National Order of Merit (Bhutan)

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

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

 * [[File:Madame Phuntsho Wangmo, Chief Executive Officer of Bhutan Observer, with Editor in Chief Needrup Zangpo, and the National Order of Merit.jpg|thumb|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).