Close X
Wednesday, November 13, 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

    Rishi Kapoor Asks If Arvind Kejriwal Is For Real

    Rishi Kapoor Asks If Arvind Kejriwal Is For Real
    Responding to Arvind Kejriwal’s criticism of Modi’s demonetisation act, veteran actor Rishi Kapoor took to Twitter to share his utter shock at what the CM said. “Is this guy for real? Does he always talk like this? Suna tha, aaj tajurba ho gaya,” he wrote.

    Rishi Kapoor Asks If Arvind Kejriwal Is For Real

    Amitabh Bachchan Shuts Up Haters, Praises Aishwarya Rai Bachchan For Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

    Amitabh Bachchan Shuts Up Haters, Praises Aishwarya Rai Bachchan For Ae Dil Hai Mushkil
    While deliberating at the Kolkata International Film Festival, Amitabh Bachchan was all praise for Saba, the character played by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Ae Dil Hai Mushkil.

    Amitabh Bachchan Shuts Up Haters, Praises Aishwarya Rai Bachchan For Ae Dil Hai Mushkil

    Salman Khan To Produce Rs 300 Crore Film On Kamagata Maru Sikh Hero Gurdit Singh

    Salman Khan To Produce Rs 300 Crore Film On Kamagata Maru Sikh Hero Gurdit Singh
    The film is based on the celebrated 1914 incident when the Japanese ship Kamagata Maru sailed with over 349 Sikh passengers to Canada but was denied entry.

    Salman Khan To Produce Rs 300 Crore Film On Kamagata Maru Sikh Hero Gurdit Singh

    How Salman Khan And Nephew Ahil Are Creating Trouble For Arpita

    How Salman Khan And Nephew Ahil Are Creating Trouble For Arpita
    Salman Khan's nephew Ahil loves playing with, or rather chewing, Salman Khan's signature bracelet. Mother Arpita Khan shares pics to prove that Salman is spoiling the tiny tot.

    How Salman Khan And Nephew Ahil Are Creating Trouble For Arpita

    Priyanka Chopra, Unveils The First Look Of Her Debut Punjabi Film 'Sarvann' Starring Amrinder Gill

    "Sarvann", starring Punjabi superstar Amrinder Gill, marks the second production association between Priyanka's Purple Pebble Pictures and Vashu Bhagnani's Pooja Films.

    Priyanka Chopra, Unveils The First Look Of Her Debut Punjabi Film 'Sarvann' Starring Amrinder Gill

    Krushna Doesn’t Deserve More Importance, Says John Abraham

    Krushna Doesn’t Deserve More Importance, Says John Abraham
    John Abraham does not want to comment on the controversial episode when he stormed out of Comedy Nights Bachao Taaza as he was miffed with Krushna Abhishek’s acts on the show.

    Krushna Doesn’t Deserve More Importance, Says John Abraham