International Recognition vs. State Action: Sonam Wangchuk Named to TIME's 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders Amid Detention

New Delhi/Ladakh – In a stark contrast that underscores the complexities of activism in India, climate innovator and educator Sonam Wangchuk has been named to TIME Magazine's prestigious 2025 TIME100 Climate list, recognizing him as one of the world's 100 most influential leaders driving business toward real climate action. These 100 people represent the power of individuals to make significant progress in influencing the climate economy. This list acknowledges individuals across five major categories- Leaders, Innovators, Titans, Defenders, and Catalysts—based on the nature of their climate action. Sonam Wangchuk, has been recognized for his environmental contributions, being specifically named in the "Defenders" category.

This global accolade comes just weeks after Wangchuk's arrest under the National Security Act (NSA) by the Indian government, which has labeled him an "anti-national" threat for protesting Ladakh's lack of autonomy and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

The announcement, revealed on October 30 by TIME, spotlights Wangchuk's groundbreaking work in combating water scarcity in the fragile Himalayan ecosystem through "ice stupas" – artificial glaciers inspired by ancient Ladakhi traditions but modernized with engineering ingenuity. Born and raised in Ladakh's high-altitude deserts at 11,500 feet, where communities rely on rapidly melting glaciers for survival, Wangchuk grew up listening to ancestral tales of "moving a mother and father glacier into a cave to make a baby glacier." As an engineer, educator, and founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL), he has blended cultural heritage with cutting-edge science to create scalable solutions for climate-induced droughts.

In 2015, Wangchuk pioneered the "ice stupa" by channeling water from a glacier stream through a mile-long pipe into his village. During Ladakh's harsh winters, where temperatures plummet to -20°C, the water sprays out in fine droplets, freezing layer by layer into towering, cone-shaped structures resembling sacred Buddhist stupas. These ice reservoirs, up to 12 stories high by 2017, can store and release up to 3.2 million gallons of water each, providing critical irrigation for farmers during the dry months of May and June when natural meltwater fails. One ice stupa alone generates 264,000 gallons, enough to sustain agriculture in arid regions. His innovations have revived abandoned villages like Kulum, enabling climate refugees to return home, and inspired replications in Chile, Pakistan, Nepal, and other high-altitude deserts worldwide.

Wangchuk's recognition arrives amid personal turmoil. Arrested in late September 2025 during a 35-day fast-unto-death protesting for Ladakh's statehood and environmental safeguards, he remains detained under NSA provisions, which his supporters decry as draconian. His wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo – founder and CEO of HIAL and a Chevening Fellow at Oxford University – took to X (formerly Twitter) on Friday to share the TIME honor, framing it as a poignant rebuke to the government's narrative. In a post Angmo wrote:

Angmo's emotional tribute, posted from her verified handle, highlights the irony: a man jailed for advocating regional rights is hailed internationally for pioneering climate resilience. The post tags PM Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Rashtrapati Bhawan and other high-profile figures, amplifying calls for Wangchuk's release and drawing attention to Ladakh's ongoing struggle against ecological and political marginalization.

TIME's 2025 TIME100 Climate list, now in its third year, honors leaders across categories like Titans, Innovators, Leaders, Defenders, and Catalysts for measurable impacts in business-driven climate solutions. The list emphasizes scalable achievements over mere pledges, with honorees vetted for recency and influence amid global setbacks like U.S. policy rollbacks.