Jigme Dorji Wangchuck (Dzongkha: འབྲུག་རྒྱལ་པོ་ འཇིགས་མེད་རྡོ་རྗེ་དབང་ཕྱུག་མཆོག་, Wylie: jigs med rdo rje dbang phyug; 2 May 1928[2][3] – 21 July 1972) was the 3rd Druk Gyalpo of Bhutan.

Wangchuck was educated in a British manner in Kalimpong and Bishop Cotton School, Simla and he went on study tours to many foreign countries such as Scotland and Switzerland from where he drew inspiration to develop Bhutan with suitable adaptations.

Wangchuck brought modern techniques and methods to preserve and promote the culture of Bhutan, yet at the same time, he introduced Western science and technology.

[10] Later, similar indentured labourers were set free in other areas of the country, especially in some parts of Eastern Bhutan, where they were concentrated.

[7] For the first time, elders from different gewogs (administrative units) were invited to voice their concerns, ideas and solutions for the future of this country.

After the National Assembly was established in 1953, the king drafted and devised a series of progressive laws for the Kingdom.

The King brought out a holistic set of laws covering fundamental aspects of Bhutanese life such as land, livestock, marriage, inheritance, property and so forth.

Wangchuck decided to open the judiciary, first with the appointment of Thrimpons (judges) in districts, and then finally to the High Court, which was set up in 1968.

[2] He established Simtokha Rigzhung Lobdra (now known as the Institute of Language and Cultural Studies) in 1967, where a new breed of traditional scholars could be nurtured.

To propagate culture and traditions in schools, and to study scientific disciplines as well as humanities, the Third King established modern education on a wide spread basis.

Modernising Bhutan's infrastructure for transportation, communications, education, health system and agriculture started after India was receptive enough to offer aid.

The first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru made a historic journey to Bhutan in September 1958.

[14] His last visit to central Bhutan was partly to open the Zhunglam, the highway between Wangdue Phodrang and Trongsa, in 1971.

[2] In July 1972, Wangchuck traveled to Nairobi to receive treatment for this condition, but he died suddenly during this visit.