When Bollywood actor Aamir Khan portrayed a character based on Sonam Wangchuk’s life in the 2009 film 3 Idiots, the 58-year-old became well-known in India.
In addition, Mr. Wangchuk has a lengthy history as an inventor and engineer. However, he has gained notoriety in recent months for organizing demonstrations calling for greater autonomy for the people of Ladakh, his native region—a frigid, mountainous desert that shares borders with China and Pakistan.
Up until 2019, when Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s administration eliminated the state’s special status, Ladakh was a part of Indian-administered Kashmir.
For the first time after the abrogation, Jammu and Kashmir held assembly elections earlier this month. However, Ladakh remains a federal territory with no legislative authority.
Ladakh residents claim that this is unjust and that they require their own delegates. Additionally, they contend that the speed at which infrastructure is being developed is harming the region’s fragile environment.
