Sonam Wangchuk is the real-life inspiration for Phunsukh Wangdu in the famous Bollywood film ‘3 Idiots.’ Sonam Wangchuk is a Ladakh-based engineer who has significantly contributed to educational and learning technology innovations. His work continues to inspire millions of people worldwide.
Sonam Wangchuk is a philanthropist who has worked relentlessly to provide Ladakh with learning-centred and skill-based education. His initiatives are transforming the state’s educational system, supporting students in discovering new and exciting ways to boost their employability. Here’s all you need to know about Sonam Wangchuk, the real-life Phunsukh Wangdu.
Sonam Wangchuk was born in 1966 in Uleytokpo, near Alchi in the Leh area of Jammu & Kashmir. It is astonishing that for a man who has had a big impact on his surroundings, he began formal learning at the age of nine because there were no schools in his neighbourhood. He had challenges in Srinagar when he was relocated and enrolled in a school at the age of nine. He was addressed in another language, to which he was unable to respond and was thought to be dumb. He left alone for Delhi in 1977 and then went on to self-finance his Mechanical Engineering degree from NIT, Srinagar, against his father’s wishes.
THE FOUNDING OF SECMOL
Wangchuk is a multi-talented engineer, inventor, and educator. His formative experiences influenced his future, and his dissatisfaction with the school system inspired him to establish the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) to address the difficulties of the younger generation, such as lack of concentration and cultural disorientation. The initiative included reforming the government school system, boosting youth consciousness about the insensitive school education system, and harvesting solar energy for the benefit of the villages.
Sonam Wangchuk, like Phunsukh Wangdu, is an advocate for high-quality educational changes that encourage learning and growth. Wangchuk created the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) with his brother and five other students.
SECMOL’s debut as Operation New Hope in collaboration with the government education department and the local people. SECMOL is a combination of hands-on learning, reflection, and counselling. This educational approach also accepts pupils who struggle to cope with standard schooling techniques.
In 1988, he established the SECMOL to support Ladakhi children and teenagers and train those deemed failures by the system. In 1994, Wangchuk launched Operation New Hope to overhaul the government education system. He was also instrumental in the development of low-cost solar-heated mud houses to keep Ladakh’s winters at a comfortable temperature. The Ice Stupa is yet another creative solution to the water shortage in mountainous locations. In 2021, he will also build an environmentally friendly solar-heated tent for Army personnel to use in extremely cold regions such as Siachen and Galwan Valley in Ladakh.
SECMOL emphasises life skills and a variety of interesting learning approaches that include a variety of schooling systems. For example, the time zone is one hour ahead of Indian Standard Time to guarantee that students sleep early and wake up ready to learn at sunrise.
Wangchuk is a multi-talented engineer, inventor, and educator. His formative experiences influenced his future, and his dissatisfaction with the school system inspired him to establish the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) to address the difficulties of the younger generation, such as lack of concentration and cultural disorientation. The initiative included reforming the government school system, boosting youth consciousness about the insensitive school education system, and harvesting solar energy for the benefit of the villages.
Wangchuk’s various innovations served as inspiration for the character of Phunsukh Wangdu in the film 3 Idiots. Wangchuk has made substantial contributions to the lives of those living in tough alpine circumstances during his brilliant career. To save energy, he has assisted in the design and construction of various passive solar mud structures in the alpine areas of Ladakh, Nepal, and Sikkim.
His ‘Ice Stupa’ project has gained him recognition outside of India as well. Wangchuk and his colleagues built a two-story prototype of an ice stupa in 2014 intending to give a solution to Ladakh farmers during the key months of April and May. The ice stupa could store roughly 150000 litres of winter stream water to be utilised later.
SONAM WANGCHUK’S CONTRIBUTION TO THE ARMY
In the film ‘3 Idiots,’ Phunsukh Wangdu was an innovator who invented new ways to suit the demands of his community. This quality is due to Sonam Wangchuk’s ingenuity. During the severe winters, Sonam Wangchuk found an innovative approach to aid the 50,000 Indian troops stationed at higher elevations.
He devised the concept of a moveable solar-powered tent. This tent could host ten troops and was divided into two sections: a greenhouse and a specialist sleeping room. A movable wall called a ‘heat bank’ divided the two areas.
SONAM WANGCHUK’S ACHIEVEMENTS
Sonam Wangchuk’s inventions and efforts have been appreciated and applauded at multiple stages during his career. Some of the top awards he has won include-
- The Governor’s Medal for educational reform (Jammu and Kashmir, 1996)
- Man of the Year by The Week, 2001
- The Green Teacher Award by Sanctuary Asia, 2004
- International Terra Award for the best earth building, 2016
- State Award for outstanding environmental efforts by the J&K Government, in 2017
- Indians for Collective Action Honor Award, 2017
- Ramon Magsaysay Award, 2018