Explained: Who is Sonam Wangchuk, who inspired 3 Idiots and why is she protesting in freezing temperatures of Ladakh

 

• On January 23, Sonam Wangchuk sent an SOS to PM Modi.

• He appealed to the Prime Minister to take action as 'all is not well in Ladakh'.

Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer-innovator is currently on a five-day climate fast from January 26 in Ladakh. He had earlier said that he would sit on a five-day climate fast at Khardungla Pass which is at 18,000 feet where the temperature is -40 degree Celsius. He further informed that the roads leading to Khardungla are closed due to heavy snowfall, hence he is on fast from HIAL. However, later he also clarified that he is under house arrest and the UT administration has restricted his fast to the HIL premises and has not given permission for Khardung La Top citing threat to my life etc.

Who is Sonam Wangchuk?

Born in 1966, Sonam Wangchuk is a Mechanical Engineer and the Director of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL). He was the recipient of the Magsaysay Award in the year 2018. Wangchuk's personality inspired the fictional character of Phunsukh Wangdu, essayed by Aamir Khan, in the 2009 film 3 Idiots. The Ladakh-based engineer is known for setting up his innovative school, Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), whose campus runs on solar power and does not use fossil fuels for cooking, lighting or heating.

He founded SECMOL in 1988 with the aim of supporting Ladakhi children and youth and training those students whom the system deems unsuccessful. In 1994, Wangchuk launched Operation New Hope to reform the government school system. He has also been instrumental in designing low cost solar heated buildings made of mud to maintain a sweltering temperature in the winters of Ladakh. Him Stupa is another pioneering invention towards solving the water crisis in the mountainous regions. In 2021, he also made an eco-friendly solar heated tent that can be used by army personnel in extremely cold places like Siachen and Galwan Valley in the Ladakh region. In November 2022, he was awarded the seventh Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios Award by former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. The award is given every alternate year in the memory of Dr. Paulos Mar Gregorios, the first Metropolitan of the Diocese of Delhi and renowned philosopher.

Why is he on a climate fast in Ladakh?

On January 23, Wangchuk sent an SOS to PM Modi. He appealed to the Prime Minister to take action as "all is not well in Ladakh".

From a military point of view, Ladakh is essential and has played a role in Kargil and other conflicts. Wangchuk expresses concern about the prospect of corporate expansion in the union territory, which is expected to exacerbate an already acute shortage of resources such as water. Glaciers may melt due to mining and other comparable activities.

In the video, he explained, "Ladakh, also known as the "Third Pole" of the Earth, is dealing with serious issues as he refers to the 6th Schedule and protests related to it. Overall economic development and decision making To promote autonomy, the local people are demanding the inclusion of Ladakh under the 6th Schedule. The subject has already been brought up in Parliament."

The Constitution requires 50 per cent of the population of an area to be tribal in order to implement the Sixth Schedule. Ladakh, which has over 95% of its population as tribals, was expected to be added soon, Wangchuk says in the clip. Wangchuk said that Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda has also given assurance.

In the 13-minute video, Wangchuk said that the people of Ladakh are perplexed as to why the government, which listened to their 70-year-old demand for a Union Territory, is not heeding the demand.

Wangchuk previously said that solving issues such as climate change required people to adjust their lifestyles rather than contributing wealth to the world. In December, he used recent events, such as flash floods in the mountainous region of the north, to demonstrate the effects of climate change, saying that individuals in major cities around the world are responsible for these changes.