Jump to content

Sonam Wangchuk

Page semi-protected
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the engineer and inventor. For the Indian Army officer of the same name, see Sonam Wangchuk (soldier).

Sonam Wangchuk
Wangchuk in 2017
Born (1966-09-01) 1 September 1966 (age 59)
Alchi, J&K, India
(now in Ladakh, India)
Alma materNIT Srinagar (B.Tech.)
CRAterre
Occupation(s)Engineer, educator
OrganizationStudents' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh
Known forIce Stupa, SECMOL, Ladags Melong, Operation New Hope
SpouseGitanjali J Angmo[1]
Parents
  • Sonam Wangyal (father)
  • Tsering Wangmo (mother)
AwardsGlobal Award for Sustainable Architecture (2017)[2]
Fred M. Packard Award (2016) [3]
Rolex Awards for Enterprise (2016)[4]
Real Heroes Award (2008)
Ashoka Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurship (2002)[5]
Ramon Magsaysay Award (2018)[6]

Sonam Wangchuk (born 1 September 1966) is an Indian activist, innovator, education reformer, and environmentalist.[7] He is the founding-director of the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), which was founded in 1988 by a group of students who had been in his own words, the 'victims' of an alien education system foisted on Ladakh. He is also known for designing the SECMOL campus that runs on solar energy and uses no fossil fuels for cooking, lighting or heating.

Wangchuk was instrumental in the launch of Operation New Hope in 1994, a collaboration of government, village communities and the civil society to bring reforms in the government school system. He invented the Ice Stupa technique that creates artificial glaciers, used for storing winter water in the form of a cone-shaped ice heap.

Wangchuk's contributions to Ladakh’s education sector, climate-related challenges, and innovative solutions to local problems have earned him numerous accolades. As of 2025, he has received around 15 awards, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2018), the title of Eminent Technologist of the Himalayan Region by IIT Mandi (2018), and the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture (2017).[8]

Early life and education

Wangchuk was born in 1966 in near Alchi in the Leh district of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir (now in the Indian union territory of Ladakh). He was not enrolled in a school until the age of 9, as there were no schools in his village. His mother taught him all the basics in his own mother tongue until that age.[5][9]

In 1975, his father, Sonam Wangyal was elected into the Jammu and Kashmir Government where he became a minister.[10][11] At the age of 9, he was taken to Srinagar and enrolled in a school there. Since he looked different compared to the other students, he would get addressed in a language that he did not understand, due to which his lack of responsiveness was mistaken for him being stupid. He recalls this period as the darkest part of his life. Unable to bear the treatment, in 1977, he escaped alone to Delhi, where he pleaded his case to the school principal at Kendriya Vidyalaya.[4]

Wangchuk completed his B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering from National Institute of Technology Srinagar (then REC Srinagar) in 1987.[12]

Due to differences with his father over the choice of engineering stream, he had to finance his own education. He also went for two years of higher studies in Earthen Architecture at Craterre School of Architecture in Grenoble, France, in 2011.[13]

Career

In 1988, after his graduation, Wangchuk (with his brother and five peers) started Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL). After experimenting with school reforms in government high school at Saspol, SECMOL launched Operation New Hope in collaboration with the government education department and the village population.[9][6][14]

From June 1993 until August 2005, Wangchuk also founded and worked as the editor of Ladakh's only print magazine Ladags Melong[15][6] In 2001, he was appointed to be an advisor for the education in the Hill Council Government.[16] In 2002, together with other NGO heads, he founded Ladakh Voluntary Network (LVN), a network of Ladakhi NGOs, and served in its executive committee as the secretary till 2005. He was appointed to the Drafting Committee of the Ladakh Hill Council Government’s Vision Document Ladakh 2025 and entrusted with the formulation of the policy on Education and Tourism in 2004.[17] The document was formally launched by Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India in 2005. In 2005, Wangchuk was appointed as a member in the National Governing Council for Elementary Education in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.[17]

From 2007 to 2010, he worked as an education advisor for MS, a Danish NGO working to support the Ministry of Education for education reforms.[18]

In late 2013, Wangchuk invented and built a prototype of the Ice Stupa which is an artificial glacier that stores the wasting stream waters during the winters in the form of giant ice cones or stupas, and releases the water during late spring as they start melting, which is the perfect time when the farmers need water.[19] He was appointed to the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education in 2013. In 2014, he was appointed to the Expert panel for framing the J&K State Education Policy and Vision Document. Since 2015, Wangchuk has started working on establishing Himalayan Institute of Alternatives. He is concerned about how most of the Universities, especially those in the mountains have become irrelevant to realities of life.[20]

In 2016, Wangchuk initiated a project called FarmStays Ladakh, which provides tourists to stay with local families of Ladakh, run by mothers and middle-aged women. The project was officially inaugurated by Chetsang Rinpoche on 18 June 2016.[21]

Innovation

Wangchuk has been helping in designing and overseeing the construction of several passive solar mud buildings in mountain regions like Ladakh, Sikkim and Nepal so that energy savings principles are implemented on a larger scale. Even in cold winters with temperatures dropping to -30 degrees Celsius, his solar-powered school, built with the rammed earth, keeps the students warm.[22][23][24]

Image of main building of SECMOL campus
Main building of SECMOL campus

Led by Wangchuk, SECMOL has won the International Terra Award for the best building in July 2016 at the 12th World Congress on Earthen Architecture in Lyon, France.[25] The rammed earth 'Big Building', located at SECMOL. The campus was built using simple, low-cost traditional techniques on principles of passive solar architecture.[22] The building comprises a big solar-heated teaching hall, along with several rooms for the students and other classrooms.[5]

Himalayan Institute Of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL)

HIAL Campus
Academic building of HIAL 2023

Wangchuk founded the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL)[26][27][28][29] with Gitanjali J Angmo [30][31] after his significant experience with the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), which he established in 1988. His motivation for starting HIAL stems from a desire to address the educational and developmental challenges specific to Ladakh's unique geographical and cultural context.[32][33][34]

Wangchuk's establishment of HIAL is a continuation of his commitment to educational reform in Ladakh, building on the foundations laid by SECMOL. His vision is not only to provide higher education but also to create a sustainable future for the region by equipping youth with the skills necessary to thrive in their unique environment.[35][36][37]

Ice Stupa

Main article: Ice Stupa

In January 2014, Wangchuk started a project called the Ice Stupa. His aim was to find a solution to the water crisis being faced by the farmers of Ladakh in the critical planting months of April and May before the natural glacial melt waters start flowing. By the end of February in 2014, they had successfully built a two-storey prototype of an ice stupa which could store roughly 150,000 litres of winter stream water which nobody wanted at the time.[38][9][39][40]

In 2015, when Ladakh faced a crisis due to a landslide which blocked the Phugtal river in Zanskar and caused the formation of 15 km long lake, which became a huge threat for the downstream population, Wangchuk proposed to use a siphon technique to drain the lake and water jet erosion to safely cut the edges instead of blasting the lake as was being planned. However, his advice was ignored and blasting work was carried on. On 7 May 2015, the lake finally burst into a flash flood which destroyed 12 bridges and many fields.[41][42][43]

In 2016, Wangchuk started applying the Ice Stupa technique for disaster mitigation at high altitude glacier lakes. He was invited by the Government of Sikkim to apply siphon technique for another dangerous lake in the state. In September 2016, he led a three-week expedition to the South Lhonak Lake in North-West Sikkim, which had been declared dangerous for the last few years.[44] His team camped for two weeks at the lake, amidst rain and snow, installing the first phase of a siphoning system to drain the lake to a safer level until other measures were taken up.[45][46]

In late 2016, the idea started gaining traction from the authorities in the Swiss Alps. Wangchuk was invited by the president of Pontresina, a municipality in the Engadine valley, Switzerland to build Ice Stupas to add to their winter tourism attractions.[47] In October 2016, Wangchuk and his team went to the Swiss Alps and started building the first Ice Stupa of Europe, together with their Swiss partners.[48][49][50]

In February 2018, a group of young local sculptors and artists from Ladakh built an actual 10-feet high ice stupa. The wondrous sculpture is made entirely of ice and it took them 25 days of hard work and dedication to complete the project. As the stupa was housed inside another giant ice tower (ice stupa artificial glacier), it was made at a very low temperature of around -12 degrees Celsius.[51]

Mobile Solar-Powered Tents

In February 2021, Wangchuk developed solar-powered tents for the Indian army. Each tent can accommodate around 10 soldiers. According to Wangchuk, he came up with this innovation when he learned that around 50,000 Indian soldiers were working in harsh weather conditions in high-altitude areas.[52][53] This invention traps the heat energy during the daytime and utilizes this energy to keep the tent warm during night.[54]

Politics

In 2013, on repeated requests from students community of Ladakh, Wangchuk helped launch the New Ladakh Movement (NLM), a social campaign and Ladakh's version of Green Party with the aim of working for sustainable education, environment and economy.[55][56]

It also aimed at uniting all local political leaders under one banner for the growth and development of Ladakh. Eventually, the members decided to make it into a non-political social movement.[57]

Boycott of Chinese products

In June 2020, in response to the India-China border skirmishes at Galwan, Wangchuk appealed to Indians to use their "wallet power" and boycott Chinese products.[8][58] The appeal received widespread media coverage and garnered support from several prominent celebrities.[58][59]

Ladakh autonomy protest

Further information: Ladakh protests

On 26 January 2023, to highlight the effects of climate change on the fragile ecosystem of Ladakh and to demand its protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, Wangchuk attempted to go on a fast at the Khardungla pass. However, the authorities allegedly prevented him from going to Khardungla by putting him under house arrest, restricting his movement, as well as restricting people from visiting him. The Ladakh police denied the charges, stating that he had not been given permission to enter Khardung La pass, citing temperatures being unsuitable for the fast, at less than -40°C.[60]

In March 2024, he started a fast-unto-death to press for his demand for constitutional safeguards for the Union Territory and protection of Ladakh from industrial and mining lobbies.[61] Additionally, he began a 21-day Climate Fast hunger strike for giving statehood to Union Territory Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule.[62][63] On 30 September 2024, during his walk by foot from Ladakh to Delhi for their demands, Wangchuk and his supporters were detained by Delhi Police at the Singhu border and were released on 2 October 2024.[64]

Arrest

On 24 September 2025, a protest in Leh led to the BJP office being torched and the premises of the Ladakh Hill Council being vandalised. The protest culminated in a police crackdown, during which officers opened fire on the protestors, killing four civilians and injuring dozens more. A curfew was imposed in the city alongside mass arrests being conducted.[65] The Ministry of Home Affairs falsely[66] blamed Wangchuk for inciting the protests.[67] Wangchuk denied the allegations and said that the protests were a reflection of people's frustrations with the government.[68] Two days later, Wangchuk was detained by hundreds of policemen, led by Ladakh’s Director General of Police (DGP), under the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA).[66]

Internet services were subsequently suspended in Leh, while the curfew and mass arrests continued.[66] Despite no formal detention order being given to Wangchuk's family, authorities moved him to the Jodhpur Central Jail.[69][70] The Home Ministry falsely accused SECMOL of accepting dubious foreign funds, before revoking its FCRA licence. Similarly, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) opened an inquiry on HIAL, and several Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed against it.[70] The Ladakh DGP falsely accused Wangchuk of having "Pakistani links" because he had attended a Himalayan Climate Convention with his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, in Pakistan in February, organised by the United Nations and Dawn Media.[70] Angmo was given no information about Wangchuk’s health or condition, and authorities refused to allow her to speak with him.[71] Thereafter, on 2 October, Angmo moved to file a Habeus Corpus petition before the Supreme Court, challenging Wangchuk's arrest.[72]

Wangchuk came into the spotlight in 2009, when his story inspired Aamir Khan's character Phunsukh Wangdu in the film 3 Idiots, directed by Rajkumar Hirani.[15] He has been referred as "The real life Phunsukh Wangdu".[4] Wangchuk has disavowed the comparison.[73]

Awards

Sonam Wangchuk awards
Year Title Ref.
2018 Ramon Magsaysay Award [74]
2018 Honorary D.Litt by Symbiosis International [75]
2018 Eminent Technologist of the Himalayan Region by IIT Mandi [76]
2017 Indians for Collective Action (ICA) Honor Award, San Francisco, CA [5]
2017 GQ Men of the Year Award, Social Entrepreneur of the Year [77]
2017 Global Award for Sustainable Architecture [78]
2017 State Award for outstanding environmentalist by J&K Govt. [79]
2016 Rolex Award for Enterprise [80]
2016 International Terra Award for best earth building [81]
2014 UNESCO Chair Earthen Architecture, by CRATerre France [82]
2008 Real Heroes Award by CNN-IBN [83]
2004 The Green Teacher Award by Sanctuary Asia [84]
2002 Ashoka Fellowship for Social Entrepreneurship, by Ashoka USA [85][6]
2001 Man of the Year by The Week [86]
1996 Governor's Medal for educational reform in Jammu and Kashmir [87]

References

  1. ^ "Innovator, national asset: Anand Mahindra on meeting real life 'Phunsukh Wangdu'". Business Today. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  2. ^ Rana, Nikita (2 June 2017). "World Environment Day 2017: Sonam Wangchuk's ice stupas ensure there's water in Ladakh". Firstpost.
  3. ^ "Packard Awardees". IUCN. 10 June 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Paul, Satarupa (8 December 2016). "Meet Sonam Wangchuk, the real life Phunsukh Wangdu of 3 Idiots". Hindustan Times.
  5. ^ a b c d Ashiq, Peerzada (4 February 2023). "Sonam Wangchuk". The Hindu. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d "Sonam Wangchuk - Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh". Ashoka United States. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  7. ^ Varghese, Shiny (17 November 2016). "The green drive: Indian wins Rolex Award for philanthropic work". The Indian Express. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  8. ^ a b Masood, Bashaarat (27 September 2025). "Innovator to 'provocateur', Wangchuk's equation with Delhi changed over 3 decades". The Indian Express. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  9. ^ a b c "A Ladakhi dream fuelled by a Swiss award". Livemint. 25 November 2016.
  10. ^ "Sonam Wangchuk's Journey From Real 'Phunsukh Wangdu' To Activist Under Lens - NDTV".
  11. ^ Wani, Fayaz (5 February 2023). "Sonam Wangchuk: The man, the mountains, and a mission". The New Indian Express.
  12. ^ "Sonam Wangchuk educational qualifications: How this engineer from NIT Srinagar became a prominent activist in Ladakh". The Times of India. 27 September 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  13. ^ "Global Award 2017- Sonam Wangchuk, stupas et enseignements" (in French). lecourrierdelarchitecte.com. 17 May 2017.
  14. ^ Khattar, Sakshi (26 July 2008). "Teach India: Think local, think Ladakhi". The Times of India.
  15. ^ a b Menon, Shyam G. (19 July 2010). "What you did not watch in 3 Idiots - Rethink after Ladakh education initiative fell victim to bureaucracy and resentment". The Telegraph (Calcutta). Archived from the original on 22 July 2010.
  16. ^ "Sonam Wangchuk: The real 'Phunsuk Wangdu'". JharkhandFeed. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Sonam Wangchuk at Entrepreneur's Meet 2017". Entremeetsmit.in. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  18. ^ "In conversation with Sonam Wangchuk". Reach Ladakh. 30 April 2013.
  19. ^ Coates, Ashley (30 May 2017). "Ice stupas: a Himalayan answer to climate change, water shortage and glacial flooding". The Independent.
  20. ^ Sarkhel, Aritra (22 December 2016). "Meet Sonam Wangchuk, the 50 year old innovator from Ladakh". The Economic Times.
  21. ^ Chauhan, Divya (1 August 2016). "These Ladakhi Mothers Are Opening Up Their Homes To Travellers. Time To Ditch Those Hotel Rooms". ScoopWhoop.
  22. ^ a b Mascarenhas, Josceline (16 April 2015). "Here's what Sonam Wangchuk plans to do to solve Ladakh's water woes". DNA India.
  23. ^ Hasan, Snigdha (15 April 2017). "Mumbaikars, here's your chance to meet Sonam Wangchuk who inspired Aamir Khan's character in '3 Idiots'". Mid-Day.
  24. ^ Reddy, R. Ravikanth (11 January 2017). "'Three Idiots' inspirer to set up Mountain varsity". The Hindu.
  25. ^ "SECMOL wins International Terra Award for best building". State Times. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  26. ^ "Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (Hial)". Ecoversities. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  27. ^ Wangchuk, Rinchen Norbu (21 August 2019). "This Woman Quit Her Job to Help Sonam Wangchuk Transform Education in Ladakh!". The Better India. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  28. ^ "Himalayan Institute OF Alternatives Ladakh Information - Himalayan Institute OF Alternatives Ladakh Company Profile, Himalayan Institute OF Alternatives Ladakh News on The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  29. ^ "Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh". One Planet network. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  30. ^ Wangchuk, Rinchen Norbu (21 August 2019). "This Woman Quit Her Job to Help Sonam Wangchuk Transform Education in Ladakh!". The Better India. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  31. ^ "Interesting story of Gitanjali JB and her Himalayan dreams". The New Indian Express. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2025.
  32. ^ Kanwal (26 March 2024). "In conversation with Sonam Wangchuk - Founding-Director of SECMOL and of HIAL". Mera Sangeet. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  33. ^ "Hills Fellowship". hial.edu.in. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  34. ^ "HIMALAYAN INSTITUTE OF ALTERNATIVES LADAKH: Investors, Shareholders, Directors and Contact Details". Zauba Corp. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  35. ^ "Kyndryl and HIAL Empower Ladakh's Youth with Entrepreneurial Skills". Kyndryl. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  36. ^ "Himalayan Institute of Alternatives". Auroville Film Institute. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  37. ^ "Himalayan Institute for Alternatives, in Ladakh (HIAL) - Sustainability as Pedagogy in Africa?". Sustainability as Pedagogy in Africa?. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  38. ^ Pareek, Shreya. "The Engineer Who Is Creating Ice Stupas To Solve The Water Problems Of People In Ladakh". The Better India. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  39. ^ Kattakayam, Jiby (2 November 2016). "ice stupas Ice for a green Ladakh". DNA India.
  40. ^ "Man-made glacier leads to a new water world". Asian Age. 31 March 2017.
  41. ^ "Artificial lake in Kargil bursts; bridges, buildings damaged". The Tribune (Chandigarh). 8 May 2015.
  42. ^ Mok, Kimberley (24 November 2016). "This scientist wants to create 'artificial glaciers' to combat melting Himalayan ice". TreeHugger.
  43. ^ Devadas, David (26 November 2016). "Ladakh's innovator Sonam Wangchuk toils for a visionary project to reverse climate change". Firstpost.
  44. ^ "Man Who Inspired Amir Khan's '3 Idiots' Role Explains How His Team Saved Lakhs Of Lives In Sikkim". indiatimes.com. 17 November 2016.
  45. ^ "South Lhonak Expedition 2016: A technical Report" (PDF). dstsikkim.gov.in. Government of Sikkim. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  46. ^ Dhungel, Pankaj (7 May 2016). "Lhonak lake situated deliberated at climate change consultation". Sikkim Express via Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority.
  47. ^ "Building Ice Stupas in Arid Landscape". Deccan Post. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  48. ^ Yashwant, Shailendra (18 May 2016). "Sonam Wangchuk's Ice Stupas Are Firing Up Interest From Ladakh To The Swiss Alps". The Huffington Post.
  49. ^ Tyagi, Chhavi (14 December 2016). "Sonam Wangchuk's Ice Stupas Are Firing Up Interest From Ladakh To The Swiss Alps". The Economic Times.
  50. ^ "3 इडियट्स में आमिर खान के किरदार को इंस्पायर करने वाले इंजीनियर को मिला ग्लोबल अवॉर्ड" (in Hindi). Jansatta. 17 November 2016.
  51. ^ "Ice stupa has a heart now, Ladakh ought to fight climate change with innovation and traditional values".
  52. ^ "Ladakh-based engineer Sonam Wangchuk develops mobile solar-powered tent for Indian Army - Solar-powered tents". The Economic Times.
  53. ^ Sharma, Nidhi (25 May 2021). "India's First Solar Heated Tent".
  54. ^ "Innovator Who Inspired '3 Idiots' Develops Solar Heated Tent For Army". NDTV.
  55. ^ "New Ladakh Movement releases manifesto" (PDF). Jammu: State Times. 24 February 2014.
  56. ^ "New Ladakh Movement (NLM) announces to plunge in forthcoming LAHDC elections in Leh". Scoop News. 30 August 2016.
  57. ^ Pargal, Sanjeev (24 December 2015). "BJP creates history, wins two-third majority in Leh Council elections". Daily Excelsior.
  58. ^ a b Ganai, Naseer (30 May 2020). "Magsaysay Awardee Sonam Wangchuk Calls For 'Boycott Made in China'". Outlook India. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  59. ^ "'Boycott Chinese products': Milind Soman quits TikTok after 3 Idiots' inspiration Sonam Wangchuk's call". Hindustan Times. 31 May 2020. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  60. ^ "Ladakhi innovator Sonam Wangchuk says he's under house arrest, police deny charge". The Hindu. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  61. ^ Sadhwani, Karina (22 March 2024). "Explained: Ladakhi Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk's 21-Day-Hunger Strike for 'Truth, Environment, & Democracy'". The Quint. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  62. ^ "Sonam Wangchuk (Phunsukh Wangdu of 3 Idiots) is on 21 days hunger strike (Day 21)". Bru Times News.
  63. ^ "Climate fast: Why is Sonam Wangchuk protesting in Ladakh?". The Times of India. 24 March 2024.
  64. ^ "Delhi Police Detain Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk, Supporters At Singhu Border". NDTV.com. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
  65. ^ Singh, Vijaita; Ashiq, Peerzada (25 September 2025). "Leh protest turns deadly; Centre blames climate activist Sonam Wangchuk". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 September 2025.
  66. ^ a b c Ashiq, Peerzada (27 September 2025). "Ladakh Statehood activist Sonam Wangchuk detained under NSA in Leh". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 September 2025.
  67. ^ Singh, Vijaita; Ashiq, Peerzada (26 September 2025). "Leh remains tense a day after death of four persons". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 September 2025.
  68. ^ Bukhari, Fayaz (27 September 2025). "Indian police arrest activist Wangchuk after deadly Ladakh protests". Reuters.
  69. ^ Singh, Vijaita (27 September 2025). "Police said Sonam Wangchuk was being taken to Jodhpur, says wife". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 September 2025.
  70. ^ a b c Lakhera, Vedaant (30 September 2025). "Gitanjali Angmo accuses Centre of framing Sonam Wangchuk". Frontline (magazine). Archived from the original on 3 October 2025.
  71. ^ Kissu, Sagrika (30 September 2025). "Sonam Wangchuk's wife in Delhi. 'Not allowed to speak to him, felt like I was under house arrest'". ThePrint.
  72. ^ "Sonam Wangchuk's wife Geetanjali moves Supreme Court seeking Ladakh activist's release". The Indian Express. 3 October 2025. Archived from the original on 3 October 2025.
  73. ^ "I am not Phunsukh Wangdu: Wangchuk". Hindustan Times. 25 October 2016.
  74. ^ India, Press Trust of (1 September 2018). "Two Indians, Bharat Vatwani and Sonam Wangchuk, Receive Magsaysay Award". NDTV. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  75. ^ "Innovator Sonam Wangchuk Awarded Honorary D.Litt Degree". BW Education. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  76. ^ "IIT Mandi convocation: 211 students including 40 research scholars graduated, check other achievements". India Today. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  77. ^ "GQ Awards: Men of the Year 2017 Winners". GQ India. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  78. ^ Rana, Nikita (2 June 2017). "World Environment Day 2017: Sonam Wangchuk's ice stupas ensure there's water in Ladakh". Firstpost. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  79. ^ Lakhera, Vedaant (30 September 2025). "Sonam Wangchuk Detained Under NSA Amid Ladakh Protests Over Statehood". Frontline. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  80. ^ "Supplying water to farmers in Northern India". rolex.org. 10 November 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  81. ^ Bahga, Sarbjit Singh (3 August 2023). "SECMOL School, Leh, Represents Himalayan Region in 'NEW INDIAN ARCHITECTURE'". Hill Post. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  82. ^ "Innovator Sonam Wangchuk Built A Solar Powered Heated Tent For Galwan Valley Soldiers". ABP Live. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  83. ^ "Did Sonam Wangchuk provoke Gen Z in Ladakh?: How did the '3-Idiots' real-life hero become a 'villain' for the Modi govt?". Bhaskar English. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  84. ^ Varghese, Shiny (17 November 2016). "The green drive: Indian wins Rolex Award for philanthropic work". The Indian Express. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  85. ^ "Mr. Sonam Wangchuk". Expand. 20 January 2024. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  86. ^ "Sonam Wangchuk dedicates Magsaysay Award to 'every student, teacher' in Ladakh". The Week. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
  87. ^ "Sonam Wangchuk's Climate Fast: A Call to Action for Environmental Sustainability". Sikkim Express. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sonam_Wangchuk&oldid=1315292998"