Sonam Wangchuk Urges Citizens to Join Protest as Health Worsens on Day 15 of Hunger Strike

Sonam Wangchuk, the Ladakh-based activist and engineer whose real-life story inspired the Bollywood film '3 Idiots', appealed to fellow citizens to join his protest as his hunger strike entered its 15th day, with his health showing visible signs of strain. Speaking from his fast site, Wangchuk said he was not positioning himself as a Gandhi-like figure but urged every Indian to take personal responsibility for democratic participation: "I am not Gandhi, be your own hero."

Wangchuk launched his hunger strike to press demands for Ladakh's statehood — restoring the full state status that the Union Territory lost when Jammu & Kashmir was bifurcated in 2019 — as well as constitutional protections under the Sixth Schedule, which would safeguard tribal land rights, local employment, and the fragile Himalayan ecology of the region. These demands have been central to ongoing negotiations between Ladakhi civil society groups and the central government, which have so far failed to produce a breakthrough.

The activist's health has become a matter of public concern, with observers noting he appeared visibly weak at public appearances. Medical advisors and supporters have urged him to break his fast, while his camp has maintained that the fast will continue until the government responds concretely to Ladakh's demands.

The protest has attracted national attention and solidarity from political figures across party lines who have expressed sympathy, if not always active support, for Ladakh's constitutional cause. The longer the fast continues without a government response, the greater the risk it becomes a political flashpoint — particularly given Wangchuk's large public profile and moral authority.