Sonam Wangchuk, the Ladakh-based engineer whose life inspired a character in movie “3 Idiots”. Wangchuk was born in 1966, near Alchi in the Leh. It is surprising that he did not start receiving formal education until the age of 9, for there were no schools in his village.
Wangchuk is not just an engineer, he is also an innovator and education reformist. All the formative experiences led him to start the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), to deal with the problems of youths and their lack of resources. His work created awareness in the youth about the insensitive school education system. Notably, SECMOL is a non-traditional school which brought in educational reform in the Ladakh region and it increased students clearing exams.
Wangchuk, the real life ‘Phunsukh Wangdu’ of the Aamir Khan-starrer film, said he has not done anything big or special. “I did what humanity demands people to do,” he said.
From 1993 till 2005, Wangchuk founded and worked as an editor of Ladags Melong. He was assigned with the task of modelling the policy on Education and Tourism as part of the Vision Document Ladakh 2025 and he also served as a member in the National Governing Council for Elementary Education in the HRD Ministry.
He has been helping design and build several passive solar mud buildings in mountain regions of Ladakh, Nepal and Sikkim to save energy.
His project called the ‘Ice Stupa’ has brought him fame worldwide. With the aim of providing a solution to the farmers of Ladakh in the critical months of April and May. Wangchuk with his team constructed a two-storey prototype of an ice stupa in 2014. That Ice Stupa could store around 150000 litres of winter stream water to be used later.
26th July, 2018 it has been announced that Sonam Wangchuk won coveted Ramon Magsaysay award 2018. Sonam Wangchuk has been awarded , the ICA Honor Award 2017, San Francisco, CA, the GQ Men of the Year Awards, Social Entrepreneur of the Year, 2017, Rolex Award for Enterprise, 2016, International Terra Award for best earth building, 2016, Man of the Year by the Week, 2001 and many more.