Ladakh administration revokes Sonam Wangchuk’s HIAL land allotment over financial defaults
(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
Sonam Wangchuk, the real-life inspiration behind Bollywood’s beloved Phunsuk Wangdu from 3 Idiots, finds himself in hot water in Ladakh. The educationist and activist’s dream project, the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL), just lost its government land after years of broken promises.
Back in 2018, the Ladakh Union Territory administration handed over nearly 60 hectares of prime land in Phyang village to HIAL. The deal was straightforward: pay Rs 14 crore within one year and finish construction in two. But seven years on, neither happened. Now, the unpaid dues have ballooned to almost Rs 37 crore.
Officials pulled the plug on the land allotment, pointing to massive financial defaults and ignored rules. "They never got affiliation from a recognized university like UGC or AICTE," says Tsering Sangrup, a Leh Councillor. "Plus, with so much land given out, it was supposed to be on lease to bring in revenue for the council—but they didn’t even pay that."
This mess means degrees and diplomas from HIAL aren’t legally valid, leaving hundreds of students hanging in uncertainty. At a recent press conference, Tashi Gyalson, Chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) in Leh, backed the decision. He revealed that complaints about HIAL piled up, even reaching the Chief Secretary. "We dug into it and found tons of loopholes and rule-breaking, so we had no choice but to cancel," Gyalson explained.
The drama hits Wangchuk at a tricky time. Fresh off a conference in Islamabad, he jumped back into leading protests for Ladakh’s inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Critics aren’t buying the timing—they claim his push is getting a boost from across the border, raising red flags about foreign meddling.
For locals and officials in Ladakh, Wangchuk’s shift from innovative reformer to fiery activist feels more like a puzzle than progress. As the HIAL controversy unfolds, questions swirl about what comes next for the man who once symbolized hope in the Himalayas.
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