Sonam Wangchuk and climate fast (Leh)

Sonam Wangchuk (born 1 September 1966) is an Indian engineer, innovator and education reformist. 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.

A mechanical engineer by education, Sonam Wangchuk has worked in the field of education reform for over 3 decades and has been instrumental in changing the face of education in the mountains. His sessions throw a whole new perspective on innovation and entrepreneurship that embraces social change.

In 1988, he founded SECMOL (Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh) that aims to reform the government school system in Ladakh. In 1994 he was instrumental in the launch of Operation New Hope, a triangular collaboration of the government, village communities and the civil society, whose work has been instrumental in improving the pass percentage of 10th graders in the region from a dismal 5% to 75%.

For students who still failed in their state exams, he founded the SECMOL Alternative School Campus near Leh, a special school where the admission criterion is failure in exams and not grades. As an engineer, Sonam Wangchuk has been teaching innovation at the SECMOL Alternative School, where together with the students, he designed and built solar heated buildings that are low cost, made of earth/mud but maintain +15 C even when the outside temperature is –15 C in Ladakhi winters.

His “Ice Stupa” artificial glacier have claimed fame for helping solve the water crisis in the region due to climate change and fast melting glaciers. The Ice Stupas store water in the winter in the form of giant ice cones or stupas, which melt over summer and provide water to the lands, just in time for irrigation.

Sonam is the recipient of several awards, The Rolex Award for Enterprise 2016 in Hollywood USA, The Terra Award 2016 for World’s Best Earth Buildings in Lyon France, The UNESCO Chair for Earth Architecture for India in 2014, ‘Real Heroes’ Award by CNN IBN Channel in 2008, ‘Green Teacher’ Award by Sanctuary Asia Magazine in 2005, Ashoka Fellowship by Ashoka: Innovators for the Public in 2002, ‘Man of the Year’ by The Week magazine in India in 2001 and the Governors Medal by the J&K State Government in 1996.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk Tuesday ended his fast in Leh, after surviving on water and salt for the last 21 days. Wangchuk, who has been seeking protections for the fragile ecology and the indigenous culture of Ladakh, said in a video message, “We do not want to think of Modi ji and Amit Shah ji as just politicians, we would rather like to think of them as statesmen. But, for that, they will have to show some character and farsightedness.”

Wangchuk had been joined by hundreds in Leh as he slept outdoors over the last three weeks. He also urged people to “use their ballot power very carefully this time, in the interest of the nation”.

Ladakh has witnessed several protests over the last four years since it was carved out as a Union Territory, separating it from the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. A high-powered committee with members from both Leh and Kargil regions was formed last year to hold deliberations with the Ministry of Home Affairs over their concerns regarding statehood, protections included in the sixth schedule of the Constitution, as well as issues of political representation. However, these talks reached an impasse over these two key issues on March 4 and Wangchuk began his fast on March 6.

Wangchuk’s fast has been supported by various socio-political bodies in Ladakh, including the Kargil Democratic Alliance. Members of the KDA are also on hunger strike in Kargil and their strike entered day 3 on Tuesday.

In an earlier video, Wangchuk had said that his climate fast is an opportunity to remind the Government of India of their promise to “safeguard and protect the fragile land of the Himalayas and to restore democracy”.

Wangchuk added that the nomadic leaders, who he will march with, “will show us how far they used to go grazing earlier and now where they have to stop”.

However, it is not clear so far whether they will be allowed to march to the India-China border. The other possible date for the march is April 7.