J&K Governor congratulates Sonam Wangchuk for Ramon Magsaysay award

Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra on Friday congratulated Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer belonging to the Ladakh region, on getting the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay award.

In his message to Wangchuk, Vohra lauded his various innovative contributions to improving the lives of people in the remote mountainous region of Ladakh.

The Governor described Wangchuk as an inspiring model for the youth of the state. The awards were announced on Thursday in Manila.

Wangchuk, 51, won the award for his contribution in harnessing nature, culture and education for community progress.

"He is being recognized for his uniquely systematic, collaborative and community-driven reform of learning systems in remote northern India, thus improving the life opportunities of Ladakhi youth," the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation said in its citation for the winner.

Wangchuk was a 19-year-old engineering student at the National Institute of Technology in Srinagar, when he started giving tuitions to finance his schooling and help woefully unprepared students.

In 1988, after earning his engineering degree, Wangchuk founded Students' Education and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) and started coaching Ladakhi students.

In 1994, with Wangchuk in the lead, Operation New Hope (ONH) was launched to expand and consolidate the partnership-driven educational reform programme.