For many athletes, pursuing a dream and building a career often means choosing one over the other. In Bhutan, where professional sports opportunities remain limited, many athletes eventually have to step away from competition to secure their future. But for two of Bhutan’s national para-athletes, that choice has changed. Their new roles as Development Officers at Bhutan Insurance Limited have allowed them to continue representing the country in sport while building careers beyond the field.
A workday at Bhutan Insurance Limited begins like any other. Meetings to prepare for, plans to develop, and targets to achieve.
Among the newest members working towards these goals are national para-athletes Chimi Dema and Sapuna Subba. They joined the company as Development Officers and are now part of the team responsible for marketing health and sports insurance products.
Their journey to this workplace was built over years of dedication. They balanced lectures, training sessions, and international competitions before graduating this year with degrees in Sports and Health Sciences from Royal Thimphu College.
The discipline, resilience, and determination they developed while pursuing their sporting dreams have now become valuable strengths in their professional lives. These qualities are also what Bhutan Insurance Limited recognised when it offered them the opportunity.
Chimi Dema said, “I consider Bhutan Insurance Limited like a parent because it gave us this job opportunity without us having to struggle for it. Finding employment can be very difficult for people like us, and some even look down on us. I am truly grateful to Bhutan Insurance Limited for giving us this opportunity.”
“This opportunity means a lot to me because it gives me financial stability while allowing me to continue representing Bhutan as a para-badminton player. It motivates me to work hard both in my career and sports. I want to thank Bhutan Insurance for providing this job opportunity to me,” said Sapuna Subba.
Chimi Dema made history as Bhutan’s first female Paralympian, representing the country at the Tokyo Paralympic Games.
Since then, she has competed at the World Para Athletics Championships and the Asian Para Games, winning silver in shot put at the 2023 Indian Open Championship, along with a silver and a bronze medal at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix.
Sapuna Subba, a para-badminton player, has represented Bhutan at several international tournaments, winning two bronze medals at the Asian Youth Para Games.
Bhutan Insurance Limited says the appointments reflect its commitment to creating opportunities based on ability, commitment and potential rather than disability.
“Insurance is about inclusivity and social security. When we talk about inclusiveness, it is not only about providing insurance services, but also about bringing the entire community on board. Through our slogan, ‘Providing Security, Building Confidence,’ we want to go beyond offering security through our policies. We want to build confidence in our community by recognising that our national athletes and persons with disabilities have immense potential to contribute when given the right opportunities,” said Sonam Tobgay, Director of Operations and IT, Bhutan Insurance Limited.
For aspiring athletes and persons with disabilities, inclusion is not about opening doors. It is about creating opportunities to build careers, live independently, and continue pursuing their ambitions with confidence.
Chimi Dema and Sapuna Subba have already proven what they can achieve on the sporting field. Their new roles give them the stability to continue chasing those goals while building a future beyond competition.
For them, work is not the finish line. It is what makes the next race possible.
Namgay Wangdi
Edited by Sangay Chezom
