Sonam Wangchuk, innovator who inspired '3 idiots' invents Solar Heated Tent for the Indian Army.
Deepu D
The Ladakh Tent | credits: Sonam Wangchuk in his YouTube page
Sonam Wangchuk, the person who inspired the character 'Phunsuk Wangadu' played by Amir Khan in the movie '3 idiots' develops world's first portable solar heated military tent that Army personnel can use in extremely cold places like Siachen and Galwan valley in the Ladakh regions. The ingenious innovator, who already have many eco-friendly innovations to his name said, the solar heated military tent, which can accommodate 10 soldiers, can save the usage of fossil fuels like kerosene and its ill effects on the environment and also can improve the safety of the Jawans.
The tent is very much eco-friendly since it uses solar energy, a renewable source of energy and can avoid tonnes of kerosene being used and imported from the Middle East. So, no burning of the fossil fuel means lesser pollution in the region. The innovator also claimed that the temperature inside the sleeping chamber would be able to keep warm in temperatures as low as -14 degree Celsius.
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The walls of the solar tent is made of polycarbonate which does not allow the trapped heat to escape the tent and keeps the tent warm. One of the two chambers of the tent is the 'sleeping chamber' which is also surrounded by thermal insulators and temperatures can be adjusted by varying the insulation layers. The tent is also covered by a waterproof 'windcheater'. Soldiers can use the greenhouse part during the afternoon, while in the sleeping chamber, the temperature is maintained at 15 degrees Celsius.
The tent was designed in close coordination with the Indian Army. The invention received a lot of praises and the Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar also acknowledged Wangchuk for his efforts and said that the innovation was very timely as well as relevant in today's situation.