Close X
Monday, November 25, 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

    Priyanka Chopra Ecstatic About Dwayne Johnson's 'Sexiest Man Alive' Title

    Indian actress Priyanka Chopra has called her "Baywatch" co-star Dwayne Johnson "sexy".

    Priyanka Chopra Ecstatic About Dwayne Johnson's 'Sexiest Man Alive' Title

    Jennifer Aniston To Adopt From Mexican Orphanage

    Actress Jennifer Aniston is reportedly adopting children from two Mexican orphanages.

    Jennifer Aniston To Adopt From Mexican Orphanage

    Akshay Is My Biggest Cheerleader: Twinkle Khanna

    Akshay Is My Biggest Cheerleader: Twinkle Khanna
    Writer and former actress Twinkle Khanna, who has come up with her second book "The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad", says her husband Akshay Kumar is more proud of her work than anyone ever has been.

    Akshay Is My Biggest Cheerleader: Twinkle Khanna

    Karan Johar To Host '2.o' First Look Launch

    Filmmaker Karan Johar will host the first look launch event of superstar Rajinikanth's upcoming Tamil sci-fi action drama "2.o" here on Sunday.

    Karan Johar To Host '2.o' First Look Launch

    I'm Not Entering SRK's Territory With 'Befikre': Ranveer Singh

    I'm Not Entering SRK's Territory With 'Befikre': Ranveer Singh
    Ranveer Singh on Tuesday said he was the first choice of Aditya Chopra for "Befikre" right from the beginning despite the director having Shah Rukh Khan star in all his three films he made in his near three-decade long career.

    I'm Not Entering SRK's Territory With 'Befikre': Ranveer Singh

    Chris Martin Lands In India For Global Citizen Festival

    Coldplay frontman Chris Martin arrived here on Wednesday, three days ahead of the debut edition of the Global Citizen Festival India (GCFI), where he is scheduled to perform with his world-famous British boy band.

    Chris Martin Lands In India For Global Citizen Festival