Sonam Wangchuk
Ladakh's ice stupa inventor combating water scarcity through glacial engineering
Hailing from India's Himalayan region, Sonam Wangchuk invented artificial glaciers that store 10M+ liters of winter meltwater for dry seasons. His ice stupa technology - conical ice formations mimicking sacred structures - solves the critical water crisis in high-altitude deserts receiving <100mm annual rainfall.
Key technical breakthroughs:
| Innovation | Impact |
|---|---|
| Gravity-fed pipeline networks | Reduces pumping energy by 87% |
| Phase-change materials | Extends glacier lifespan into summer |
Beyond engineering, Wangchuk's community-first model trains villagers in maintenance while respecting Buddhist ecological principles. The 2018 People's Climate Prize winner continues pushing boundaries:
- 2021: Solar-powered ice factories
- 2022: Glacier insurance programs
- 2023: Mountain aquifer recharge projects
His work inspired the 3 Idiots movie character, but Wangchuk's real impact lies in creating climate resilience blueprints adopted from Kyrgyzstan to the Andes. Through the HIMALAYAN INSTITUTE OF ALTITUDES, he trains 500+ climate warriors annually in sustainable mountain development.
Literary Appearances
No literary records found