Environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk visited Rajghat in New Delhi on July 27, 2026, to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi [2].
The visit marks Wangchuk's first public appearance since being hospitalized for medical care following a prolonged hunger strike. His return to the public eye signals a transition from his period of fasting back to active advocacy for the Ladakh region.
Wangchuk was accompanied by his wife, Gitanjali Angmo, during the visit to the memorial [1]. The activist had previously been treated at Medanta Hospital in Gurugram [3]. His hospitalization followed a hunger strike that lasted 26 days [1].
While reports on the exact length of his medical stay vary between a few days and several weeks, he was officially discharged on July 27, 2026 [2]. The visit to Rajghat served as a symbolic gesture of respect to the legacy of non-violent protest.
"I will first pay my respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat," Wangchuk said in a post on X [4].
Following the tribute, Wangchuk expressed gratitude toward those who assisted in his health recovery. "Thank you to everyone who supported me during my recovery," he said [5].
The activist intends to return to Ladakh after completing his visits in the capital. His recent fast was part of a broader effort to draw attention to environmental and political concerns in the high-altitude region.
“"I will first pay my respects to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat."”
Wangchuk's choice to visit Rajghat immediately after his discharge connects his modern environmental activism to the historical tradition of Satyagraha. By honoring Gandhi, he reaffirms the philosophical basis of his 26-day hunger strike as a tool for political leverage and public awareness regarding Ladakh's autonomy and ecological preservation.
