Sadia Akhtar is a reporter at Hindustan Times where she covers education, heritage, and a range of feature stories. She also writes about refugee communities and tracks stories at the intersection of gender and social justice. Before joining HT's Delhi team, she reported from Gurugram and Mewat where she tracked politics, education, and heritage.
Articles by Sadia Akhtar
‘Humbled’: Delhi LG throws open St James Church to public
The restored church will now become a prominent landmark in the city for tourists, city residents and heritage enthusiasts, the LG said
Updated on Aug 07, 2023 12:06 AM IST
Delhi’s oldest church, now restored, reopens Sunday
The over 180-year-old church, which was in a dilapidated condition with cracks and a weakened foundation
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 11:21 PM IST
Haryana violence: An age-old yatra exemplifying harmony
The 84 Kos Parikrama has continued peacefully, even as tensions in the district rose as another yatra led by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad devolved into violence
Updated on Aug 04, 2023 12:10 AM IST
Haryana violence: Schools may reopen in Gurugram, firms offer WFH
Clashes broke out in Haryana’s Nuh on Monday afternoon allegedly after a procession led by Hindu groups passing through the district was attacked
Updated on Aug 02, 2023 03:17 AM IST
Lodhi’s smaller monuments set for G20 facelift
Delhi’s iconic Lodhi Gardens has, for decades, been synonymous with the Shish Gumbad and Bada Gumbad or the mausoleums of Sikandar Lodi and Muhammad Shah
Updated on Jul 31, 2023 04:05 PM IST
Sadia Akhtar, New Delhi
Frescos of 17th century Delhi monument revamped
Restoration work is underway at the tomb of Muhammad Quli Khan in Delhi's Mehrauli Archaeological Park ahead of the G20 Summit in September. The tomb, which dates back to the early 17th century, features intricate frescoes that have lost their lustre over the years. Fresco artists from Bhopal and Gwalior are using a unique painting technique to restore the artwork to its original state. The restoration work is expected to be completed in a week, and a protective layer will be applied to prevent future damage.
Updated on Jul 29, 2023 05:54 PM IST
ASI to launch repair, restoration of Jantar Mantar
ASI in April had informed the Delhi high court that it had appointed an expert committee to conserve, preserve, restore the observatory
Updated on Jul 25, 2023 11:57 PM IST
Lodhi-era Gol Gumbad to get a facelift as cultural hub
The monument is located on the intersection of Lodhi Road and Lal Bahadur Shastri Marg. It last saw repairs in 2010 in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games.
Updated on Jul 25, 2023 11:42 PM IST
ASI to restore Safdarjung tomb dome in Delhi by July-end
According to ASI officials, the tomb had developed cracks and gaps over the past two years and required routine repairs
Updated on Jul 23, 2023 11:40 PM IST
Railways issue notice to religious places in Delhi over ‘encroachments’
Meanwhile, Delhi Waqf Board (DWB) officials said unsigned and undated notices were issued to two mosques, asking them to remove encroachments in 15 days.
Updated on Jul 23, 2023 04:50 AM IST
To conserve Malcha Mahal, 14th-century lodge in Delhi forest set for a facelift
After the death of the last member of the clan, “Prince” Ali Raza, in September 2017, plans are now afoot to open the “Mahal” to the public
Updated on Jul 22, 2023 09:36 AM IST
Delhi floods: At Batla House relief camps, residents yearn to return home
Residents said that although food was being provided at the relief camps, livelihoods and education had been affected
Updated on Jul 18, 2023 11:58 PM IST
As Yamuna recedes, Delhi begins clean-up, counts its losses
As water levels recede in Delhi, government agencies are cleaning up the flood-affected areas.
Updated on Jul 17, 2023 04:46 AM IST
Delhi floods: For some residents, inundated roads, Yamuna become selfie points
Despite the potential risk to life, curious individuals are not shying from wading into knee-deep waters to click pictures and make videos
Updated on Jul 15, 2023 12:40 AM IST
Delhi floods: Residents in Jaitpur wait for water to recede
Thousands of houses in south-east Delhi remain submerged with waist-level water, causing residents to evacuate and leaving their belongings at risk of destruction. Relief camps have been set up and social workers are distributing food and supplies. The flood caught many residents off guard, causing damage to important documents and leaving them homeless. The relief centers are providing food, water, and medical supplies.
Updated on Jul 15, 2023 12:36 AM IST
DU removes poet Mohd Iqbal, who wrote ‘Sare Jahan Se Acha’, from BA syllabus
Iqbal who wrote the popular song “Sare jahan se acha Hindustan hamara” is one of the most prominent Urdu and Persian poets of the Indian subcontinent.
Updated on May 27, 2023 04:34 AM IST
Delhi’s St Stephen’s to give 15% weightage to interviews of Christian candidates
This development coincides with the college’s fresh plea filed in high court in April against DU's CUET notification
Updated on May 24, 2023 11:56 PM IST
Motor vehicle ban openly flouted in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk
The entry of all motorised vehicles (barring essential vehicles such as ambulances, police vans, bank cash and security vans, etc) was barred on this road from 9am to 9pm
Updated on May 24, 2023 10:51 PM IST
1947 Partition studies in DU may begin with ‘8th century invasions’
New Delhi “Germs of separatism that the central leadership failed to contain”; “the way Congress Working Committee consented to Partition without consulting Gandhi”; and “the reason for the non-insistence of central leadership on having the Frontier Province with India” — these are some of the questions that will be investigated by a new centre for Independence and Partition Studies to be set up by Delhi University, according to a draft concept note issued by an eight-member panel set up by the university to oversee the upcoming centre
Updated on May 24, 2023 12:11 AM IST
200K candidates appear for CUET, some hiccups logged
At the end of the day, officials said the NTA recorded an overall attendance of 76%. This was considerably higher than the overall CUET-UG attendance of 62% in 2022
Updated on May 22, 2023 12:30 AM IST
At 42.9°C, Delhi swelters on hottest day of 2023
The maximum temperature is forecast to continue along the same vein till Tuesday night, when the IMD has predicted rain in the region
Updated on May 21, 2023 11:50 PM IST
Delhi govt warns pvt schools against ties with admission agents
DoE said they received a complaint against a person who runs an admission-related website and a second person who runs a bookshop in Delhi
Updated on May 20, 2023 12:19 AM IST
At Museum Expo, a glimpse into ASI’s excavation process
Visitors took turns getting into the trench and uncover the layers of sand surrounding the artefacts under the guidance of ASI official.
Updated on May 19, 2023 02:46 AM IST
Inheritance of loss: Partition Museum to open in Delhi on Thursday
The Partition Museum, set up at the restored Dara Shikoh Library Building (DSLB) at Kashmere Gate, will be inaugurated on May 18.
Updated on May 17, 2023 01:53 PM IST
200-year-old Walled City mosque in Delhi awaits repair since 2020 damage
Local residents who still pray at sandstone structure say that the authorities have made no efforts in the last three years to restore the historical structure.
Updated on May 16, 2023 11:05 AM IST
CBSE pass percentage dips for Class 10, 12 in Delhi; girls outshine boys
Like the rest of the country, girls performed better than boys with pass percentages of 93.99% and 90.52%, respectively
Updated on May 12, 2023 11:36 PM IST
Delhi’s Hindu College suspends 15 students for ‘financial fraud’
The notices signed by the principal, as seen by HT, were dated May 4 but the students alleged that they only received them on May 8
Updated on May 11, 2023 12:09 AM IST
Delhi’s Malcha Mahal gets tourist boost, but lies in ruins
The monument is dilapidated, with several parts sustaining heavy damage through neglect. Trees are growing through the stairs and windows, while one bay of the complex has collapsed and caved in. Its outskirts are surrounded by heaps of garbage
Updated on May 10, 2023 06:02 PM IST
Ghost stories, djinns: Haunted walk set to kick off in Delhi from Sunday
The Delhi tourism department on Saturday conducted a sneak preview of what has been packaged as the “haunted walk” at Malcha Mahal
Updated on May 07, 2023 12:02 AM IST
Sadia Akhtar, New Delhi
Delhi University directs classes, labs to be open 8am to 8pm
The directive has drawn mixed responses from staff, who said better resource utilisation is welcome, but taking the decision without discussion was not feasible
Updated on May 06, 2023 02:12 AM IST