Sonam Wangchuk, the climate activist and educator, was discharged from Medanta Hospital in Gurugram on Monday, July 27, after ending his 26-day hunger strike. Wangchuk announced his discharge on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, “I’m being discharged from the hospital.”
Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike demanding the resignation of the Union Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan. The protest concluded after successful talks between the Civil Society Joint Platform (CJP) and the central government. Following the end of his fast, Pradhan resigned from his post, and Pralhad Joshi was appointed as the new education minister.
After his discharge, Wangchuk plans to visit Rajghat in New Delhi to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi before returning to his home in the mountains of Ladakh. The activist gained widespread attention for his advocacy of education reforms and environmental issues in the Himalayan region.
Health officials at Medanta Hospital confirmed that Wangchuk was stable and fit for discharge after medical observation. No further details about his health condition were provided.
The hunger strike had drawn support from various civil society groups and political figures, who praised Wangchuk’s peaceful protest. The resolution of the demand through the resignation of the minister was seen as a significant victory for the activists.