Druk GPS: Putting it on the map

The true power behind an idea is the passionate people who breathe life into it. All that is needed to harness the idea and see it into existence, is belief in it. For an idea is a spark away from becoming innovation, to becoming a beacon of light that can give direction and a higher purpose. Leading in this spirit is 32-year-old Sonam Tobgay the co-founder of Druk GPS. “Druk Groom People Strategically” (Druk GPS) is made up of intrepid Bhutanese passionate about the use of the life-saving GPS technology in the country. Striving to fulfil the vision of His Majesty the King to utilize technology effectively in the 21st century for the advancement of the country, the team is working diligently by travelling around the country to provide training on the use of GPS and its application. The team hope to bring their fellow Bhutanese further into the 21st century through our free training on the use of new and revolutionary technology” Tobgay enthused.  

Tobgay an avid hiker with a thirst for adventure and travel, creates vlogs that share the beauty of the country with the rest of the world. His professional talents are multi-faceted being a practicing lawyer, a licensed tourist guide and a dedicated Desuup. Inspired by his father, one of his biggest heroes, a proud police officer in his own right, Tobgay’s role as a Desuup is a deeply personal one and a position he holds with great honour.  Having been raised to always help others, he was grateful for the opportunity to volunteer for his nation during the pandemic. As fate would have it, while on a Desuup assignment in southern Bhutan, Tobgay received a call from Mr. Ugyen Dorji, the founder of Druk GPS on the exciting new initiative and asked Tobgay to join the cause.

“When I received the call and first heard about the Druk GPS project, I was hesitant about my contribution. Mr. Dorji encouraged me to join him in fulfilling the vision to use GPS technology for connecting the community.  Joining the team at Druk GPS was one of the best decisions of my life. Today I am filled with joy and so proud to be part of making a difference; travelling around my country promoting the use of GPS coordinates to make life safer and easier for my community. It has given me a higher purpose that has been extremely fulfilling” Tobgay beamed.

Made available for civilian use in the 1980s, the GPS or Global Positioning System is a satellite-based radio navigation system that provides geo-location and time information to a receiver anytime and anywhere on earth. Druk GPS wishes to harness this technology to actively apply GPS to aid in the navigation and safety of the people of Bhutan. With GPS technology, rescue operations can quickly locate people and provide guidance to those in trouble. The project is working towards GPS training for tour guides to aid in navigation and training Desuups to respond to distress calls. For the general population Druk GPS advocates for a basic understanding of how to use GPS coordinates to give precise locations particularly in the event of an emergency.

“The response that we have received from the Bhutanese community has been heartwarmingly positive.  So far, we have trained six batches of tourist guides, a team from the Department of Air Transport and Desuups across eastern Bhutan. Druk GPS continues to provide free GPS training to every interested individual in Thimphu and invites everyone to please follow our Facebook page, to learn more and get the latest updates. We are passionate about carrying forward the vision of our beloved King to build Bhutan into a smarter nation together” a confident Tobgay said.

The difficult conditions of the global pandemic tested Tobgay’s resilience and his skills to adapt to change but also provided him with many opportunities, “The impact­­­ of the pandemic was felt by all of us during this period, nevertheless we wanted to make the best of the situation. It was a blessing in disguise for the Druk GPS team. We suddenly had the time to dedicate to developing the idea that is Druk GPS today. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to reach out and motivate the younger generation, local district leaders and our community. For example, we were recently able to lend our knowledge and expertise to help locate the missing boys in Gelephu last month. We were able to help guide them to generate GPS coordinates to assist in the successful rescue efforts by the Police, Desuups, forest personal and volunteers” Tobgay reflected. Druk GPS aspires to create technology that will inspire, protect and guide the Bhutanese community.

“In a fast-moving high-tech world, where the only limit is your imagination, we must learn to take charge of this transition and inevitable evolution. We must take the first step forward. His Majesty the King wisely said that we have to figure out ways to use technology to solve problems, to improve governance, democracy, education, agriculture, to create jobs, enhance well-being in healthcare, to make our cities safer and cleaner and in various other ways that will benefit our people. Here at Druk GPS, we hope to help advance this noble vision and make our own contribution to nation-building” Tobgay said emphatically.

Article contributed by Jetsuen Wangmo for the UN/JICA We Care We Share Initiative