Sonam Wangchuk Stable but Under Close Observation After 21-Day Hunger Strike, Says Safdarjung Hospital

New Delhi, July 2026 : Innovator, educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is stable but remains under continuous medical observation at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital after being admitted following 21 days of an indefinite hunger strike. Hospital authorities said prolonged fasting and dehydration had left him physically weak, requiring sustained medical care and monitoring.

Wangchuk was shifted to the hospital early on Saturday after his health reportedly deteriorated. The transfer was carried out in compliance with directions issued by the Delhi High Court and on the advice of medical experts who had been monitoring his condition during the prolonged fast.

In its first official statement after his admission, Safdarjung Hospital confirmed that Wangchuk was brought to the facility at 7:40 a.m. for immediate medical attention.

“He is weak due to prolonged fasting and dehydration. Although he is currently stable, he requires continuous observation, monitoring and treatment to restore his body parameters,” the hospital said, adding that he had been admitted for the necessary healthcare and treatment.

The activist was taken to the hospital from the protest site at Jantar Mantar, where he had been observing a hunger strike for the past 21 days. Police personnel arrived at the venue in the morning to shift him to the hospital, leading to protests and sloganeering by supporters and fellow activists present at the site.

The police action came just ahead of a scheduled hearing in the Delhi High Court regarding Wangchuk’s deteriorating health. Earlier this week, the High Court had directed authorities to conduct daily medical assessments, observing that “the life of any citizen is precious” and instructing the Centre to ensure that all necessary medical interventions were made available to safeguard his health.

Meanwhile, Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, appealed to doctors and authorities not to administer any oral or intravenous treatment without the consent of his family and the medical team that had been supervising his health throughout the fast.

In a statement shared on social media, she said that any medical procedure should be undertaken only after consultation with her, other family members and the doctors who had closely monitored Wangchuk’s condition over the past three weeks.

Wangchuk began his indefinite hunger strike to demand the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. The protest sought accountability over the controversy surrounding the national medical entrance test and called for reforms in the examination system.

Before his hospitalisation, Wangchuk had also announced a July 20 march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament House, coinciding with the opening day of the Monsoon Session, to press for his demands. His supporters have maintained that the movement will continue, while doctors keep the activist under close observation to stabilise his condition following the prolonged fast.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)