Health Concerns Grow as Sonam Wangchuk Loses 8.2 kg During 16-Day Hunger Strike in Delhi

Health concerns are mounting over activist, engineer and educationist Sonam Wangchuk after he reportedly lost 8.2 kg during a 16-day hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, where he has joined a protest demanding accountability in India's education system.

According to the latest health bulletin released on Monday, Wangchuk's blood pressure had dropped to 107/70 mmHg, while his blood sugar level was recorded at 67. Supporters and doctors have expressed growing concern over his deteriorating condition, but the 59-year-old activist has remained firm in continuing his indefinite fast.

"I'm weak from the outside, but I'm strong from inside," Wangchuk told the BBC, adding, "I have to take what I've begun to its logical conclusion."

Protest Demands Accountability in Education System

The protest at Jantar Mantar was initiated by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), an online satirical movement founded by Abhijeet Dipke. The group's primary demand is the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following the cancellation of a key medical entrance examination earlier this year after a question paper leak.

Several students and activists are participating in the hunger strike alongside Wangchuk. One protester was hospitalised after his health deteriorated significantly.

The protesters argue that the education minister should take moral responsibility for the examination controversy. However, Pradhan has rejected the demand, describing the CJP and its supporters as "the B-team of disruptive elements" that "do not have faith in the country's progress."

Medical Condition Raises Alarm

According to protest organisers, Wangchuk has been experiencing severe dizziness and weakness, making it difficult for him to stand or even walk to the washroom. Doctors have reportedly advised him to end the hunger strike due to increasing health risks.

Abhijeet Dipke said Wangchuk continues to receive thousands of messages from supporters requesting him to call off the fast, but remains determined to continue until the government addresses concerns over accountability in the education system.

Who Is Sonam Wangchuk?

Wangchuk is a renowned engineer, climate activist and education reformer from Ladakh. A follower of Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of non-violent protest, he says he is using a hunger strike as a peaceful means to urge the government to act.

He is internationally recognised for developing the innovative "Ice Stupa" technology, an artificial glacier designed to store winter water for use during the dry farming season in Ladakh. His contributions earned him the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2018.

Wangchuk also inspired the character of Phunsukh Wangdu in the 2009 Bollywood blockbuster Three Idiots and has become one of India's most recognisable voices on education and sustainable development.

Support Continues to Grow

Despite soaring temperatures in Delhi, hundreds of supporters have continued to gather at Jantar Mantar to express solidarity with Wangchuk and the protest movement. Educationists, activists, political leaders from several opposition parties and social media influencers have also visited the protest site.

Educationist Prof. Nandita Narain urged Wangchuk to end his hunger strike, saying his life was in danger and that the movement required sustained leadership over the long term.

The organisers have now announced plans to march to Parliament on July 20, when the next parliamentary session begins, stating that repeated appeals for dialogue with the government have so far gone unanswered.

(AI-generated image)