The Ladakh administration has cancelled the land allotted to Sonam Wangchuk’s Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), citing financial defaults and multiple violations.
In 2018, the project was granted nearly 60 hectares of government land in Phyang village on the condition of paying ₹14 crore and completing construction within two years. Officials said that even after seven years, the dues had not been cleared, and the amount payable had mounted to about ₹37 crore. The administration added that HIAL had also failed to obtain recognition from statutory bodies such as the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), leaving students’ degrees and diplomas without legal validity.
At a press conference, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) chairman Tashi Gyan stated that several complaints had been received against the organization and were forwarded to the Chief Secretary. An inquiry reportedly found multiple violations, following which the allotment was revoked.
The development has come amid growing controversy around Wangchuk’s activism.
Wangchuk Announces Hunger Strike
Days after the cancellation order, he launched a hunger strike in Leh demanding statehood for Ladakh. On Wednesday (10 September 2025), Sonam Wangchuk launched what critics have called a new gimmick to divert attention from allegations of lease violations and unpaid dues.
“In the first phase, we will sit on 35 days or five weeks of hunger strike. If we survive it, we will follow it with a six-week hunger strike. However, if the Centre resume result-oriented talks on demands of Ladakh, the strike will be called off,” he claimed.
MY DEAR PRIME MINISTER MODI JI!
Have you ever heard of BJP opposing Hindu Bhajans…! That’s what happened in Ladakh.
Please watch & share🙏DAY 4 OF LADAKH ANSHAN#SaveLadakh #SaveHimlayas #SaveBharat pic.twitter.com/CNg3sFpmGo
— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) September 13, 2025
The timing of his statehood protest coincides with elections to the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC-L) in Leh district. Alongside the hunger strike, Wangchuk has also stirred controversy with claims that the BJP is opposing ‘Hindu bhajans’ in Ladakh.
Who Is Sonam Wangchuk?
Ladakh-based alleged activist Sonam Wangchuk has often been in the news for his hunger strikes and more recently, he was on a hunger strike demanding Ladakh’s inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution for greater autonomy. However, the Delhi Police at that time detained him at the Singhu border (in October 2024.)
Wangchuk, often linked to the character of Rancho from 3 Idiots, comes from an influential political family. His father, Sonam Wangyal, was a Congress minister in J&K. Over the years, he received significant support from foreign organizations such as the Ford Foundation, Tata Trust, and Rockefeller Foundation. His wife, Rebecca Norman, an American educator with links to U.S. institutions, has also been a subject of scrutiny.
Wangchuk held various advisory roles under the Congress-led UPA government and collaborated with international NGOs. His work, including projects like Ice Stupas, gained Western media attention but faced skepticism from locals.
Despite initially supporting the repeal of Article 370, Wangchuk later opposed its aftermath, with Pakistan using his statements against India. His demands now include halting army construction in Ladakh for environmental reasons, a stance that has sparked controversy. Critics question his international affiliations and whether his activism aligns with India’s strategic interests.
In March 2024, he abused Lord Ram and Goddess Sita during an interview with NDTV. While criticizing the Modi government for not fulfilling its promise to include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule, he compared the government’s actions to Lord Ram rescuing Sita from Ravan but then selling her in the open market. He said, “I see it in the way that they [Central government] turned out to be such Ram who freed Sita from Raavan but didn’t take her home rather they put her on sale in an open market. So like this, they have left Ladakh open for industrialists and mining lobbies without any protection [from the government],”
He claimed that while Ladakh was freed from one problem, it was left vulnerable to industrialists and mining lobbies without government protection. His remarks drew widespread condemnation on social media for being derogatory toward Hindu deities.
In February 2025, Sonam Wangchuk attended the ‘Breathe Pakistan’ climate conference in Islamabad, organised by Dawn Media, where he spoke on “Glacial Melt: A Sustainable Strategy for the Water Towers of South Asia.” He urged urban populations to adopt simpler lifestyles to ease pressure on fragile mountain ecosystems.
Wangchuk praised Dawn Media for championing environmental issues and expressed hope that Indian media would take similar responsibility, saying, “In Pakistan, I see Dawn Media is taking that responsibility as a champion of environment. I wish all countries and, in my country, and media house really take this responsibility like here.”
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