Sonam Wangchuk's Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), already locked in a court battle over its land, is facing a new problem. The Ladakh administration has asked the institute to stop classes and other activities at Desert Flower School in Leh, claiming the school started without the required clearances, NDTV reported.
What The Notice Says
The notice was issued by the Tehsildar of Leh to Gitanjali J Angmo, Wangchuk's wife and the founder and CEO of HIAL. It asks her to “strictly maintain the status quo” and avoid any step that could affect the case pending before the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Also Read | Layoffs Are Rising In Tech, But These Skills Are Helping People Unlock Better Pay
-
Indian Markets Turning Corner After Two Tough Years, Says Sandeep Tandon -
NDTV Profit Ignite 2026: Experts See Opportunity In Equities, Stay Bullish For Long-Term -
Buy Right, Sit Tight Does Not Work for Individual Stocks, Says Dinshaw Irani -
'Worst Is Behind': Quant MF Sees Market Bottom, Flags 'Extreme Euphoria' In Midcaps -
India's Mutual Fund Industry Could Become A $1 Trillion Opportunity, Say Fund Managers -
'Foreign Investors Are Baraatis': Raamdeo Agrawal's Take On LTCG Tax -
Stay Invested Through Market Cycles: Raamdeo Agrawal at NDTV Profit Ignite -
Ramesh Damani Remains Bullish On India For Next 20-30 Years, Sees Bargains Amid Market Weakness -
CAS Came After A Long Consultation Process: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFIT IGNITE -
Aim To Cut FPI Onboarding Time From Mth To Five Days: SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey AT NDTV PROFI
According to the administration, Angmo wrote to the Leh Deputy Commissioner on September 22, asking for a no-objection certificate for the people proposed as members of the school's managing committee. Desert Flower School is located at Phyang and falls under the HIAL ecosystem.
But by then, the administration says, the school was already running classes and other activities, even though no approval had come through. The notice tells Angmo to hold off on running the school until the court rules or issues fresh directions.
The Land Dispute
The warning is tied to a long-running row over land given to HIAL. In May 2018, the institute was allotted 1,076 kanals and one marla of land at Phyang Thang to set up an alternative university focused on sustainable development in the Himalayas. A 40-year lease was proposed, with conditions attached.
On August 21, 2025, the Ladakh administration cancelled the allotment. It said HIAL had neither completed the lease formalities nor set up the university. HIAL took the matter to the High Court.
In September this year, the court said the land could not be handed over to any third party while the petition was being heard. That interim order, though, left the cancellation in place.
ALSO READ | 'Proud Of Indian Railways': Sonam Wangchuk Praises Vande Bharat During Ladakh Trip
What Both Sides Say
In a 136-page affidavit filed in October, the administration argued that the allotment had lapsed automatically in May 2019. It said the lease deed had not been executed and the required land premium had not been paid within a year. It also cited a certification from Ladakh's Higher Education Department, dated October 2026, stating that HIAL is not a recognised university and that its courses have no statutory affiliation.
HIAL disputes this. According to Angmo, the institute sought execution of the lease deed on May 20, 2018, barely two weeks after getting the land, and kept chasing the authorities after that.
ALSO READ | Who Is Devendra Nath Mahto? Student Leader Called 'Sonam Wangchuk' Of Jharkhand Protest
Wangchuk has accused the administration of dragging its feet. By his count, it took five written appeals, 15 visits and 30 phone calls in his effort to get the deed done. He has also referred to an official letter from February 2021. He says it accepted that Ladakh's shift to Union Territory status and the Covid pandemic had caused delays, and let construction carry on while the paperwork was pending.
Wangchuk believes the dispute is a way of targeting him for his activism in Ladakh. The administration, for its part, insists HIAL failed to meet the terms of the allotment.
Essential Business Intelligence, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.
