Sonam Narboo was born on 27 May 1909,[3] in Skara, a village near Leh, into a middle-class Buddhist family known as Nyachu.[4] His parents were farmers, and Narboo was the eldest of five siblings. He completed his early education at the University of Punjab and pursued higher studies in England, earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Sheffield in the 1930s.[3][4]
Narboo is remembered for his engineering contributions during the Kashmir conflict of 1947–1948, particularly his role in constructing the Kushok Bakula Rimpochee Airport (Leh Airfield) in 1948.[5] Under challenging conditions, with limited resources and no modern equipment, Narboo led the construction of the airstrip at one of the highest altitudes in the world.[6] The project was completed in just three weeks and proved crucial in securing Ladakh during the tribal invasions supported by Pakistan.[5] This achievement earned him national recognition and the Padma Shri in 1961.[1][2]
In February 1971, Narboo was appointed as India’s first ambassador to the Mongolian People's Republic. His tenure as ambassador lasted until February 1975.[7][4][3] Upon returning to India, he was inducted into Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s cabinet in 1975 as Minister of Works & Power and Minister of Ladakh Affairs.[4][3] During his time in office, Narboo managed infrastructure projects in Ladakh, overseeing portfolios that accounted for over 70% of the state budget.[4] His tenure saw Ladakh being opened to international tourism and the establishment of air connectivity in 1977.[4]
Sonam Narboo died on 2 February 1980.[4] The Sonam Norbu Memorial Hospital, completed in 1980 and serving as the primary healthcare institution in Leh, is named in his honour.[2][8][9]