Sonam Wangchuk awarded with honorary DLitt Degree in Maharashtra

The Ladakh-based engineer Sonam Wangchuk who is an inspiration behind many discoveries and the famous Bollywood blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’ has been honoured with an honorary D.Litt degree by a university here in Maharashtra. He has been awarded for his great work as an innovator and educationist by the Symbiosis International (Deemed University) here on Tuesday. The real-life 'Phunsukh Wangdu' of the Aamir Khan-starrer film, stated that has not done anything big or special. "I did what humanity demands people to do," said the engineer-turned-educationist who set up the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL).

The event was also graced by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind. SECMOL is a non-traditional school which brought in educational reform in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir and improved the number of students clearing exams up to the intermediate level. Mr. Wangchuk said when he saw students failing in the remote region of Ladakh, he decided to do something about it.

"For me, my house was on fire and young brothers and sisters were in distress. So when your house is on fire, there is nothing special in throwing water on it, it is your duty, and if you don't do it, that is surprising," he stated. He also claimed it was out of humanity that he worked towards making the best use solar energy and creating artificial glaciers to address the problem of water scarcity.

Sonam Wangchuck has also been graced with the Ramon Magsaysay award this year. He was born in Uleytokpo, near Alchi of Leh district, Jammu and Kashmir in 1966. His father Sonam Wangyal was a politician and later became a minister in the state government, he was stationed at Srinagar. Since there were no schools in his village his mother taught him all the basics in their mother tongue until he was 9-years-old. A character from the blockbuster movie 3-Idiots was inspired from him. Although he was often seen claiming that he doesn’t see many similarities.