Sonam Wangchuk, the celebrated climate activist and education reformer, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, 2025, following violent protests in Leh that left four dead and 90 injured.
Authorities allege he incited the unrest during a statehood and Sixth Schedule rights movement, though his supporters maintain the protests were peaceful until a youth faction broke away.
Wangchuk, once a government advisor on environmental issues, is now held in Jodhpur jail, over 1,000 km from Ladakh. The Supreme Court has issued notice on a habeas corpus plea filed by his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, challenging the detention as politically motivated and unconstitutional.
Latest Developments: Supreme Court Questions Centre
The Supreme Court on October 6 questioned why Wangchuk’s wife was not given prior notice of the grounds for his detention under the National Security Act. Justice Aravind Kumar asked the Solicitor General: “Grounds have to be supplied as per judgments of this court. Why withhold it from his wife?”. The government maintains that grounds were served to Wangchuk himself, but legal experts argue this violates established procedures for family notification.
Wangchuk’s message from jail emphasized Gandhian non-violence: “I am doing well, both physically and mentally… unless there is an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of the four people during the September 24 violence, I am prepared to stay in jail”.
From Celebrated Hero to Controversial Figure
This dramatic detention marks a stunning fall for the 58-year-old innovator whose life inspired Bollywood’s blockbuster “3 Idiots.” Once celebrated as a national hero, Wangchuk now faces serious charges under India’s most stringent security law.
His transformation from beloved educator to accused activist reveals how quickly public figures can shift from inspiration to controversy in India’s complex political landscape.
The Engineer Who Inspired “3 Idiots”
Born in 1966 in Uleytokpo, a remote Ladakhi village with just five households, Wangchuk had no formal schooling until age nine. When his father became a J&K minister in 1975, young Wangchuk struggled in Srinagar schools teaching unfamiliar languages. At eleven, he courageously escaped to Delhi and enrolled in Vishesh Kendriya Vidyalaya, later pursuing mechanical engineering at NIT Srinagar while financing his studies through tutoring.
In 2009, director Rajkumar Hirani’s “3 Idiots” featured Aamir Khan as Phunsukh Wangdu, directly inspired by Wangchuk’s educational philosophy. The film became India’s highest-grossing movie until 2013, making Wangchuk a household name across the country.
Visionary Work: From SECMOL to HIAL
Wangchuk’s journey began in 1988 with the founding of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an alternative school for students failed by the conventional system. Located 18 km from Leh, the SECMOL campus runs entirely on solar power, with no fossil fuels used for heating, cooking, or lighting.
His “Operation New Hope” revitalised Ladakh’s government schools through community-led reforms, boosting pass rates from 5% to over 50%. In 2014, he launched the Ice Stupa project, creating artificial glaciers to combat water scarcity, a solution now replicated in Switzerland and other Himalayan regions. These innovations earned him the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2018) and the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture (2017).
The Fatal September Crisis
Initially supporting Ladakh’s 2019 Union Territory status, Wangchuk’s relationship with the central government deteriorated over environmental and constitutional concerns. He began demanding inclusion under the Sixth Schedule for tribal protection and full statehood rather than just Union Territory status.
On September 9, 2024, Wangchuk began a 35-day hunger strike demanding statehood and constitutional protections for Ladakh. On September 24, when two elderly hunger strikers collapsed and were hospitalized, approximately 2,000 angry protesters broke away from peaceful demonstrations. They set fire to BJP offices and government buildings, leading to police firing that killed four people aged 19-46, including a Kargil war veteran.
The Ministry of Home Affairs directly blamed Wangchuk for inciting violence through “provocative statements” referencing “Arab Spring” and “Nepal Gen Z protests”. Within 48 hours, he was detained under the NSA and transferred to Rajasthan.
Mounting Allegations
Beyond inciting violence, the CBI launched investigations into alleged FCRA violations by his organizations, while the government cancelled SECMOL’s foreign funding license. Most controversially, authorities alleged potential Pakistan connections, though his family clarifies he attended a UN environmental conference where he praised PM Modi’s climate initiatives.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Sonam Wangchuk’s life and work reflect a deep commitment to education, environmental sustainability, and community empowerment in Ladakh. His recent detention under the NSA has sparked debate on the balance between maintaining public order and protecting the rights of peaceful activists.
While authorities cite law and order concerns, supporters highlight his long-standing advocacy through non-violent means. The legal process is now underway, with the Supreme Court examining the habeas corpus petition filed by his wife.
