Public attention has turned to Gitanjali J Angmo after Sonam Wangchuk was hospitalised following his detention from Jantar Mantar. While the activist continues his hunger strike, his wife has emerged as a key voice in the protest demanding greater transparency and accountability in the education system.
Wangchuk had been on a three-week hunger strike against Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak. Throughout the protest, Angmo remained by his side and has continued to speak on his behalf after his hospitalisation.
Who is Gitanjali Angmo?
Gitanjali Angmo is a social entrepreneur, educationist and the co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), which she established with Sonam Wangchuk. She currently serves as the institute’s founding CEO and dean.
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HIAL focuses on developing practical and sustainable solutions for mountain communities across the Himalayas. The institute has worked on environmentally conscious infrastructure, including passive solar-heated buildings and green campuses. In 2021, it also developed solar-heated tents for the Indian Army.
From Denmark’s corporate world to Ladakh’s classrooms
Born in Balasore, Odisha, to a Punjabi family, Angmo completed her graduation in Physics from Fakir Mohan University before earning an MBA from the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar.
She spent around 15 years in the corporate sector, largely in Denmark, before returning to India to build ventures with a social impact. Over the years, she has launched initiatives including Pushan, Shanghai Power Projects Ltd and Helios Books. On her LinkedIn profile, she describes herself as a spiritual seeker who teaches Vedanta and the Gita.
A Chevening Fellow, Angmo has also received the Women Transforming India National Award. She is a black belt in Karate and has trained in both Odissi and Russian Ballet.
Life with Sonam Wangchuk and their shared mission
Angmo is Sonam Wangchuk’s second wife. In an interview with Brut last year, she recalled meeting him at an education conference, saying she felt she had “found a kindred soul”. She also said she wanted to “live for a cause larger than herself.”
Wangchuk was previously married to American Rebecca Norman.
Although Angmo has largely stayed away from the spotlight, she has consistently supported Wangchuk’s public campaigns. During his detention under the National Security Act last year following protests in Ladakh, she approached the Supreme Court challenging the detention and also wrote to the President seeking intervention.
After Wangchuk was released following nearly 170 days in detention, Angmo shared an emotional message, writing, “My ordeal of making two trips every week for just a 60-minute meeting over the past five months has finally ended.”
Gitanjali Angmo says Wangchuk is continuing his hunger strike
Following Wangchuk’s admission to hospital, Angmo said that he had not ended his protest and was consuming only salt and water.
I am at Safdarjung hospital in Delhi where @Wangchuk66 has been admitted. Nothing should be administered to him orally or intravenous without take consent from me, his family and his doctors who have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days.
— Gitanjali J Angmo (@GitanjaliAngmo) July 18, 2026
“He is still on hunger strike,” she said, adding that nothing should be administered to him either orally or intravenously without the consent of her, his family, or the doctors monitoring his condition.
She has also announced that she will lead Monday’s march to Parliament if Wangchuk is unable to participate. “If Sonam Wangchuk can’t join the march, I will represent him and lead that march,” she said.
FAQs:
Who is Gitanjali Angmo, Sonam Wangchuk’s wife?
Gitanjali Angmo is a social entrepreneur, educationist, and co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), where she serves as the founding CEO and dean.
What is Gitanjali Angmo’s role in Sonam Wangchuk’s protest?
Gitanjali Angmo has been leading public appeals, speaking on Wangchuk’s behalf, and has vowed to lead the Parliament march while he remains hospitalised.
