Sonam Wangchuk Loses 9.1kg in 19-Day Hunger Strike as Court Weighs Emergency Medical Aid
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · Jul 16
Sonam Wangchuk Loses 9.1kg in 19-Day Hunger Strike as Court Weighs Emergency Medical Aid
3 articles · Updated · BBC.com · Jul 16
Summary
Delhi High Court is set to hear a petition on Thursday seeking urgent medical aid for Sonam Wangchuk, whose aides say the 59-year-old may die within two days if his fast continues.
After 19 days on salt water, Wangchuk has lost 9.1kg, cannot stand without support and is now losing muscle mass, with a doctor warning organ damage could be the next stage.
The activist has refused to end the strike, which backs protesters demanding education reforms and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation after a medical entrance exam was scrapped over a paper leak.
More than 1,800 artists, academics and activists, along with opposition leaders and actor Zeenat Aman, have urged him to stop, while protesters plan a day-long fast Thursday and a march to parliament on July 20.
Will an activist's hunger strike finally force accountability for the exam leak that has shattered millions of students' futures?
With a national icon's life at risk, can India's broken exam system, which has already led to student deaths, actually be fixed?
India’s NEET-UG 2026 Scandal: Sonam Wangchuk’s Hunger Strike, Cockroach Janta Party Protests, and the Youth Uprising for Exam Reform
Overview
As of July 16, 2026, Sonam Wangchuk continues his hunger strike despite his rapidly deteriorating health, drawing widespread concern and calls from public figures like Shashi Tharoor for him to end his fast. Wangchuk insists he is strong enough to continue, stating his core health remains stable. The situation has prompted the Delhi High Court to intervene, emphasizing the need for regular medical checks and highlighting the seriousness of his condition. This crisis has intensified public attention on the protest movement, underscoring the urgency of the demands and the growing pressure on authorities to respond.