From government ally to ‘national security threat’: Paradox of Sonam Wangchuk

Last week, acclaimed education reformer, climate activist, and innovator Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) over his alleged role in the violent protests demanding statehood for Ladakh, which left four dead in police firing in Leh on September 24. The NSA grants authorities the power to act pre-emptively against individuals deemed a threat to public order or national security.

The move marks a sharp contrast to Wangchuk’s recent years as a government collaborator. Official records reveal that until last year, key offices routinely sought his expertise on issues ranging from water conservation, clean energy, tourism, and even pashmina development. He was frequently called upon to headline major government events in Ladakh, including Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations and World Heritage Week.

Wangchuk’s government engagements stretch back years. In April 2022, then Maharashtra Education Minister Vinod Tawde publicly thanked him for “working together towards the betterment of our Nation, specially welfare of our students.” Wangchuk had served on the Maharashtra International Education Board since 2018, appointed by the Devendra Fadnavis government.

His international engagements, too, came under scrutiny. The Ladakh police cited his February visit to Islamabad for the Breathe Pakistan climate event as a “question mark” on his credibility. Yet he was far from alone: other Indian experts, including Harjeet Singh of the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, Sunita Narain of the Centre for Science and Environment, and representatives from the World Bank and UNICEF, also participated.

Wangchuk’s contributions to Ladakh’s development are widely documented. He played a key role in advocating for the region’s Scheduled Area status, a cause formally acknowledged by former Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda in 2019. In correspondence with Munda, Wangchuk praised the government for safeguarding Ladakh’s cultural identity and noted that “the biggest security asset that India has in these mountains… is not its guns and rockets… but the people of Ladakh.”

Long before Ladakh became a Union Territory, Wangchuk advised then J&K Governor Satyapal Malik on education reforms. He inaugurated solar-powered residential buildings for alternative schools in 2019 and later met successive Lt Governors RK Mathur and Brig (Dr) BD Mishra to discuss water management, clean energy, and regional development.

From keynotes at youth programs on water conservation to workshops on ethical education, Wangchuk’s footprint in Ladakh’s governance, education, and environmental initiatives has been extensive. Yet, today, he faces charges under a law designed for pre-emptive action against threats to national security — a startling turnaround for a man once hailed as a pillar of regional progress.