100 Days Behind Bars, Sonam Wangchuk Awaits Justice

It has been 100 days since Sonam Wangchuk, engineer, education reformer, and environmental activist, was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) following protests in Leh in September 2025. The demonstrations, calling for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, turned violent, leaving four dead and dozens injured.

Wangchuk, known internationally for his Ice Stupa project and as the inspiration behind Aamir Khan’s character in 3 Idiots, was on a hunger strike demanding Sixth Schedule protections for Ladakh’s indigenous communities. Authorities cited threats to public order and national security, allowing his detention without trial for up to a year.

Initially, his arrest drew nationwide attention. Students staged protests in Delhi, candlelight vigils were held in Mumbai and Bengaluru, and civil society groups and celebrities raised their voices. But as weeks passed, public focus waned amid festive distractions and larger political developments.

Behind the scenes, Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, has been tirelessly advocating for him. She travels between Delhi and Jodhpur to attend court hearings and visit her husband, who is allowed only two one-hour visits per week. “Arguments in court haven’t even begun,” Angmo says. “We hope for progress, but the wait is agonising.”

In Ladakh, local civil society groups, led by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), continue to press for dialogue with the Centre over statehood or Union Territory status with a legislature. LAB co-chair Tsering Dorje says Wangchuk’s detention is part of a wider crackdown on dissent. “Two other activists remain in jail from the September protests. Heavy security and restrictions have created a tense environment, but we cannot remain silent,” he says.

The Losar festival, normally a vibrant celebration, was marked by restraint this year, reflecting the prevailing unease. Dorje adds that delays in talks with the Centre appear deliberate, fueling frustration in Leh and Kargil.

Wangchuk’s activism began decades ago. Born in 1966 in Uleytokpo, he founded the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) in 1988 to reform the region’s schooling system. His pioneering Ice Stupa project, which addresses water scarcity, earned him the 2018 Ramon Magsaysay Award. Over the years, he has championed climate awareness, education reform, and local governance, bridging communal divides in Ladakh.

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