My main objective in writing this piece is aimed at examining the concept of ‘hometown attachment’ among young people who were born and raised in Ladakh, with a particular focus on students and graduates of Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL),  an  ‘alternative’  school  in  the  region.  ‘Hometown affection’ refers to the feeling of attachment, pride, and emotional investment in one’s birthplace. It is often fostered through bonds with friends and family, memories and familiar surroundings. In Ladakh, this  sentiment  is  particularly  notable  due  to  the  region’s  harsh geographical features, which have historically necessitated cooperation among people and sustainable use of natural and animal resources.

As a Japanese graduate student, I conducted a total of six and a half months fieldwork in Ladakh from 2024 to 2025 to write my master’s thesis. In the thesis, I analysed SECMOL’s educational effectiveness, but during my research, I was struck by the strong ‘hometown affection’ expressed by young people born and raised in Ladakh. What aspects of Ladakh foster this ‘hometown affection’, and why do young people who have studied at SECMOL return to their hometowns?

About SECMOL 

SECMOL is both the name of an NGO and the alternative school it operates, established in 1988 by Sonam Wangchuk, a Ladakhi engineer and activist, and his colleagues. Since its founding, the NGO has aimed to improve Ladakh’s education system,  addressing  challenges  such  as  the  discrepancy  between students’ first languages and the languages used for examinations, as well as the low-pass rates in 10th and 12th grade exams.

To understand SECMOL’s influence on Ladakhi youth and its role in Ladakh’s current educational landscape, I conducted approximately two months of fieldwork at SECMOL during the summer of 2025. My research methods included participant observation and semi-structured interviews with current students, graduates, teachers, and staff members.

From the participant observation

SECMOL has a one-year, fully residential programme for Ladakhi teenagers, with about 40–50 students enrolling annually. I believe its educational approach has two main characteristics: Practical learning through physical experience and learning that fosters responsibility and confidence. As for the former, I was surprised to find no desks or textbooks when I first visited SECMOL. For instance, in English classes, while students do have pens and notebooks and a whiteboard is used by the teacher, writing notes is limited to the bare minimum.

Instead, the students engage in group discussions or express their ideas through mini-dramas on topics proposed by the teacher. SECMOL  provides  the  students  numerous  opportunities  for physical, hands-on learning that goes beyond mere desk-bound study. These include the students growing their own food in campus fields and participating in frequent off-campus learning experiences like camping.

And what is interesting about SECMOL is that ‘responsibility’ and ‘confidence’  are  its  core  values. As  one  student  described  it, “SECMOL is a small country,” with daily life managed primarily by students themselves. They hold elections and assemblies to select student leaders and perform daily “responsibilities” to maintain smooth campus life. Both leadership positions and responsibilities rotate every two months, allowing students to interact with various people and gain diverse work experiences. During dinner activities, students take turns giving short talks on topics of their choice. These dinner talks, along with conversation classes, provide numerous opportunities for students to express opinions and engage in discussions with others. Even students  who  describe  themselves  as  “shy”  before  coming  to SECMOL gradually develop confidence and independence.

To understand how participants perceive these unique learning experiences and how SECMOL influences their life courses and chances, I conducted interviews with current students and graduates.

Case 1: Current student A, male, 17 years

This student stands out as an exceptionally talented individual among others. Not only does he speak fluent English, helping out classmates who struggle with the language, but he also actively guides guests on campus tours and speaks confidently in front of others. Before coming to SECMOL, he attended a prestigious school but felt he didn’t know what  he  wanted  to  do  in  the  future  and  had  no  purpose  in  life.

Regarding his learning and life at SECMOL, he states, “I couldn’t get interested in studying at my previous school. It was all focussed on memorization alone, paying no attention to other subjects. At SECMOL,  however,  I  developed  an  interest  in  subjects  I  had previously found boring, such as physical education, and formed the habit of taking notes. SECMOL is my second home. You become friends with everyone through working together. As for myself, I feel my  English  skills  and  self-confidence  have  improved,  and  I’ve become a better speaker. My whole mindset has shifted toward more positive thinking.”

These comments suggest both a broadening of his perspective on learning and significant internal changes.

Finally, when I asked him about his plans after graduating from SECMOL, he expressed a surprising desire. “First of all, I’ll go back to my previous school to continue my studies,” he said, just as you could expect, but then continues: “The educational system here in Ladakh is no good, so I want to leave Ladakh, or even India, if possible. I’d like to travel the world, learn business and someday come back to Ladakh to become a job provider.”

When asked why he wished to return to Ladakh despite his desire to go around the world, he simply responded, “I don’t want to stay in India, but I like Ladakh. Ladakh is my birthplace.”

Case 2: Graduate B, male, 28 years

Born and brought up in a village in the Nubra Valley, to the north of Leh city, this boy chose to attend SECMOL after participating in a winter camp organised by the  institution. He  was impressed  by SECMOL’s  facilities  and  felt  a  desire  to  study  away  from  his hometown. At the time, some of his local friends were struggling with alcoholism,  creating  what  he  described  as  a  “really  terrible environment.”  It  seems  attending  SECMOL  provided  a  good opportunity to escape these unfavourable peer relationships.

When  asked  about  his  learning  experience  at  SECMOL,  he emphasized how he was positively influenced by the institution’s culture. For him, SECMOL was a place “full of surprises.” “I was amazed  by  the  culture,  the  buildings,  and  the  lack  of  seniority consciousness. Everyone was equal. That was a big surprise for me, and one of the reasons I decided to enrol myself.” He also describes another  way  in  which  SECMOL  influenced  him.  “I  became independent because SECMOL respected my feelings.” In other words, what I learned there was how to cooperate with dozens of peers.  Before  coming  to  SECMOL, I  would  just  blindly  follow teachers’ instructions without any questioning.

Conclusion

People tend to value what is distant more than what is familiar, a mindset that seems universal across countries. When I first visited Ladakh and stayed in a village, locals asked me, “Why did you come all the way from Japan to Ladakh? Japan is more developed, with Honda and Shinkansen.” This reminds me of the saying, “the grass is always greener on the other side.”

That said, in Ladakh, which is increasingly becoming a tourist destination, it is important not to place excessive meaning on the “hometown affection” or “social contribution orientation” of young people from rural areas as they become more integrated into society. The strong values of “connection” and “social orientation” exhibited by individuals like the two interviewees do not necessarily indicate a social contribution orientation, and needless to say, not all young people in Ladakh share these feelings.