News / Author / Manoj Sharma

Manoj Sharma

Manoj Sharma is Metro Features Editor at Hindustan Times. He likes to pursue stories that otherwise fall through the cracks.

Articles by Manoj Sharma

1857 Meerut mutiny museum awaits freedom from neglect

As India gears up for August 15, a museum in Meerut dedicated to the first war of Independence in 1857 stands as a symbol of neglect and apathy

The Government Freedom Struggle Museum in Meerut lies in a state of utter neglect.(Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Aug 24, 2019 12:15 PM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

How selfie threatens to kill the autograph

While Indian celebrities are yet to speak their mind on the subject and the autograph may not be dead yet, it has certainly lost out to the selfie in the celebrity culture.

NCR-based autograph lovers, believe selfie-seekers are making it difficult for them to approach celebrities(Samir Jana, Sanjeev Verma/HT Photos)

cities

Updated on Aug 03, 2019 11:03 PM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

You’ve (still) got mail: Why postcards are forever

Not just activists, for millions of commoners across India, the humble postcard, which costs only 50 paisa, continues to be a preferred mode of communication.

Tyagi has great faith in the postcard’s power of persuasion which, he believes, present-day digital messaging tools cannot match.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jul 28, 2019 07:43 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Feeling short-changed, yet again

Visually impaired people, who continue to struggle to recognise new currency notes, say the RBI proposal for a currency identifier app won’t help them

Amarnath De, who is blind and works as a Braille proofreader at JPM Senior Secondary School, said the difference in the size of notes is always more important than tactile marks.(Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

cities

Published on Jul 14, 2019 03:51 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma, New Delhi

A Ghaziabad village’s flight of dreams

The Hindon Airport’s new civil terminal at Sikandarpur, built under the regional air connectivity scheme, has sent aspirations of villagers soaring high.

Villagers hope airport will bring development in the area.(Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Jul 08, 2019 06:56 PM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Summer and the city: When capital sizzles

From modest hand fans to khus curtains to many other cooling concoctions, how Delhi, a city of extreme weather, beat the heat in the days of yore .

A man quenches his thirst from a pitcher by the roadside. Such pitchers were a common sight across Delhi until the 1990s.(Subhendu Ghosh/ HT Archives)

cities

Published on Jun 16, 2019 01:52 AM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Howzzat! Cricket goes indoors across Delhi-NCR

We are inside Imperium Sports Arena, a basement cricket academy in the bustling Malviya Nagar market and one of the first indoor cricket academies in the city.

Imperium is one of the many pay-and-play indoor cricket establishments that have sprung up across Delhi-NCR over the past year, giving rise to an indoor cricket coaching culture in the city(Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTOs)

cities

Published on Jun 09, 2019 04:33 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Inside the quaint world of antiquarian book dealers

The internet has upended how rare books are valued, bought and sold. But these antiquarian booksellers say they remain as relevant as ever.

Rajiv Sud of Maria Brothers, one of the country’s oldest antiquarian booksellers, in Shimla.(Deepak Sansta /HT Photo)

lifestyle

Updated on Jun 04, 2019 09:39 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

The enduring journey of the travel guidebook

The traditional printed travel guide, whose obituary was written a few years ago, continues to thrive, overcoming the growing challenge from a host of online trip planners.

Abhinav Bamhi (above), of Faqir Chand & Sons bookstore in Khan Market, says the sale of travel guides is as steady as ever.(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

lifestyle

Updated on May 21, 2019 06:46 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | ByManoj Sharma, New Delhi

Lok Sabha elections 2019: Driven out of the electoral process

Hundreds of truckers cannot exercise their franchise as they are away from home during polling; some feel electronic vote or postal ballot could be a way out.

Truck drivers talk about their voting rights at the Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar in New Delhi. The country has an estimated nine million goods vehicle drivers.(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

elections

Published on May 12, 2019 04:17 AM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Lok Sabha elections 2019: The walled city fights back

Many youngsters in the walled city have quit their cushy jobs to start NGOs and civil society groups that work in the sphere of health, education, cleanliness, rehabilitation of the homeless.

A crowded Matia Mahal near Jama Masjid (Above). Youngsters in old Delhi (Left) are quitting their cushy jobs to come to the aid their ‘neglected community’. And they say no votes if parties do not follow their ‘manifesto(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTOs)

elections

Updated on May 06, 2019 07:51 PM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Lok Sabha elections 2019: This Race Course slum waits for its next ‘powerful neighbour’

The slum has faced a threat of eviction over the past many years, but the residents have resisted relocation, demanding that they be given houses at their current location only.

BR Camp near Delhi Race Club.(Ajay Aggarwal/HT PHOTO)

elections

Updated on May 01, 2019 07:33 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Lok Sabha elections 2019: New parties on the poll block

Many new political outfits are contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi and they are as sure of victory as their bigger rivals.

Mazdoor Kirayedar Vikas Party founder-president Mahender Paswan’s prime focus is problems faced by tenants.(Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

elections

Updated on Apr 30, 2019 08:18 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

How the net killed Delhi’s poll bazaar

“In the 2009 general elections, I had employed 100 people, now I have only 10. We used to work through the night during the elections and still could not meet the demand. Many top politicians visited my office to ensure we complete their orders in time,” says Malik.

Malik , who, on an average, made about 3 crore flags during every general election in the past, says his business is down by 75 per cent this year.(Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

india news

Published on Apr 21, 2019 06:37 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

A silent battle for an equal right to vote

Persons with disabilities have been fighting for long for their right to vote on a par with other citizens.

Specially abled people at an awareness programme on ‘accessible elections’, organised recently by the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, in collaboration with an NGO.(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Apr 15, 2019 07:36 PM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

A classroom for budding politicians

The IIDL’s curriculum includes ‘basic political concepts, media management, constituency management, public speaking and nationalism,’ among others.

A class in progress at MIT School of Government. The private institute offers a two-year programme — MA in political leadership and government.

cities

Updated on Mar 31, 2019 09:35 AM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

A classroom for budding politicians

Many private institutes across India have started offering degrees and diplomas in politics for aspiring politicians - and there are many takers.

cities

Published on Mar 30, 2019 10:27 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Inside Delhi’s schools for the blind

The government-aided JPM Senior Secondary School in central Delhi has over 210 students and about 38 are presently appearing for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams.

cities

Published on Mar 24, 2019 03:20 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Ham session: Socialising via airwaves

Hailed as the first true social networking medium, ham radio continues to thrive even in this age of Twitter, Skype, Facebook and smartphones.

Rahul Kapoor, 69, shows the ham radio set-up at his residence, at Surya Niketan, New Delhi. He was only 16 when he got his ham license.(Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Mar 18, 2019 06:35 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Mind the gap: Why no one is listening to Delhi Metro announcements

Announcements have been an integral part of Delhi Metro since its inception. But many feel they have lost their persuasive power and it time to make them a little peppier and a little more empathic.

india news

Updated on Feb 25, 2019 08:02 PM IST

New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

From Rajghat to Gyarah Murti: On Mahatma Gandhi’s trail in Delhi

According to tour guides, of all the places on the Gandhi trail in Delhi, people are most moved by the Gandhi Smriti.

A group of tourists inside National Gandhi Museum opposite Raj Ghat. The museum has a rich collection of relics, documents and photos related to Mahatma Gandhi.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Feb 11, 2019 03:40 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Life of a tea- seller as a writing coach in Delhi

Laxman Rao, who hails from a village in Maharashtra’s Amravati, came to Delhi in 1975 with the sole ambition of becoming a writer. He has been running a tea stall for almost three decades outside Hindi Bhawan near ITO.

Laxman Rao with his novels at the Hindi Bhawan, where he conducted a workshop, in New Delhi.(Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Feb 03, 2019 05:02 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Dating the diary, planning on paper in the digital age

In the last week of December, Archana Singh bought, as she does every year, a new page-a-day format paper planner, one with a pink ribbon as a marker, pop art on the cover, neatly laid out art pages inside.

Image for representation.(Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 27, 2019 12:14 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Inside Palla, Delhi’s strawberry village

This bucolic riverside village, about 35 km from Connaught Place, on the northern fringes of the city, has steadfastly stuck to an agrarian way of life. It is a village where the Yamuna enters Delhi and boasts the cleanest water in the river’s 28 km stretch in the city.

A man seen carrying strawberries in a basket at a farm, in Palla Village, Narela, New Delhi, India, on Monday, January 14, 2019.(Biplov Bhuyan/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Jan 20, 2019 12:59 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

The e-way out of heavy school bags

Can digital learning help reduce the weight of schools bags? Some schools tried it and failed, while a few succeeded. HT tries to find out if technology can ease the burden on children and the challenges in implementing it

A class at Delhi Public School, Faridabad. The school has successfully implemented tablet-based learning and says it has been able to reduce the weight of bags by 70%.(Biplov Bhuyan/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Dec 09, 2018 04:29 PM IST

Hindustan Times | ByManoj Sharma and Fareeha Iftikhar

A lonely life in Narela

Life is a daily struggle for the residents of Narela, which has earned the sobriquet of ‘ghost town’

Pratap Chauhan with his wife Rekha Rani lead an isolated life in their fifth floor DDA flat in Narela, Sector G-2.(Amal KS/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Nov 26, 2018 08:44 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

New social networks for budding poets

Young programmers-cum-poets have launched platforms for people to write and connect with each other.

Dhrupad Karwa (C), Andy Leung (R) and Neer Sharma (L), co-founders of HaikuJAM, in Mumbai.(Satyabrata Tripathy/HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Nov 18, 2018 04:15 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Signature Bridge: A ray of hope over the Yamuna

After a wait of 14 long years, residents of northeast Delhi feel the new bridge will pave way for a better life and a scenic passage in Signature style.

The Signature Bridge is an eight-lane carriageway connecting Outer Ring Road and Wazirabad Road which reduces travel time for those going towards Ghaziabad side by more than 30 minutes.(Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

cities

Published on Nov 04, 2018 02:23 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Wrestling hub Najafgarh takes to the boxing ring

In Najafgarh, a number of academies have come up over the years. These institutions have produced boxers who have gone on to participate in national, international championships.

Aspiring boxers sweat it out at Najafgarh Boxing Academy.(Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

sports

Updated on Oct 29, 2018 10:08 AM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

Professional bouncers to keep Delhi’s ITO skywalk free of lovebirds

These bouncers, who are on duty on the skywalk from 8am to 8pm, have been hired by the company in charge of its maintenance and get a monthly salary of ₹15,500.

Commuters walk on the ITO Skywalk after its inauguration for general public on Monday, at Tilak marg Chowk in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, October 16, 2018.(Raj K Raj/HT PHOTO)

cities

Updated on Oct 22, 2018 07:00 PM IST

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByManoj Sharma

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Manoj Sharma

Manoj Sharma is Metro Features Editor at Hindustan Times. He likes to pursue stories that otherwise fall through the cracks.

As India gears up for August 15, a museum in Meerut dedicated to the first war of Independence in 1857 stands as a symbol of neglect and apathy

While Indian celebrities are yet to speak their mind on the subject and the autograph may not be dead yet, it has certainly lost out to the selfie in the celebrity culture.

Not just activists, for millions of commoners across India, the humble postcard, which costs only 50 paisa, continues to be a preferred mode of communication.

Visually impaired people, who continue to struggle to recognise new currency notes, say the RBI proposal for a currency identifier app won’t help them

The Hindon Airport’s new civil terminal at Sikandarpur, built under the regional air connectivity scheme, has sent aspirations of villagers soaring high.

From modest hand fans to khus curtains to many other cooling concoctions, how Delhi, a city of extreme weather, beat the heat in the days of yore .

We are inside Imperium Sports Arena, a basement cricket academy in the bustling Malviya Nagar market and one of the first indoor cricket academies in the city.

The internet has upended how rare books are valued, bought and sold. But these antiquarian booksellers say they remain as relevant as ever.

The traditional printed travel guide, whose obituary was written a few years ago, continues to thrive, overcoming the growing challenge from a host of online trip planners.

Hundreds of truckers cannot exercise their franchise as they are away from home during polling; some feel electronic vote or postal ballot could be a way out.

Many youngsters in the walled city have quit their cushy jobs to start NGOs and civil society groups that work in the sphere of health, education, cleanliness, rehabilitation of the homeless.

The slum has faced a threat of eviction over the past many years, but the residents have resisted relocation, demanding that they be given houses at their current location only.

Many new political outfits are contesting the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi and they are as sure of victory as their bigger rivals.

“In the 2009 general elections, I had employed 100 people, now I have only 10. We used to work through the night during the elections and still could not meet the demand. Many top politicians visited my office to ensure we complete their orders in time,” says Malik.

Persons with disabilities have been fighting for long for their right to vote on a par with other citizens.

The IIDL’s curriculum includes ‘basic political concepts, media management, constituency management, public speaking and nationalism,’ among others.

Many private institutes across India have started offering degrees and diplomas in politics for aspiring politicians - and there are many takers.

The government-aided JPM Senior Secondary School in central Delhi has over 210 students and about 38 are presently appearing for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) exams.

Hailed as the first true social networking medium, ham radio continues to thrive even in this age of Twitter, Skype, Facebook and smartphones.

Announcements have been an integral part of Delhi Metro since its inception. But many feel they have lost their persuasive power and it time to make them a little peppier and a little more empathic.

According to tour guides, of all the places on the Gandhi trail in Delhi, people are most moved by the Gandhi Smriti.

Laxman Rao, who hails from a village in Maharashtra’s Amravati, came to Delhi in 1975 with the sole ambition of becoming a writer. He has been running a tea stall for almost three decades outside Hindi Bhawan near ITO.

In the last week of December, Archana Singh bought, as she does every year, a new page-a-day format paper planner, one with a pink ribbon as a marker, pop art on the cover, neatly laid out art pages inside.

This bucolic riverside village, about 35 km from Connaught Place, on the northern fringes of the city, has steadfastly stuck to an agrarian way of life. It is a village where the Yamuna enters Delhi and boasts the cleanest water in the river’s 28 km stretch in the city.

Can digital learning help reduce the weight of schools bags? Some schools tried it and failed, while a few succeeded. HT tries to find out if technology can ease the burden on children and the challenges in implementing it

Life is a daily struggle for the residents of Narela, which has earned the sobriquet of ‘ghost town’

Young programmers-cum-poets have launched platforms for people to write and connect with each other.

After a wait of 14 long years, residents of northeast Delhi feel the new bridge will pave way for a better life and a scenic passage in Signature style.

In Najafgarh, a number of academies have come up over the years. These institutions have produced boxers who have gone on to participate in national, international championships.

These bouncers, who are on duty on the skywalk from 8am to 8pm, have been hired by the company in charge of its maintenance and get a monthly salary of ₹15,500.

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