News / Author / Saumya Sharma

Saumya Sharma

Saumya Sharma enjoys writing, reading and watching short and long-form content across the vast expanse of the world, in all forms - print, web, 70mm and more. A soul traveller by choice, she sometimes finds herself well-blended amongst Mango people, thinking about life as we know it. She has been in the digital content and social media marketing space for the past seven years and counting. She is fond of dogs, haikus, limericks and poetry.

Articles by Saumya Sharma

Onam 2020 sees low-key start amid Covid-19 pandemic

Onam 2020: Big celebrations are missing this year due to the measures taken by the administration to prevent the fast spread of novel coronavirus.

Participants take selfie with King Mahabali during Onam celebration at Campion School in Bhopal.(Praveen Bajpai/HT File photo)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 23, 2020 05:47 PM IST

Kochi | ByPress Trust of India | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Nepal’s Muktinath temple a major attraction for Indian tourists

Muktinath is one of the sacred temples for both the Hindus and Buddhists. Prime Minister Modi in 2018 had visited the place, which made headlines for media in India as well as Nepal highlighting the district.

In 2018, a total of 59,838 tourists visited Mustang while 52,475 visited the Himalayan district in the year 2017.(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 23, 2020 03:49 PM IST

Kathmandu [Nepal] | ByAsian News International | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Vitamin D supplements are vital for baby’s gut microbiome: Study

The study, published in the journal Gut Microbes, found that vitamin D supplementation is associated with compositional changes in a baby’s microbiome--notably a lower abundance of the bacteria Megamonas--at three months of age.

Vitamin D plays an important role in early life, supporting bone metabolism and the healthy development of a baby’s immunity. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 23, 2020 03:40 PM IST

Washington D.C. [USA] | ByAsian News International | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Here’s the reason why Lord Ganesha loves modaks; modak recipes to try at home this festival

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Modak is a very popular dessert, especially made for Ganesh Chaturthi and is available in a variety of options.

The colourful festival begins tomorrow, and here’s the reason why Lord Ganesha loves modaks and why he is offered 21 modaks during the festival.(Pixabay)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 22, 2020 12:09 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Saumya Sharma

Catwalk: Pet clothing designer inspired by ancient Chinese fashion makes Hanfu for cats

Wu Qiuqiao, Liu Liu’s doting owner, makes a living from designing miniature versions of traditional flowing Chinese gowns, or Hanfu, for cats and dogs. These sell for up to 500 yuan ($70) each.

A traditional Chinese clothing belonging to the Han dynasty is seeing popularity amid young people who are dressing their pets in Hanfus. (Representational Image)(www.etsy.com)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 09:03 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | BySaumya Sharma

Contact tracing apps likely to be ineffective for reducing Covid-19 transmission, says study

The research suggests that large-scale manual contact tracing alongside other public health control measures -- such as physical distancing and closure of indoor spaces such as pubs -- is likely to be required in conjunction with automated approaches.

Analysis of automated contact tracing apps generally suggested that high population uptake of relevant apps is required alongside other control measures. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 08:17 PM IST

London | ByPress Trust of India | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Covid-19 patients develop low blood oxygen levels, scientists decode

According to the scientists, many patients with Covid-19 pneumonia experience severely low levels of oxygen in the blood that is markedly out of proportion to the degree of lung stiffness.

In the current study, the researchers assessed whether the mechanisms leading to low blood oxygen, or hypoxemia, in Covid-19 differ from those in classical ARDS.(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 07:59 PM IST

New York | ByPress Trust of India | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Climate Change: Report urges action on tidal flooding, beach erosion due to environmental damage

The State of the Coast report by The Trustees focuses on the threat of rising sea levels and powerful storm surges on the state’s North Shore, which is home to the major fishing port of Gloucester as well as Salem, the site of the notorious colonial-era witch trials.

The report said the region has more than 50 miles (80 kilometers) of seawalls and other hard coastal barriers that would cost more than $88 million to repair, but aren’t adequate for the risks posed by climate change. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

environment

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 02:14 PM IST

Boston | ByAssociated Press | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Estee Lauder to trim 3% of global workforce to curb costs amid Covid-19 pandemic

The beauty giant plans to reduce its workforce by 1,500 to 2,000 jobs worldwide, or about 3% of total staff, and boost its digital operations after pandemic lockdowns hit demand for makeup. Most of the cuts will be store employees and support workers.

Estee Lauder has been preserving cash to manage the business during the pandemic. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 01:46 PM IST

ByBloomberg | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Covid-19 dampens festive spirit among idol makers ahead of Ganesh festival

Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi (August 22), idol makers across the city have been in full zeal preparing Ganesh idols, in expectations of meeting demand.

Bathinda, India - August 19, 2020: A craftsman gives final touches to Lord Ganesha idols ahead of the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival, in Bhatinda, Punjab, India, on Wednesday, August 19, 2020.(Sanjeev Kumar/Hindustan Times)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 01:32 PM IST

New Delhi [India] | ByAsian News International | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Gargled water may be used as alternative to swabs for Covid-19 sample: ICMR

According to ICMR, swab collection has several drawbacks also as it requires training, exposes the healthcare workers (HCWs) to the virus-containing aerosols and has poor patient acceptability and is resource-intensive.

The ICMR study pointed out that whether the risk of aerosol generation was similar to swab collection. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 12:59 PM IST

New Delhi | ByAsian News International | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Lego launches bricks with Braille for children

The Braille bricks will have the same shape as the regular Lego bricks, but the studs on top are rearranged.

Each brick shows the printed version of the symbol or letter.(www.legobraillebricks.com)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 21, 2020 12:10 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | BySaumya Sharma

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage: How your least favourite vegetables could be great for your health

Cruciferous vegetables have been gaining popularity of late due to their probable cancer-fighting properties. These vegetables are diverse, each with their distinct flavours and can be consumed both as salads and cooked form.

Blood vessel disease is a condition that affects our blood vessels (arteries and veins) and can reduce the flow of blood circulating around the body.(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 11:16 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Saumya Sharma

Scientists on Arctic mission set off on unplanned detour to North Pole

The coronavirus pandemic almost caused the mission to be cut short, as travel restrictions made resupply and crew rotations difficult.

The region above northern Greenland is usually covered in thick sea ice, sometimes built up over several years. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

environment

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 09:09 PM IST

Berlin | ByAssociated Press | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Earth’s mass extinction could have been caused by exploding stars

Fossil evidence indicates a 300,000-year decline in biodiversity leading up to the Devonian-Carboniferous mass extinction, suggesting the possibility of multiple catastrophes, maybe even multiple supernova explosions.

A supernova, on the other hand, delivers a one-two punch, the researchers said. The explosion immediately bathes Earth with damaging UV, X-rays and gamma rays. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

science

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 08:48 PM IST

Washington D.C. [USA] | ByAsian News International | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Chronic pain, that affects mental and physical health, can be treated through this new method, study finds

Pain starts in the sensory neurons - those that pass information from the skin to the central nervous system. Damage to these neurons, chronic injury or disease can cause the neurons to “short circuit,” sending continuous pain messages.

Molecules called importins are found in every cell, acting as conduits between the cell nucleus and its cytoplasm, shuttling molecules in and out of the nucleus and thus controlling access to the genes. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 07:29 PM IST

Tel Aviv [Israel] | ByAsian News International | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Covid-19 cannot be transmitted through breast milk, study reveals

In mothers, breastfeeding has been associated with lower risks for breast and ovarian cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The current recommendations to prevent transmission while breastfeeding are hand hygiene and sterilising pumping equipment after each use. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 07:09 PM IST

Washington | ByAsian News International | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Covid-19: Children are silent spreaders of coronavirus, study finds

The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, also challenges the current hypothesis that because children have lower numbers of immune receptors for SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19, this makes them less likely to become infected or seriously ill.

Younger people may not be as likely to become seriously ill as adults, but they can spread infection. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 06:40 PM IST

Washington | ByPress Trust of India | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Ancient mummy facing threat of water damage safely relocated in Jaipur’s Albert Hall museum

It is a woman’s mummy belonging to Egypt’s Ptolemaic period (322 BC to 30 BC) and was imported to Jaipur in 1887. It was last examined and re-preserved by experts from Egypt in 2011 and was found to be in a good condition.

Jaipur: Documents of records kept for drying on a floor after rain water entered the historic Albert Hall museum, in Jaipur, Tuesday, Aug 18, 2020. The rain water entered the basement of the museum and an old mummy preserved in a box had to be taken out to a safe place.(PTI)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 05:57 PM IST

Jaipur | ByPress Trust of India | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Onam 2020 to be limited inside homes due to Covid-19 pandemic: Kerala CM

The Onam festival commemorates the return of mythical demon king Mahabali to see his beloved subjects at the beginning of ‘Chingam’, the first month of the Malayalam calendar.

King Mahabali is traditionally welcomed with a carpet of flowers, popularly known as pookalam, in front of houses on Onam.(Pixabay)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 03:30 PM IST

Thiruvananthapuram | ByPress Trust of India | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Onam 2020: History, significance and all that you need to know about the harvest festival

Onam Festival 2020: Onam festival is celebrated to honour the kind-hearted and much-beloved demon King Mahabali, who is believed to return to Kerala during this festival.

Teacher and students at RBK Global school in Bhayander prepare rangoli for Onam celebrations, in Mumbai.(Pratham Gokhale/HT File photo)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 31, 2020 08:16 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Saumya Sharma

Social media life: Your digital avatar could strut about virtually dressed in Ralph Lauren, here’s how

The luxury fashion label has tied up with social media tool, Snapchat, to bring a branded, customisable wardrobe for its Bitmoji avatars.

Via a few Instagram posts, Ralph Lauren made this collaboration announcement.(Ralph Lauren/Instagram)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 18, 2020 10:10 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | BySaumya Sharma

‘We must go on’: Lebanese fashion designer Elie Saab affected by Beirut blast

Elie Saab’s office and headquarters have been badly damaged by the August 4 blast, while his home, located a few hundred metres from the port, was gutted.

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 18, 2020 09:23 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Saumya Sharma

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: History, significance, date and time of the festival

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Lord Ganesha symbolises wisdom, good luck and fortune. Lord Ganesha is also called Gajanana, Ganesh, Gajadant, that are among his 108 names.

Lord Ganesha is considered to be a symbol of wisdom, writing, travel, commerce and good fortune.(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 20, 2020 05:46 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Saumya Sharma

Lockdown life, leftovers and reduced food wastage is a climate boon amid pandemic

Food waste is responsible for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a similar amount to road transportation.

Pre-lockdown, an average of 24% had been wasted. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

environment

Updated on Aug 18, 2020 07:51 PM IST

Chicago/London | ByReuters | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Climate Change: Why climate scientists believe natural gas won’t avert environment disaster

Burning natural gas produces about half as much CO2 as coal to produce the same amount of energy. It also produces far fewer pollutants that can harm human health.

environment

Updated on Aug 18, 2020 07:10 PM IST

London | ByReuters | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Covid-19 may be the cause behind rise in childhood type 1 diabetes: Study

Type 1 diabetes causes insulin-producing cells in the pancreas to be destroyed, preventing the body from producing enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.

This study, published in the Diabetes Care journal, analysed data from 30 children in London hospitals diagnosed with new-onset type 1 diabetes during the first peak of the pandemic. (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 18, 2020 06:53 PM IST

London | ByReuters | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Depression rate doubles during Covid-19 pandemic in UK, official data shows

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said 19% of adults reported some form of depression during June, compared with 10% in the nine months to March 2020.

Stress and anxiety were the most common types of depression listed by people, the study said.(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 18, 2020 06:43 PM IST

London | ByReuters | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Autism and cholesterol might be linked, research finds

The team of researchers identified the shared molecular roots between lipid dysfunction and autism through DNA analysis of brain samples--findings that they then confirmed by examining medical records of individuals with autism.

The study results point to questions such as -- how do lipid alterations drive neurodevelopmental dysfunction and could normalising lipid metabolism affect disease outcomes? (Representational Image)(Unsplash)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 18, 2020 03:13 PM IST

Washington D.C. [USA] | ByAsian News International | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Noted photographer Dan Budnik, known for his portraits of artists, dies at age 87

In 1958, Budnik documented the Youth March for Integrated Schools to the White House and Lincoln Memorial and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.

This 2013 photo provided by Kim Newton shows photographer Dan Budnik on his 80th birthday in Orvieto, Italy.(Kim Newton via AP)

lifestyle

Updated on Aug 18, 2020 02:47 PM IST

Tucson, Arizona | ByAssociated Press | Posted by Saumya Sharma

Copy

Whatsapp Twitter Facebook Linkedin

Saumya Sharma

Onam 2020: Big celebrations are missing this year due to the measures taken by the administration to prevent the fast spread of novel coronavirus.

Muktinath is one of the sacred temples for both the Hindus and Buddhists. Prime Minister Modi in 2018 had visited the place, which made headlines for media in India as well as Nepal highlighting the district.

The study, published in the journal Gut Microbes, found that vitamin D supplementation is associated with compositional changes in a baby’s microbiome--notably a lower abundance of the bacteria Megamonas--at three months of age.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Modak is a very popular dessert, especially made for Ganesh Chaturthi and is available in a variety of options.

Wu Qiuqiao, Liu Liu’s doting owner, makes a living from designing miniature versions of traditional flowing Chinese gowns, or Hanfu, for cats and dogs. These sell for up to 500 yuan ($70) each.

The research suggests that large-scale manual contact tracing alongside other public health control measures -- such as physical distancing and closure of indoor spaces such as pubs -- is likely to be required in conjunction with automated approaches.

According to the scientists, many patients with Covid-19 pneumonia experience severely low levels of oxygen in the blood that is markedly out of proportion to the degree of lung stiffness.

The State of the Coast report by The Trustees focuses on the threat of rising sea levels and powerful storm surges on the state’s North Shore, which is home to the major fishing port of Gloucester as well as Salem, the site of the notorious colonial-era witch trials.

The beauty giant plans to reduce its workforce by 1,500 to 2,000 jobs worldwide, or about 3% of total staff, and boost its digital operations after pandemic lockdowns hit demand for makeup. Most of the cuts will be store employees and support workers.

Ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi (August 22), idol makers across the city have been in full zeal preparing Ganesh idols, in expectations of meeting demand.

According to ICMR, swab collection has several drawbacks also as it requires training, exposes the healthcare workers (HCWs) to the virus-containing aerosols and has poor patient acceptability and is resource-intensive.

The Braille bricks will have the same shape as the regular Lego bricks, but the studs on top are rearranged.

Cruciferous vegetables have been gaining popularity of late due to their probable cancer-fighting properties. These vegetables are diverse, each with their distinct flavours and can be consumed both as salads and cooked form.

The coronavirus pandemic almost caused the mission to be cut short, as travel restrictions made resupply and crew rotations difficult.

Fossil evidence indicates a 300,000-year decline in biodiversity leading up to the Devonian-Carboniferous mass extinction, suggesting the possibility of multiple catastrophes, maybe even multiple supernova explosions.

Pain starts in the sensory neurons - those that pass information from the skin to the central nervous system. Damage to these neurons, chronic injury or disease can cause the neurons to “short circuit,” sending continuous pain messages.

In mothers, breastfeeding has been associated with lower risks for breast and ovarian cancer, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, also challenges the current hypothesis that because children have lower numbers of immune receptors for SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19, this makes them less likely to become infected or seriously ill.

It is a woman’s mummy belonging to Egypt’s Ptolemaic period (322 BC to 30 BC) and was imported to Jaipur in 1887. It was last examined and re-preserved by experts from Egypt in 2011 and was found to be in a good condition.

The Onam festival commemorates the return of mythical demon king Mahabali to see his beloved subjects at the beginning of ‘Chingam’, the first month of the Malayalam calendar.

Onam Festival 2020: Onam festival is celebrated to honour the kind-hearted and much-beloved demon King Mahabali, who is believed to return to Kerala during this festival.

The luxury fashion label has tied up with social media tool, Snapchat, to bring a branded, customisable wardrobe for its Bitmoji avatars.

Elie Saab’s office and headquarters have been badly damaged by the August 4 blast, while his home, located a few hundred metres from the port, was gutted.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2020: Lord Ganesha symbolises wisdom, good luck and fortune. Lord Ganesha is also called Gajanana, Ganesh, Gajadant, that are among his 108 names.

Food waste is responsible for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, a similar amount to road transportation.

Burning natural gas produces about half as much CO2 as coal to produce the same amount of energy. It also produces far fewer pollutants that can harm human health.

Type 1 diabetes causes insulin-producing cells in the pancreas to be destroyed, preventing the body from producing enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said 19% of adults reported some form of depression during June, compared with 10% in the nine months to March 2020.

The team of researchers identified the shared molecular roots between lipid dysfunction and autism through DNA analysis of brain samples--findings that they then confirmed by examining medical records of individuals with autism.

In 1958, Budnik documented the Youth March for Integrated Schools to the White House and Lincoln Memorial and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like