Sonam Wangchuk: End the Fast for a Long Life of Educational Reform

Sonam Wangchuk is an innovator, engineer, educationist and climate activist who has been on an indefinite fast in Delhi. As his fast completed 19 days on July 16, increasing concern mounted over his health. Doctors warned that his health condition had entered a critical stage due to his prolonged fast, and the next phase could be alarming as his organs could get affected.

A large number of people including a significant number of political leaders and other leading personalities from different walks of life have already appealed to Wangchuk to end his fast. Indeed, now is an opportune moment for such a decision, as the fasting innovator and activist has already conveyed a powerful message of multifaceted educational and systemic reform through his prolonged fast. His objective, in this sense, has already been achieved.

As expressed in many messages received from several parts of the country, the nation and its youth want him to have a long life so that he can contribute more and more to several worthy causes such as educational reform and improving climate resilience in people-centered ways. Any further damage to his health may prove harmful; therefore, having effectively conveyed his message for important educational reform, he should now end his fast and pursue other avenues to advance his aims.

Wangchuk has addressed himself particularly to youth and their frustrations regarding some failures of the educational system like examination paper leaks. The youth appreciate the fact that someone has taken up such issues with great commitment, as reflected in this indefinite fast. At the same time, several youth to whom I spoke during my recent travels expressed that Wangchuk should have a long and healthy life, enabling him to contribute his creativity and innovative ideas to educational reform.

The scope and range of educational reforms needed in the country are extensive. Several eminent educationists have been advancing various reform agendas, which may differ in some details but generally agree on core essentials. In fact Gitanjali J. Angmo, founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, LadakhHimalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL)An alternative university for mountain development, founded by Sonam Wangchuk, focusing on practical, experiential, and local-context education in Ladakh, India. and an educationist, has summarized some of the essentials of educational reform in India in a very well-written article in The Hindu (July 17) titled ‘Beyond political reshuffles, renew education in India’. Most sincere advocates of educational reform would readily agree with what this eminent educationist and activist has to say on this issue.

Gitanjali, incidentally Sonam’s wife, writes: “Sonam Wangchuk’s fast should become the catalyst for a national awakening on the future of education. The question is larger than whether one Minister should resign.” Indeed it is, and this is precisely why, to advance the broad-based educational reform Gitanjali has presented, Sonam should have a long and healthy life to contribute as much as possible. Therefore, he should end his fast as soon as possible.