Gitanjali J Angmo: Transforming Education in Ladakh with Innovative Learning

Gitanjali J Angmo, a visionary behind the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), is revolutionizing education in Ladakh with a unique, experiential learning model. Her efforts in sustainable education focus on empowering students to tackle challenges like climate change, blending indigenous wisdom with modern science, and fostering transformative community leadership.

Gitanjali J Angmo, a Chevening Scholar and social entrepreneur, is making waves in Ladakh by redefining the education landscape through the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL). Setting aside her successful career, she embarked on a mission in 2017 to merge traditional education with practical, real-world solutions.

Under Angmo's leadership, HIAL is pioneering experiential learning with her innovative five-pillar framework. This model emphasizes contextual curriculum, hands-on learning, transdisciplinary methods, higher-order thinking, emotional intelligence, and spiritual growth. In just five years, she has built 1,50,000 sq. ft. of sustainable infrastructure and developed 12 innovative courses for over 300 students.

Currently employing 50 full-time staff, HIAL undertakes groundbreaking projects like artificial glaciers, addressing water scarcity in Ladakh. Recognized by the Government of India with the Women Transforming India Award, Angmo's vision extends to a K-12 school named Desert Flower. Her holistic approach to education is reshaping communities and ecosystems, championing empathy, innovation, and consciousness evolution.

(With inputs from agencies.)