Sonam Wangchuk

Reading success stories of greatest professionals stimulates motivational enzyme within us and we all wish to emulate them on the path of success.
 
Exactly with this aim, we are presenting you series of success stories of Professionals who have carved niche in their own way and have become icons of Management Fraternity. 
 
Following above you will read today motivational story of Sonam Wangchuk

There are people who work for themselves, and there are people whose work inspires others and makes a difference to the society. One such innovator is Sonam Wangchuk, the man behind countless inventions and initiatives. His life so far has been testimony to the power of enterprise mixed with social welfare.

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Initial Years

Sonam Wangchuk was born in 1966, in Uleytokpo, near Alchi in the Leh district of Jammu and Kashmir. For a man who has had a definite impact on his surroundings, it does come as a surprise that he did not start receiving formal education until the age of 9, for there were no schools in his village. He faced trouble in Srinagar, where he was taken at the age of 9 and enrolled in a school. He got addressed in a different language, which he could not respond and was considered stupid. He escaped alone to Delhi in 1977 and later went against his father’s wishes to self- finance his Mechanical Engineering from NIT, Srinagar. Much later, in 2011, he also went to France to study Earthen Architecture to give impetus to his initiatives.

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Career

Wangchuk is not just an engineer, he is also an innovator and education reformist. All the formative experiences shaped his future and his frustration against the education system led him to start the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), to address the problems of the younger generation and their lack of focus and cultural confusion. The work also involved reforming the government school system, creating awareness in the youth about the insensitive school education system and harnessing solar energy for the benefit of the villagers.

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From 1993 till 2005, Wangchuk founded and worked as an editor of Ladags Melong (Ladakh’s only print magazine). His experience and wisdom have been used by several governmental agencies, in the capacity of an advisor and consultant. He was entrusted with the task of formulating the policy on Education and Tourism as part of the Vision Document Ladakh 2025 and served as a member in the National Governing Council for Elementary Education in the HRD Ministry, Government of India. He has been involved in many other agencies and committees and his biding concerns have remained integrated development that is in sync with ground realities.

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Innovations

For his many inventions, Wangchuk has been a source of inspiration behind the character of Phunsukh Wangdu from the movie 3 Idiots. Throughout his stellar life, Wangchuk has made significant contribution to the lives of people living in harsh conditions in the mountains. He has been helping design and build several passive solar mud buildings in mountain regions of Ladakh, Nepal and Sikkim to save energy.

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His project called the ‘Ice Stupa’ has brought him fame from outside India as well. With the aim of providing a solution to the farmers of Ladakh in the critical months of April and May, Wangchuk and his team constructed a two-storey prototype of an ice stupa in 2014, which could store around 150000 litres of winter stream water to be used later.

Achievements

Just on 26th July, 2018 it has been announced that Sonam Wangchuk won coveted Ramon Magsaysay award 2018. For all his path-breaking achievements, Sonam Wangchuk has been awarded at various platforms, notably the ICA Honor Award 2017, San Francisco, CA, the GQ Men of the Year Awards, Social Entrepreneur of the Year, 2017, Rolex Award for Enterprise, 2016, International Terra Award for best earth building, 2016, Man of the Year by the Week, 2001 and many more.

Sonam Wangchuk’s life is truly inspirational and highlights the concept of conscientious enterprise, business that helps the society.

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