Ladakh statehood activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been arrested on charges of inciting a mob through provocative statements, once made headlines for a very different reason. Back in 2017, the engineer-turned-education reformer had appeared on the popular quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati season 9, hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.
How much money did he earn from the show?
Back then, Wangchuk had reportedly earned Rs 50 lakh and had impressed with his game. Instead of keeping the prize money for himself, Wangchuk had donated the entire amount to his school in Ladakh, run under the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL).
He had announced that the winnings would be used for the upkeep and development of the institution.
Wangchuk had also announced that he would invest the prize money in establishing the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL) - a university envisioned to provide hands-on and practical training to the youth.
He was accompanied by his former student, Tsewang Rigzin, who is now a journalist.
During the show, a documentary on his school was screened, featuring girl students playing ice hockey on a rink within the campus. Wangchuk charmed the audience with his confident responses and even entertained the host by delivering Amitabh Bachchan's famous film dialogues in French, Punjabi, and Ladakhi, while also reciting verses from Harivansh Rai Bachchan's poetry.
Wangchuk had inspired the character played by Aamir Khan in Rajkumar Hirani's hit film 3 Idiots.
Sonam Wangchuk's arrest
However, the celebrated activist now finds himself at the centre of a storm. He has been arrested under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), which allows preventive detention without bail. Authorities allege that Wangchuk incited violence during ongoing protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Following his arrest, he was shifted to Jodhpur, while internet services in Leh were suspended to curb the spread of misinformation. His NGO SECMOL has also come under the scanner, with the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelling its FCRA registration a day before the arrest, blocking it from receiving foreign funding.
