Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was discharged from Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Monday after completing a 26-day hunger strike [1].
Wangchuk's release marks the end of a high-profile protest aimed at drawing attention to the environmental and political concerns of the Ladakh region. His health had become a focal point for supporters as the duration of his fast increased.
Following his discharge, Wangchuk expressed gratitude to the medical staff at Medanta Hospital for their care during his recovery [2]. He announced that he will not return to his home region immediately but will first travel to Delhi.
"I will first pay my respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat," Wangchuk said [3].
Wangchuk linked his current struggle for Ladakh to the philosophy of non-violence and peaceful resistance. He said the path shown by Bapu remains relevant even today [4]. The visit to the memorial serves as a symbolic conclusion to his period of fasting before he begins the journey back to the mountains of Ladakh [5].
Throughout the 26-day strike [1], Wangchuk sought to highlight the fragility of the Himalayan ecosystem and the need for specific constitutional protections for the region. His protest has drawn significant national attention to the intersection of climate change and indigenous rights in the high-altitude desert of Ladakh.
Wangchuk said he intends to return to his home region shortly after the visit to Raj Ghat to continue his advocacy work [5].
“I will first pay my respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat.”
The conclusion of Wangchuk's hunger strike and his tribute to Mahatma Gandhi signal a transition from a phase of acute physical protest to a continued political and environmental campaign. By invoking Gandhi, Wangchuk frames the Ladakh movement not as a localized dispute, but as part of a broader tradition of Indian civil disobedience and moral resistance.
