In pictures: 7th Ice stupa festival in Ladakh

The 7th Ice Stupa Festival in Ladakh celebrated innovative water conservation efforts in the region. Held at Phyang Village, the event honored communities working to preserve water through artificial glaciers. Padma Shri Aba Chewang Norphel, the Ice Man of India, attended as the Chief Guest, sharing his vision for sustainable water management. Photo credit: icestupaproject/Instagram

The festival highlighted the importance of Himalayan glaciers, often called the Third Pole, as they provide water to one-fourth of the world's population. However, climate change is accelerating glacier retreat, creating severe water shortages for people, wildlife, and the fragile ecology of Ladakh and other mountainous regions. Photo credit: icestupaproject/Instagram

Ladakh’s deep connection with water is reflected in its folk traditions. The Ladakhi saying, “Chu med na yul med” (no water, no life), captures this relationship. To address water scarcity, local communities have developed Ice Stupas—artificial glaciers that store winter water for use in spring, ensuring a steady supply for agriculture and daily needs. Photo credit: icestupaproject/Instagram

This year, the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), led the creation of 34 Ice Stupas and artificial glaciers across six countries, conserving approximately 90 million liters of water. In Ladakh alone, 23 Ice Stupas were built in 20 villages, storing around 68 million liters of water for future use. Photo credit: Ground Report

To recognize outstanding efforts, the newly introduced Ice Man Award for Water Conservation was presented to Hongchet village in Zanskar. This village demonstrated exceptional community participation and innovation in water conservation, setting an example for others in the region to follow. Photo credit: Ground Report

The competition winners included Tarchit village, which secured first place by building an Ice Stupa that stored 10 million liters of water. Chumikchan village took second place with a 7.5-million-liter structure. The third prize was shared by Kulum and Apathi villages, each conserving 5.5 million liters. Photo credit: icestupaproject/Instagram

Fifteen other participating teams were honored with the 2025 Water Guardian Awards for their dedication to water conservation. These villages and institutions across Ladakh received recognition for their contributions in tackling water shortages caused by climate change and glacier retreat. Photo credit: icestupaproject/Instagram

The event concluded with a demonstration of an upgraded Ice Stupa automation system. This innovation aims to make the process of building artificial glaciers easier and more sustainable. The Ice Stupa Project continues to promote local enterprise and youth-led environmental solutions to secure Ladakh’s water future. Photo credit: icestupaproject/Instagram