Indian social activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk has called for a peaceful revolution in the country’s method of selecting political leaders. In a video message issued ahead of Independence Day, he urged the start of a “second independence movement” for India. Wangchuk said fundamental changes were needed to make India a developed and respectable state by 2047, and asked citizens to identify selfless, fearless, principled and capable women and men from their regions.

Wangchuk said he had used a recent period of illness to reflect on India’s future. Comparing India’s progress with several Asian neighbouring countries, he warned that the country could fall behind its development goals if its current course continues. He linked national progress to the strength of the education system, saying the country’s future would remain behind as long as education lagged.

He said India’s problems could not be blamed on one political party, arguing that governments led by different parties had treated dissent similarly. Wangchuk also raised concerns over elected representatives facing serious criminal allegations. He plans to consult people across Indian states and cities, meet individuals able to help devise a new map for political and institutional change, and encourage wider circulation and regional-language translation of his message.