Prasun Sonwalkar was Editor (UK & Europe), Hindustan Times. During more than three decades, he held senior positions on the Desk, besides reporting from India’s north-east and other states, including a decade covering politics from New Delhi. He has been reporting from UK and Europe since 1999.
Articles by Prasun Sonwalkar
UK closes post-study visa
A facility that allowed Indian students to work here for two years after their courses are over will be closed from tomorrow as part of the Cameron government's drive to cut migration, which may put-off those aspiring to study in the UK. International students are estimated to contribute over 14 billion pounds annually to the UK economy.
Updated on Apr 06, 2012 02:09 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
When Dev Anand almost declared his love for Zeenat Aman
Basking in the glow of the success of Hare Rama Hare Krishna in 1971, Dev Anand, the ever-romantic hero, soon realised that he was in love with the film's leading lady and his discovery Zeenat Aman. He almost declared his love to her, but...
Updated on Dec 04, 2011 12:33 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
NRI scientists devise fake Scotch test
Three Indian-origin physicists in Scotland have developed a simple laser test that they claim can help detect counterfeit Scotch whisky from a sample no bigger than a teardrop.
Updated on Nov 04, 2011 12:28 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
NRI husband feeds wife steroids to keep her home
An Indian-origin man has been given a suspended jail term in Britain for secretly feeding his wife steroids so that she becomes overweight and stays at home to cook and look after their children.
Updated on Nov 03, 2011 12:36 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Indo-Pak 'pact' takes lassi to Harrods
Two young Asian entrepreneurs, including an Indian-origin man, have created history of sorts by bagging a deal to sell lip-smacking lassi in the luxury store Harrods in central London.
Updated on Dec 28, 2010 11:46 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
US feared 26/11 style attack in UK: WikiLeaks
The US felt that Britain made "little progress" in reaching out to Muslim communities despite investing "considerable time and resources" and feared that a Mumbai style attack could be launched in the UK, according to secret American cables released by WikiLeaks.
Updated on Dec 14, 2010 05:09 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Briton jailed for life for killing NRI business partner
In a widely followed case, a British solicitor has been jailed for life for arranging the contract killing of his NRI business partner to claim 1.5 million pounds insurance to pay off his debts.
Updated on May 29, 2010 04:51 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar and H S Rao, London
Cameron new British PM, Clegg named deputy in new coalition
Conservative leader David Cameron took over as Britain's new Prime Minister, ousting the Labour party from power after a 13-year rule, after striking an agreement with the Liberal Democrats who joined the country's first coalition government in 70 years.
Updated on May 12, 2010 11:25 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar and H S Rao, London
Conservatives look set to form next govt in UK
Opposition Tories led by a young David Cameron emerged the single largest party in a hung Parliament defeating Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Labour and were poised to form the next government possibly with support from Liberal Democrats.
Updated on May 07, 2010 06:49 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
British PM to present 'Amitabh' to Big B
British Prime Minister Brown will on Monday present a bus named 'Amitabh' to Big B on behalf of charity organisation Silver Star. The bus will bring hope of diabetes diagnosis to thousands of Indians.
Updated on Feb 20, 2010 12:36 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Nobel 'Venki' not good enough to buy iPhone in UK
Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan found it difficult to buy an iPhone from British mobile phones major O2 for the simple reason that he spelt his first name as 'Venki' in the application form, a bizzare case that has led him to suspect an element of racism.
Updated on Feb 03, 2010 08:49 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Brown says UK not same without India, Indians
Paying tributes on the eve of the 60th anniversary of India's Republic Day, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said Britain will not be the same "without our strong bond with India and the enormous part played by the Indian community".
Updated on Jan 20, 2010 06:45 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Knighthood for UK's first Sikh judge
Mota Singh, who is the UK's first Sikh and Asian judge, has been knighted by the British Queen.
Updated on Dec 31, 2009 09:36 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Briton of Indian origin given indefinite jail term
A British citizen of Indian origin who had an 'obsessional hatred' for the legal profession has been jailed indefinitely for attacking a team of lawyers with acid.
Updated on Dec 18, 2009 10:04 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
UK court declares British Airways strike illegal
Passengers and British Airways management heaved a sigh of relief as the 12-day strike by cabin crew of the airlines over the Christmas period was declared illegal by the high court here.
Updated on Dec 18, 2009 08:25 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Only 50% Britons consider themselves Christians: study
Only half of Britons now consider themselves Christian after a "sharp decline" in religious belief over the past quarter of a century, according to a new academic study.
Updated on Dec 16, 2009 01:26 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
'Pak terror suspects were cleared to work as security guards'
Ten Pakistani students, whose arrest on charges of planning bombings in Manchester triggered a diplomatic spat early this year, had been granted permission by the Home Office to work as security guards in Britain.
Updated on Dec 13, 2009 08:16 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Parents of Briton detained in India appeal for help
The parents of a Briton currently in jail in Rajasthan for alleged drug smuggling have approached Foreign Secretary David Miliband to intervene and ensure that their son gets a speedy trial to prove his innocence and returns home for Christmas.
Updated on Dec 11, 2009 11:21 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Madhuri Dixit to play Indira Gandhi in biopic
Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit will play the role of Indira Gandhi in a two-part biopic directed by Indian-origin filmmaker Krishna Shah which may also feature Hollywood actors Tom Hanks and Tommy Lee Jones.
Updated on Dec 01, 2009 03:29 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Noon lauds Indian Muslim response to Mumbai attacks
Sir Gulam Noon, the Indian-origin businessman known as the Curry King, has lauded India's Muslim community for its response to the Mumbai attacks of November 2008.
Updated on Nov 29, 2009 02:18 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Rani Lakshmibai's letter found in British Library
A letter written in Persian by Rani of Jhansi to the then governor-general of the East India Company Lord Dalhousie has been discovered in the British Library. The letter found in the archives was written shortly before the start of India's first war of independence in 1857.
Updated on Nov 17, 2009 01:22 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Film on Sikh turbans adopted in Birmingham syllabus
A major film that seeks to dispel popular myths in western countries after September 11 about the turban worn by Sikhs has been accepted on the Birmingham City Council's agreed syllabus for religious education.
Updated on Oct 28, 2009 08:32 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Gandhi's ideas influenced release of Lockerbie bomber: Scotland minister
The recent release of the alleged Lockerbie bomber was in line with Mahatma Gandhi's principles of compassion and non-violence, Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond has said.
Updated on Oct 18, 2009 04:12 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Hilary Mantel wins Booker for gripping 16th century tale
In a short-list bereft of Indian writers, this year's Man Booker prize has gone to British novelist Hilary Mantel for her gripping 16th century tale titled Wolf Hall.
Updated on Oct 07, 2009 07:21 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
NRI woman convicted of killing daughters in UK
An Indian-origin woman who stabbed her daughters to death at her home in Cambridgeshire has been found guilty of their murder, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday.
Updated on Sep 22, 2009 07:15 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
New UK migration move to hit Indians
Indian professionals who move to Britain on inter-company transfers will no longer be eligible for permanent settlement after the government accepted a recommendation to that effect from a key migration committee.
Updated on Sep 14, 2009 07:33 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Mother Teresa’s sculpture to be unveiled in Belfast
Mother Teresa’s message of peace will once again reverberate in the streets of Belfast when a sculpture of the Saint is unveiled during an annual community arts festival next week.
Updated on Jul 31, 2009 04:50 PM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
House of Lords' law function passes into history
Ending more than six centuries of tradition, the House of Lords will today cease to be Britain's highest court of appeal as they hear the last set of appeals as the law lords. The 12 law lords will function as justices of the SC, and move from the House of Lords to the Middlesex Guildhall on Parliament Square. See pics
Updated on Jul 31, 2009 02:06 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
While in India, don’t greet women with kiss
While in India, do as the Indians do and mind your manners, say namaste and don’t kiss women while greeting them — that is the message given to British companies keen to set up shop in the country.
Updated on Jul 17, 2009 01:49 AM IST
PTI | Prasun Sonwalkar, London
Threat to bomb Indian community centre in Belfast
The Indian Community Centre in Belfast has received a threat letter from Protestant extremists asking immigrants to leave Northern Ireland or face bomb attacks. The letter, threatening of racist violence, from the youth wing of the Ulster Defence Association warned: "No sympathy for foreigners, get out of our Queen's country before our bonfire night (July 11) and parade day (July 12)."
Updated on Jul 10, 2009 10:16 AM IST
None | Prasun Sonwalkar, London