

Though our means would prohibit any large-scale change, we wanted to help. Our initial emphasis was on providing economic relief for those we knew. However, as the employment challenges were more deep-rooted, our focus shifted towards creating sustainable gains. Inspired by the story of Muhammed Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank, we sought to create jobs and provide purposeful work.

We then asked: what does Bhutan have that the world needs? We realized it was mindfulness. As a Buddhist nation, the country has 10,000 monks and nuns, many of whom have spent their entire lifetime learning how to alleviate suffering and create lasting happiness. We aspired to bring this knowledge to the West and use it to encourage more charitable engagement across borders.

Exporting Mindfulness

My father is one of seven children from India who came to the United States in the 1970s through an academic scholarship. I was afforded many privileges from just being part of that generation. Following college, I began a career in finance, working at large financial firms. Later, I helped co-found a bilingual elementary school that my children attended. Education has always held a special interest for me; if you change the trajectory of one life, you positively impact so many others, who then do the same.

A significant turning point in my life came with the loss of my aunt (or “Mashi” in Indian culture) to ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Mashi had a successful career as an architect in New York but later moved to Santa Fe to retreat from busy life. Wanting to help those suffering from poverty, Mashi launched a fine crafts business, creating high-end journals and other products that were constructed by Indian villagers using local materials and regional artistry. Eventually, she employed a village in Rajasthan, improving the lives of many. I also worked for her while a college student in New York, visiting high-end shops interested in her products, which were sold under the brand “Moksha".

Mashi’s last wish was for my mom to visit. My brother and mom scrambled across the county to reach her in time. When the doorbell rang, she found peace and let go. Along with some of her prayer materials, her parting gift to me was one of her journals. On the first page was a photograph of a trail leading into a dense forest with the words “Journey Within” written underneath through great effort with her atrophied hand. Another parting advice was to always look into the eyes of disabled individuals and acknowledge their presence.

Tshering and I went on several runs together during my visit to Bhutan. Before leaving, I gave him my Nikes so they could continue to enjoy Bhutan. Four years afterward, Tshering sent me a picture of him wearing his “favorite sneakers.” As an ultramarathoner, I had gone through countless pairs over the years. The picture prompted me to think about circumstance, responsibility, and what my leanings instructed. To our ongoing astonishment, that single picture sparked this entire project.

Rajay’s Story

At the inauguration of an accessible toilet built for Drukgyel Secondary School, Rajay spoke and provided our backstory and vision for Bhutan Mindfulness. Despite having over 500 students with approximately 80 being students with disabilities, Drukygel did not have one accessible toilet for handicapped children. The school relied on a porta-potty placed in front of classrooms. Following the construction of this classroom, four new families with disabled children enrolled at Drukgyel. For some, having a bathroom made the difference between getting an education or staying at home.