Wangchuk

Before beginning his hunger strike, Mr Wangchuk and his supporters walked for hundreds of kilometres from Ladakh to reach capital Delhi.

With his protests and interviews, Mr Wangchuk has ensured that the demands of the people of Ladakh have remained part of mainstream media discourse in India for weeks now.

Mr Wangchuk studied mechanical engineering after a relative noticed his experiments with concave mirrors to brighten dark buildings and cook food.

Earlier this year, Mr Wangchuk sat on a 21-day protest in the freezing cold "to remind the government of its promises to safeguard Ladakh's environment and tribal indigenous culture".

The federal government has sanctioned several highways, power projects and military-related infrastructure in Ladakh, which Mr Wangchuk says will harm the region, especially in the absence of consultation with local representatives.