Sonam Wangchuk was born in the trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh in J&K, India. He went on to pursue his undergraduate course in Mechanical Engineering. Thereafter, he founded the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh, (SECMOL) www.secmol.org, with the aim of supporting Ladakhi children and youth in educationally challenging and culturally confusing times. In 1994 he was instrumental in the launch of Operation New Hope, a triangular collaboration of the government, village communities, and the civil society to bring reforms in the government schools system.
Sonam is also the Founding Director of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL) https://hial.edu.in/, which seeks to engage youth in solving problems in their climate context while engaging in higher education.
Sonam has been teaching innovation at the SECMOL Alternative School and HIAL, where together with the students he designs and builds solar-heated buildings that are low cost, made of earth/mud but maintain +18 C even in – 18 C in Ladakhi winters. He invented the Ice Stupa artificial glacier which stores the unused stream waters in winter in the form of giant ice cones or stupas. He was granted several awards and titles.
We had a very insightful conversation with the Indian engineer, innovator, and education reformist, Sonam Wangchuk. He has today ended his climate fast, after 21 days. We have a message straight from Ladhak to you. Do join in today, 26th March, mid – hour on our Show, Saat Samundar Paar, on MeraSangeet Gold – at 9:00AM,1:00 PM,5:00 PM and 9:00 PM – EST shows. You can also catch the same mid hour on MeraSangeet East at 11:00 AM and 6:00 PM – EST.