Beyond Sonam Wangchuk’s wife: Who is Gitanjali J Angmo?
Gitanjali J Angmo is a social entrepreneur, educationist and institution builder, best-known as the Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Dean of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh
As climate activist Sonam Wangchuk continues to receive treatment at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, his wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, has stepped into the spotlight by spearheading the legal proceedings on his behalf.
Wangchuk was shifted to the hospital by the Delhi Police on Saturday after completing 21 days of an indefinite hunger strike, which he launched on June 28 to protest alleged irregularities in competitive examinations and the deaths of students following the cancellation of the NEET-UG examination.
The Delhi High Court on Monday agreed to consider a plea filed by Angmo seeking to have Wangchuk moved from Safdarjung Hospital to a medical facility of his own choosing.
Who is Gitanjali J Angmo?
Gitanjali J Angmo is a social entrepreneur, educationist and institution builder, best-known as the Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Dean of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL).
A recipient of the Women Transforming India Award conferred by NITI Aayog, Angmo has built a distinguished career spanning entrepreneurship, education, leadership and social impact. She is also a Chevening Fellow at the University of Oxford and the founder of Transform India, an initiative focused on creating sustainable social change.
Angmo’s education
Born into a Punjabi Jain business family in Balasore, Odisha, Gitanjali’s family traces its roots to Lahore, from where her grandfather migrated during the Partition. She graduated in Physics before pursuing an MBA at the Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar (XIMB).
From corporate leader to entrepreneur
She began her professional journey in the corporate world, spending six years in management consulting and later leading the marketing division of a Copenhagen-based Indian multinational. However, her entrepreneurial aspirations soon took centre stage.
Over the next decade and a half, Angmo established several ventures across diverse sectors, including the engineering firm Pushan Projects, the publishing house Helios Books and AUM Hospitals in Puducherry. She has also been associated with ventures such as Shanghai Power Projects Ltd.
Her philosophy of holistic learning
Beyond entrepreneurship and education, Angmo is a lifelong learner and an advocate of holistic development. A spiritual seeker influenced by the teachings of Sri Aurobindo, she teaches Vedanta and the Bhagavad Gita through the lens of Integral Education.
Black belt in Karate and a Ballet dancer
Her accomplishments extend beyond the classroom and boardroom. A black belt in karate, she is also a trained Odissi dancer and studied Russian Bolshoi ballet in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Recognitions
In 2022, Angmo was honoured among 75 exceptional women with the Women Transforming India Award, instituted by NITI Aayog for recognising women whose contributions have advanced India’s social and developmental landscape.
