Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer, innovator and education reformist, hailing from Ladakh and Ms. Gitanjali, Founding CEO Himalayan Institute of Advanced Learning (HIAL), met Governor Satya Pal Malik at the Raj Bhavan here today. Sh. Wangcuk extended warm greetings to Sh. Malik on his appointment as Governor of J&K.Prof. Talat Ahmed, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir was present on the occasion.Sh. Wangchuk shared with Governor his efforts to reform the education system and bring it in sync with local realities by pursuing practical, environmental, social and traditional knowledge, values and skills and about his endeavours in this direction through launching Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) which was founded in 1988. He informed Governor about his another initiative of establishing the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives with an aim for sustainable development in mountainous region of Ladakh, efforts for which are ongoing since 2015.
Sh. Wangchuk apprised Governor that the SECMOL and HIAL are in dialogue with the Kashmir University for a collaboration to promote locally contextual higher education in the high Himalayas and requested Governor’s participation during the launch of Kashmir University-HIAL partnership at the University’s Satellite Campus in Taru and in the celebration of 30 years of SECMOL at its Alternative School Campus in Phey. Governor congratulated Sh. Wangchuk for being conferred with this year’s prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award and lauded his various innovative contributions in improving the lives of people in the remote mountainous region of Ladakh with innovative techniques like Ice Stupa for creating artificial glaciers and launch of Operation New Hope in 1994 under SECMOL which is a collaboration between government, village communities and the civil society to bring about reform in the Government school system. Governor described Sonam as an inspiring icon for the youth of the State.