Indian activist Wangchuk ends 26-day hunger strike as 'Cockroach' protesters vow to press on

Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike on Friday that helped galvanize a youth movement that's become one of India's largest protests in recent years, but demonstrators vowed to continue until the education minister resigns.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/6048x4024+0+0/resize/6048x4024!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F63%2Faa%2Ff5edf29445e0b3aeec6b9de81f11%2Fap26203376820395.jpg' alt='A reclining protestor covers himself with a banner printed with a portrait of Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent activist who was forcefully transferred to a hospital by the police as he staged a hunger strike in support of a movement led by Cockroach Janta Party, at a protest in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, July 22, 2026.'/><p>Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike on Friday that helped galvanize a youth movement that's become one of India's largest protests in recent years, but demonstrators vowed to continue until the education minister resigns.</p><p>(Image credit: Vipin)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5906236' />