
Who is Sonam Wangchukuk: Ladakh is in the news these days due to a major movement and political movement. People here are demanding full state status and constitutional rights. Sonam Wangchuk is leading this movement. Ladakh was separated from Jammu and Kashmir after removing Article 370 in 2019. Initially people felt that this step was correct, but gradually the fear increased that the identity of Ladakh could be in danger without assembly and special rights. This is the reason why people are now demanding security under full state status and sixth schedule.
Sonam Wangchuk is an engineer, as well as known as education reformer and environmental lover. He has made his special identity in the field of solar energy and environmentally friendly technology. He built the Secmol Campus, which is completely free from fossil fuels. Apart from this, he has been the editor of Ladakh's only magazine Ladgas Melong and has been associated with many social organizations.
Apart from being an education reformer and environmental lover, Sonam Wangchuk has now become a symbol of the fight to give Ladakh status and include in the Sixth Schedule. On this demand, the youth branch of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LAB) started a 35 -day hunger strike, which is being led by Sonam Wangchuk. Hunger strike has been 15 days. During this time the condition of some protesters deteriorated, which increased the anger in the movement. Students and local people demonstrated and closed in support of him. Some young protesters pelted stones, after which the police conducted tear gas shells and lathi -charged. Some protesters also set fire to local BJP office and CRPF vehicles. However, after seeing the protest violent, Sonam Wangchuk has ended the hunger strike and appealed to the people for peace.
Sonam Wangchuk was born on 1 September 1966 in Ule Tokpo, a small village in Ladakh. At that time his village belonged to only 5 houses. Due to lack of education and writing, his mother taught him in his mother tongue at home till the age of 8. After that Wangchuk started going to school, but could not spend much time due to lack of language. In 1977, he enrolled in special Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi, which was a free residential school for children in the border areas. Sonam Wangchuk did B.Tech in mechanical engineering, while her father wanted him to become a civil engineer. Despite his father's opposition and not paying fees, Wangchuk spent his studies by teaching students of class 10th himself. He then completed engineering from NIT Srinagar and did Masters in France's Craterre School of Architecture, Grenoble.
Sonam Wangchuk is not only discussed for political movement and her innovation. He has been the real inspiration of the character played by Aamir Khan in the Bollywood film 'Three Idiots'. The character shown in the film was based on his real life. Whose real name was Phunsuk Wangdu.