On the 25th day of his indefinite hunger strike, climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk was transferred from Safdarjung Hospital to Medanta Hospital in Gurugram late on 21 July 2026 after the Delhi High Court granted him the right to receive treatment at a hospital of his choice.
An ambulance without sirens carried Wangchuk from Safdarjung Hospital at approximately 6.45 pm. The 24-kilometre journey normally takes around one hour but stretched to more than two hours because of heavy traffic and simultaneous protests across the national capital, including opposition demonstrations outside the Prime Minister’s residence, student gatherings at Jantar Mantar, and farmer protests at the Delhi border.
Wangchuk had been moved by Delhi Police to Safdarjung Hospital on 18 July, the 21st day of his fast at the Cockroach Janta Party protest site. After the High Court order, he was permitted to shift to Medanta. Upon arrival, doctors examined him and reported that he was stable and in good spirits.
Later that night, at around 11.30 pm, Union Ministers JP Nadda and Jitendra Singh visited Wangchuk in ICU 8 at Medanta. Doctors were asked to step outside during the approximately ten-minute private meeting. Details of the discussion have not been disclosed. Both ministers left shortly afterwards.
A panel of doctors continues to monitor Wangchuk closely. Fresh blood tests have been ordered, with results expected throughout the day. If the reports are satisfactory, he may be shifted from the intensive care unit to a private ward by Wednesday evening.
Medical staff are paying particular attention to his potassium and sodium levels. After 25 days without food, the body first exhausts stored sugar and then begins burning fat. Because the brain and other organs still require glucose, the body starts breaking down muscle tissue and converting protein into sugar, leading to muscle loss alongside overall weight loss. Electrolyte imbalances can become dangerous; a sharp drop in potassium can trigger irregular heart rhythms. Doctors are also carefully managing any eventual end to the fast to avoid refeeding syndrome, in which sudden shifts in electrolytes can place severe stress on the heart.
