Prominent Indian education reform activist Sonam Wangchuk has brought his 26-day hunger strike to a close, after extended talks with authorities reached preliminary agreements on his core demands, according to an official announcement posted to the social platform X by Wangchuk himself.
The 59-year-old activist, widely known to his supporters as “Sonam sir”, launched the fast to back youth-led demonstrations organized by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a grassroots movement pushing for sweeping changes to India’s national education framework. Beyond systemic education reforms, the CJP has also publicly called for the resignation of India’s sitting education minister, a demand that Wangchuk has publicly endorsed.
Prior to calling off the strike, Wangchuk had outlined several non-negotiable conditions for ending his fast, chief among them a formal commitment from government officials that security forces would not use excessive force to disperse peaceful civilian protesters. In his X post, Wangchuk explained that his decision to end the fast came both as a result of progress in negotiations and to de-escalate tensions that risked spilling over into broader civil unrest across the country.
Throughout the strike, Wangchuk documented his declining physical condition, noting that he had already lost 11 kilograms (24 pounds) by the 21st day of his fast, while emphasizing he remained resolute in his commitment to the protest movement. Last Saturday, authorities forcibly removed the activist from his protest site in central Delhi and transferred him to a local hospital for medical evaluation, a move that drew widespread condemnation from protest supporters.
This is an ongoing developing story, with new details emerging as negotiations continue. Updates will be published as more information becomes available. Readers can access real-time updates via the BBC News mobile application or by following the official @BBCBreaking account on X for the latest breaking alerts.