Visiting Ladakh? Don’t Miss Druk Padma Karpo School, The Real-Life ‘3 Idiots’ School Inspired By Sonam Wangchuk

Situated within the awe-inspiring and cold deserts of Shey in Ladakh, the Druk Padma Karpo School has changed from being an esteemed centre of learning among locals to becoming a world-renowned must-see spot for tourists. The school is renowned among millions as the 'Rancho School' owing to its feature in the climactic ending scene of the Hollywood hit film 3 Idiots. The school is a complete epitome of sustainability and eco-friendliness in keeping with the innovative ideologies preached by none other than Sonam Wangchuk, the famous engineer from Ladakh. Going past the status of just being a filming site, this school is an absolute embodiment of architectural sustainability and cultural preservation.

Why Is This School Called The Real-Life ‘3 Idiots’ School?

SECMOL (Alternative School), located in Ladakh, has become very famous all over the world because the renowned school in the Bollywood hit movie 3 Idiots is based on it. The wonderful character named Phunsukh Wangdu in 3 Idiots was created after the founder of the alternative school, Sonam Wangchuk. Similarly to the ideology of the movie, this wonderful institution refuses to follow the concept of rote learning and exam preparation in any way. This is the place where students from the usual education system come to learn something useful for their lives.

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What Makes The Campus So Special?

This place is truly exceptional in terms of architecture and environment since it functions independently of the external world and survives off-grid in one of the most inhospitable locations in the world. The whole construction is built from sustainable resources that come from the area, including rammed earth. These structures have been designed through passive solar architecture, which keeps the buildings warm even in very cold Ladakhi winters without using any firewood. This educational facility operates only on the solar energy that provides all the electricity and hot water. Moreover, this place works as an independent eco-village that is totally run by students who manage all aspects of life there, including organic farming and raising livestock.

Things You Shouldn’t Miss During Your Visit

Visiting this wonderful institution, the one thing that cannot be missed is the amazing Ice Stupas, which are the man-made glaciers created by Wangchuk in order to overcome the problem of lack of water during the spring season through the freezing of the waste water from winters into huge ice towers. The tourists must go on a tour conducted by the students themselves to fully enjoy the working solar cookers, giant greenhouses, and eco-friendly sanitation system. One should also make sure to spend some time sitting with the students to listen to their incredible stories of transformation through alternative education.

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Image credits: Instagram/Discover Leh Ladakh

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