REVISION

Sonam Wangchuk
Answer the questions briefly.

1. What is the Rolex Award for Enterprise?

Ans. The Rolex Award for Enterprise is an international philanthropic programme that
supports new and ongoing projects by individuals who have touched all aspects of humanity
by expanding knowledge or improving life on the planet.

2. What kind of childhood did Wangchuk have?

Ans. Sonam Wangchuk was born and brought up in a tiny village of five households, about
70 km from Leh. He spent the first nine years of his life learning in a 'holistic, harmonious
way. There weren't any schools in his village, so he learnt to read and write from his mother.
He played in the fields, sowing seeds, working with animals, jumping in the river, and
climbing trees.
3. What did he do while pursuing engineering?
Ans. While pursuing engineering, he started teaching children.
4. What was the result of the survey conducted by the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives?
How did Wangchuk change the situation?
Ans. According to the survey conducted by the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, almost
95 per cent students had failed their board exams. Wangchuk, over the next two decades,
introduced alternative learning practices and innovative measures that reduced this number
to 25 per cent.
5. How is SECMOL different from other schools?
Ans. SECMOL takes the failures from the conventional school system and makes living in the
school a learning experience in itself. The students run the school themselves. They learn by
doing - they farm, keep animals, make food products, and engage in solving real-life
problems.
6. How do ice stupas function? Describe.
Ans. Ice stupas are built during winter, so that the water from them when they start melting
can be used in late spring.
7. What does the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives aim to do?
Ans. The Himalayan Institute of Alternatives aims to create a sustainable ecosystem of
constant innovation, wherein the youth from different Himalayan countries will come
together to research the issues faced by mountain people in the field of education, culture,
and environment. The participants will also formulate ways to solve those issues through
innovative ideas and practical application of knowledge.
1. Why do you think were the structures called ice stupas?
Ans. Stupas are Buddhist shrines that are dome shaped. The population of Ladakh is mostly
18 Buddhist so the structures have been called ice stupas.

2. Do you think Sonam Wangchuk deserved the Rolex Award for Enterprise? Give reasons
for your answer
Ans. Yes, Sonam Wangchuk deserved the Rolex Award for Enterprise. He has made a
significant contribution to improving life by reducing scarcity of water in his area.

The End