Close X
Thursday, November 14, 2024
ADVT 
Bollywood

Leh Engineer Who Inspired '3 Idiots' Movie Bags Global Award

Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Nov, 2016 12:03 PM
    Viewers would remember having been left awe-struck by Aamir Khan’s many science experiments in the 2009 blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’ -- now Sonam Wangchuk, the inspiration behind Aamir Khan’s “Phunsukh Wangdu” character in the film, has gained further global recognition bagging the prestigious Rolex Awards for Enterprise 2016.
     
    The awards were presented on Tuesday in Los Angeles to those “who have reshaped the world with their innovative thinking and dynamism”. Sonam’s “Ice Stupas” project is among the five winners this year at the awards.
     
    Sonam Wangchuk, a 50-year-old Ladakhi engineer, has been attempting to solve the problem of lack of water for agriculture in the desert landscapes of the western Himalayas by building “Ice Stupas”.
     
    The Ladakh region, at roughly 3,500-metre altitude between the Kunlun and Great Himalayan mountain ranges, faces acute water shortage during the April-May early crop-growing period. 
     
    Wangchuk was certain that access to water in the desert landscapes around many high altitude towns and villages of Ladakh could be improved if the huge seasonal outflow of glacial water could be frozen.
     
     
    Inspired by the experimental work of a fellow Ladakhi engineer, Chewang Norphel, Wangchuk developed a simple and effective system, creating what he calls “ice stupas” -- conical ice mounds that behave like mini-glaciers, slowly releasing water for the growing season.
     
    “The Rolex Award funds will support the project and promote ice stupas as a climate-change adaptation and desert-greening technique,” Wangchuk said in a statement released by Rolex.
     
    Wangchuk intends to build up to 20 such ice stupas, each 30 metres high and capable of supplying millions of litres of water. The long-term aim is to build an alternative university and engage youth in the environment.
     
    Wangchuk is currently working on establishing an alternative university on the 65-hectare land donated by the village that will engage youth from Ladakh, the Himalayas and other mountain regions of the world in finding their own solutions to the challenges facing them.
     
     
    “The Rolex Awards were designed to support those whose own spirit of enterprise mirrored the enterprising spirit on which the company was founded,” Rebecca Irvin, Head of Philanthropy at Rolex, said in the release.

    MORE Bollywood ARTICLES

    Whatever I Do, I Do To The Extreme: Hrithik Roshan

    Actor Hrithik Roshan says whatever he does, he does it in the best possible way.

    Whatever I Do, I Do To The Extreme: Hrithik Roshan

    Jacqueline Fernandez Can’t Wait To 'Kick' Starting The Award Season

    Jacqueline Fernandez Can’t Wait To 'Kick' Starting The Award Season
    Jacqueline Fernandez is prepping up for her performance in this season's first award show.

    Jacqueline Fernandez Can’t Wait To 'Kick' Starting The Award Season

    Nobody Has Been Replaced, 'Dear Zindegi' Releasing As It Is: Alia Bhatt

    Nobody Has Been Replaced, 'Dear Zindegi' Releasing As It Is: Alia Bhatt
    Rubbishing rumours about Pakistani actor Ali Zafar's replacement, actor Alia Bhatt confirmed that her multi-starrer upcoming film "Dear Zindegi" as it is.

    Nobody Has Been Replaced, 'Dear Zindegi' Releasing As It Is: Alia Bhatt

    Sharmila Tagore Wants Ranbir Kapoor And Alia Bhatt To Play The Lead In Tiger Pataudi's Biopic

    Sharmila Tagore Wants Ranbir Kapoor And Alia Bhatt To Play The Lead In Tiger Pataudi's Biopic
    Recipient of two National Film awards and two Filmfare awards, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore wants a biopic to be made on her late husband cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and wonders if Ranbir and Alia could fit the roles.

    Sharmila Tagore Wants Ranbir Kapoor And Alia Bhatt To Play The Lead In Tiger Pataudi's Biopic

    Not Okay With Just One Country, Want The World: Priyanka

    Not Okay With Just One Country, Want The World: Priyanka
    "I'm still doing it (Bollywood). Two continents. I'm not okay with just one country. I want the world," Priyanka said during an appearance on talk show "The View". 

    Not Okay With Just One Country, Want The World: Priyanka

    Alia Bhatt Celebrates Children's Day With Ragpickers

    Alia Bhatt Celebrates Children's Day With Ragpickers
    Actress Alia Bhatt had to clean a desk for a week as punishment for sleeping in the school, she shared during an event on Children's Day on Monday.

    Alia Bhatt Celebrates Children's Day With Ragpickers