By Rinchen Angmo Chumikchan
Leh: Yangchan Dolma, lovingly known as Ama Chocho, is 88 and has spent her life fighting for Ladakh’s rights and progress. From the early demands for Union Territory status to the establishment of the Hill Council, and now the fight for constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, her voice remains firm and unwavering.
Ama Chocho joined the Congress at the age of 17 and has served as the President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association’s women’s wing for over 40 to 50 years. In a region where women once had little access to education or public life, Ama Chocho emerged as a fierce advocate for both democratic rights and gender representation.
In an exclusive interview with ETV Bharat, Ama Chocho shared her journey, “We have raised the demand of UT before 30-40 years under the leadership of our veteran leader Thupstan Chewang and other senior leaders. After that, we started the movement for the Hill Council. We have lost the lives of three people, and Thupstan Chewang was imprisoned."
"After a long struggle, we were granted the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council in 1995. Even then, women were not given a seat in the Council. All 26 elected seats were given to males. Now, under the leadership of CEC Leh Tashi Gyaltson, we got 33 per cent reservation," she said.
On Ladakh receiving Union Territory status, Ama Chocho said, " We struggled immensely for it, and it wasn’t easy for our veteran leaders to push the demand forward. But despite the achievement, we are not fully satisfied because we haven’t been granted any constitutional safeguards," adding that the government should include Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule.
"We’re not saying UT status is bad, but without protections for our land, culture, education, and employment, what is its real value? Safeguards are essential for Ladakh’s future,” she said.
Responding to a question on her role model and inspiration for activism, Ama Chocho explained, “My parents supported and encouraged me a lot. My husband also stood by me, when I would return home exhausted after agitations, or even when I couldn’t come home for four or five days, he took care of our children without complaint."
"My daughters supported me wholeheartedly, and so did my friends. From the very beginning, I was selfless in my efforts. During agitations, I would carry food from home and distribute it among the participants," she added.
According to her, the perspectives of women in decision-making and policy-making roles are very different from those of men. On women’s representation in Ladakh’s political landscape, she said, “Women are coming forward, but they are still not in key positions. We need more women in politics, and just as importantly, women must support each other during elections."
"We first raised the demand for a reserved seat for women back in 1995, when Ladakh was granted Hill Council status. That demand was supported by everyone, both men and women,” she said, adding that women are more educated today compared to earlier times.
In our times, she said, "There was no system in place for women to go to school. It was Gyalsras (Prince) Bakula Rinpoche, along with Sonam Wangyal, a veteran leader who led an education campaign emphasising that women needed to be educated, not just in Leh, but in Kargil as well. It is because of the efforts of the 19th Gyalsras Bakula that women in Ladakh were able to receive an education.”
Sharing her hopes for the future of the Union Territory, Ama Chocho said, “I have witnessed many changes in Ladakh over the years, and I’ve done my part to contribute to its progress. My biggest hope is that Ladakh will be included in the Sixth Schedule. I truly believe it will happen; we are already close to achieving it, with only a few steps remaining. Our veteran leaders have made great sacrifices and endured immense struggles; we must always remember and honour that.”
