Sonam Wangchuk and his wife Gitanjali Angmo (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo said that he remains optimistic despite spending more than three months in solitary confinement at a Jodhpur jail. She added that Wangchuk is using his time in custody to write a book based on his prison experience.In an interview with PTI, Angmo said Wangchuk’s spirit has not been dampened by incarceration, even though the conditions he is living in are “very dire” and “very difficult”. She revealed that the book he is currently writing is likely to be titled “Forever Positive”.”So, the one good thing about positive and hopeful people is that they take everything in their stride. But the conditions he lives in are very dire, very difficult. The book he’s writing on his jail experience is likely to be titled Forever Positive,” Angmo said. Wangchuk, a well-known climate activist and innovator, has been lodged in jail for over 110 days. He was arrested on September 26 after ending a 15-day fast over demands related to statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh. His arrest followed violence in Leh, in which four people were killed.Cut off from the outside world in solitary confinement, Wangchuk has found meaning in observation and reflection, Angmo said. She shared that he has even developed a fascination with ants, drawn to their sense of solidarity and teamwork.“If he observes some ants and their behaviour, he asks me to get books on ant behaviour because the ant community has a lot of solidarity, a lot of team spirit,” she said.According to her, Wangchuk sleeps on a blanket on the floor of a barrack with no furniture and very little space to walk. He has no access to phones, television or watches. Even newspapers brought by his family have reports related to him or Ladakh cut out.“When he sees the newspaper with those cuttings, he knows he must have featured there that day, or it must have been about Ladakh,” Angmo said.Despite these restrictions, Wangchuk has structured his days around reading, meditation and physical discipline. He practises Vipassana, yoga and Surya Namaskar and frequently asks for books on varied subjects.“He makes the best of everything, and so he has made his life in jail a means for his progress,” Angmo said, adding that she, too, has tried to see her own struggles outside as a path of personal growth.Angmo said it was only after two months that Wangchuk told his family about the lack of basic facilities in the barrack.“For the first two months, we did not share the problems we were going through with each other. We presented a strong front,” she said.She recalled giving him books such as Sri Aurobindo’s account of his detention in Alipore jail to offer perspective.“While giving him the book, I joked that just like Sri Aurobindo’s enlightenment inside the jail, you should be a self-realised person when you come out. He said he would try his best,” she said.Wangchuk has also been reading several “feel-good” books, including Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Mister God, This Is Anna. At one point, Angmo said, he even asked for books on sundials as he did not have a watch for a long time.On his health, Angmo said he remains content and mentally strong. “He is generally a very optimistic and hopeful person who sees the positive side of things,” she said. “He is very happy with less.”The jail authorities, she added, have been cooperative within the limits of the law. Some staff members have even approached Wangchuk for advice on parenting and education.“I would say that they are doing their job; nothing against them. I appreciate all that they are doing for Sonam to the extent possible,” she said.While the family is allowed to bring some fruits and homemade snacks, dried apricots, a Ladakh specialty, are not permitted.“He has asked me many times to bring him sun-dried apricots, but they didn’t allow it,” Angmo said. She added that the basic jail food of dal, rice and vegetables does not bother him. Go to Source
