The engineer, innovator, educational and environmental activist Sonam acted until the past year to include Ladakh in the sixth schedule of the Constitution and March to Delhi. In March last year, he went on hunger strike for 21 days to give Ladakh full status and include it in the sixth schedule. At the same time, in October 2024, he takes a foot march from Ladakh to Delhi with this claim. However, Delhi police have arrested him from the border of Singhu. Over the years, the name of the educational and environmental protection Sonam Wangchuk has emerged the face of a powerful social and political movement in Ladakh. After separating from Jammu and Kashmir, after forming a trade union area (UT), he launched many important and symbolic movements to ensure constitutional safety, land and employment rights for the people of Ladakh, especially the youth. The basic purpose of these movements led by Sonam Wangchuk was to protect the sensitive environment of Ladakh, specific culture and tribal identity from external intervention. Background of the movement: After removing Article 370 on August 5, 2019 and Ladakh on August 5, 2019, the locals began to fear the formation of their land, culture and natural resources to increase the risk of external investors and businesses on their land, culture and natural resources. 97% of the population of Ladakh is tribe. Ladakh’s leading social and political organizations, Leh Apex Body (Lab) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) created a joint platform to protect their identity and rights, the main leaders of which are also under the Sonam Wangchuk. The most important demands of these organizations are: Ladakh must get the full state status. Ladakh must be provided to Ladakh constitutional security in terms of the sixth schedule of the Indian Constitution. Discussion must be insured in local posts. Two separate lure Sabha seats must be created for Leh and Kargil. The most important movement and its timeline Sonam Wangchuk have adopted the path of peaceful opposition and environmental vest to increase these claims, which attracted national and international attention. 1. Climate Fixed and Vas efforts (2023-2025) Wangchuk made a powerful weapon to make Ladakh’s demands on the central government. His fasting was often focused on the need to save the delicate environment of Ladakh. 2. To draw national attention to the demands of Ladakh, Wangchuk led a long march from Leh to Delhi to draw national attention to Ladakh’s demands. 3. Protests under student and youth leadership (2025) In September 2025, the movement of Ladakh took the form of a ‘Gen Z Revolution’. The importance of the movement, these movements led by Sonam Wangchuk, has given a decisive turn to the future of Ladakh. His peaceful, non-violent and environmental opposition has become a symbol of the struggle to save the tribal identity of Ladakh and reach constitutional justice. These movements forced the central government to speak and also received some results, such as increase in tribal assessment, reservation for women in local councils and official recognition of corrupt language. However, their most important demands – full state status and sixth schedule – are still pending. These movements of Sonam Wangchuk brought Ladakh’s problems to national and international headlines, making it clear that it is not just a local case, but a global problem related to the environment, democracy and tribal rights.
Social Reformers Sonam Wangchuk, what movements did Leh and Ladakh make and when?
