00:00That's educator Sonam Vangchuk reacting to the Ladakh Union Territory Administration's move to cancel the land allotment to the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives or HIAL.
00:16Vangchuk established HIAL to reform education in mountain regions, creating a multidisciplinary practical learning environment tailored for Ladakh's unique challenges.
00:30In 2018, HIAL was allotted 54 hectares of land on a 40-year lease.
00:38But on 21st August 2025, the Deputy Commissioner of Leh revoked the allotment, citing that the land was not used for its intended purpose and no recognized university had come upon it.
00:53Vangchuk clarified that HIAL is a charitable trust, not his personal venture.
00:58He added that land was originally allotted after the success of his Ice Tupa project, which addressed Ladakh's water crisis.
01:05The cancellation order comes at a time of growing unrest in Ladakh.
01:09Since its separation as Union Territory in 2019, many, including Vangchuk, who once welcomed UT status, have criticized the lack of local representation.
01:18Calls for statehood and constitutional safeguards under the 6th schedule have intensified.
01:22By 2023, Vangchuk himself had said Ladakh was better off as part of the former state of Jammu and Kashmir.
01:29So, as the administration pulls back land from Ladakh's most well-known innovator, one question remains.
01:35Is this a routine legal action or a message to silence Ladakh's voices?
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