News / Author / Urvashi Dev Rawal

Urvashi Dev Rawal

Urvashi Dev Rawal is assistant editor with Hindustan Times Rajasthan edition and is based in Jaipur. She reports on politics, development journalism and women’s issues. She has reported from Delhi and Gujarat previously.

Articles by Urvashi Dev Rawal

Rajasthan University refuses to hold talk on Savarkar

The Congress government in Rajasthan had earlier dropped the prefix ‘Veer’ from Savarkar’s name in school text books which had led to strong objection from the BJP and the RSS.

The ICHR is holding the talks in several cities including Jaipur, Guwahati, Port Blair and Pune. The first in the series of talks ‘The Truth about Savarkar’ was held in Delhi on Monday.(HT FILE PHOTO.)

india news

Updated on Nov 12, 2019 11:36 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Post loan waiver, cooperative banks in Rajasthan unable to meet lending targets

The Rajasthan State Cooperative Bank Ltd and Rajasthan State Land Development Bank Ltd are the main banks that give short-term and long-term loans respectively to farmers.

The RSLDB lends to farmers at an interest rate of 12.1 percent of which the government gives a 5% interest subvention or grant to the bank. So effectively, farmers get the loan at 7.1 percent.(Rajanish Kakade/HT File Photo)

india news

Updated on Nov 12, 2019 07:17 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

In Rajasthan, 40% children underweight, 44% anaemic: National Nutrition Survey

The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) report is the first national nutrition survey covering 112,316 pre-schoolers, school-age children and adolescents in rural and urban areas across 30 states.

National Nutrition survey report reveals that 26 percent children aged 5-9 years and 36.8 percent children aged 10-19 years are underweight in Jaipur.(Photo by Vageesh Lall/ Hindustan Times/ (Representative Photo))

cities

Updated on Oct 15, 2019 10:38 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Rajasthan ranks 2nd in national education survey

Rajasthan has ranked second in the School Education Quality Index, 2019 which has been brought out by the NITI Aayog.

education

Updated on Sep 28, 2019 05:19 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Rajasthan BJP leaders fined for not vacating official bungalows

BJP Rajya Sabha member Kirodi Lal Meena and MLA Narpat Singh Rajvi will have to vacate the bungalows, which have now been allotted to Congress MLAs.

Rajasthan government slaps BJP leaders with fine for occupying official bungalows beyond term of office.(HT Photo/ Nitin Kanotra)

india news

Published on Sep 28, 2019 01:13 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Over 66% rise in crimes against children in Rajasthan

Experts blame social media, break up of family, societal support system

School childern spreading message with colour on their faces stop crime against childern.(HT file)

cities

Published on Sep 25, 2019 11:18 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Rajasthan seeks teachers for govt colleges but without pay

Higher education dept invites applications from teachers and research scholars who fulfil UGC norms; they are required to teach for one to three hours

Of the 6000 sanctioned teacher posts in 252 government colleges in the state, 2300 are vacant(HT Photo)

education

Published on Sep 25, 2019 10:46 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

166 FIRs in SP offices, but no action against SHOs in Rajasthan

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot had announced in May that FIRs could be registered in the SP’s office if local police stations refuse to file one and that action would be taken against the heads of such stations.

File photo of Rajasthan DGP Bhupendra Singh.(HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Sep 14, 2019 12:10 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Crimes against women up by 66% in Rajasthan in a year, shows police data

Police attribute multiple factors from rise in criminal mentality to better awareness of laws.

File photo of a rally to fight for freedom and dignity of women.(HT File Photo)

cities

Published on Sep 12, 2019 10:57 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal, Jaipur

Tribal students’ body poses stiff challenge to NSUI, ABVP in elections

For 3 consecutive years, Bhil Pradesh Vidyarthi Morcha winning students’ union election in Dungarpur.

This time the BPVM — which emerged from a social movement among the tribal community in 2016 — is fielding candidates for students’ union elections.(HT photo)

education

Updated on Aug 22, 2019 01:48 PM IST

Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

‘Waste of money, manpower’: Rajasthan home dept wants MLAs questions on crime against women cancelled

Seema Kumar, the deputy secretary in the home department, has written to the state assembly’s secretary and given the reason behind the request.

Rajasthan’s home department has said questions of three BJP legislators and one Congress leader regarding crime against women and children in the state must be dismissed.(AP (Representative Image))

cities

Published on Aug 19, 2019 03:21 PM IST

Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

‘We are Lord Ram’s descendants’, say Mewar royals, third claim in a week

Lakshyaraj Singh of the erstwhile Mewar royal family today said they were descendents of Lord Ram’s son, Luv, who had established Luvkote (Lahore) in the ancient times.

A genealogical list bearing name of Lord Rama from archives of erstwhile royal family of Jaipur. Former princess and MP Diya Kumari said she is descendant of Lord Ram’s son Kush, while Mewar royal family has claimed lineage from Luv, the other son of Lord Ram.(HT Photo)

india news

Published on Aug 12, 2019 03:54 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Rajasthan government to transfer ‘RSS-minded’ employees before civic polls

Rajasthan’s Congress leaders see this as an opportunity to recoup lost ground in state after the washout in the Lok Sabha elections where the party did not win even one seat.

Congress MLAs and organisation leaders have urged Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot “to shunt out RSS-minded officers from important posts” before civic elections.(PTI File)

cities

Published on Aug 01, 2019 12:05 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal, Jaipur

Rajasthan govt wants power to transfer, fire V-Cs; raises concerns

The Congress-led government proposed to bring a bill in the assembly to amend acts of state universities to take into its hand the power to transfer or remove vice-chancellors in case of any impropriety, a senior official said.

The Rajasthan government plans to bring a bill that will enable it to transfer or remove vice-chancellors of state universities.(HT File Photo)

india news

Updated on Jun 21, 2019 02:28 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Rajasthan sets up Vedic Board to promote scientific temper, solve social issues

The board will aim to restore the ancient knowledge in the fields of education, healthcare and philosophy and promote scientific temperament in society.

Minister of state for Sanskrit education (independent charge) Dr Subhash Garg said the Congress had promised to set up the Vedic Sanskar and Shikshan Board.(HT Photo)

india news

Updated on Jun 19, 2019 04:37 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

UGC cracks whip to fill vacant posts in universities

The letter written by UGC secretary Prof Rajnish Jain states that “shortage of quality teaching faculty in higher education institutions is a major concern and requires to be addressed immediately for improving the quality of higher education.”

education

Updated on Jun 11, 2019 09:53 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal, Jaipur

RSS takes up fight against revision in school syllabus in Rajasthan

Through several Right to Information (RTI) applications, the RSS-backed organisations have asked for information about the procedure to set up committees for reviewing the syllabus and whether it was done in a transparent and fair manner.

A government school in Jaipur, Rajasthan. The Congress in the past had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of distorting history and saffronisation of school education.(HT File)

cities

Published on Jun 03, 2019 10:19 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal, Jaipur

Lok Sabha elections 2019: After 2018 defeat in Rajasthan, the second coming

It marks a turnaround since the BJP lost power in December to Congress in the state that sends 25 lawmakers to Parliament.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the national polls, winning each of the 25 seats it contested in Rajasthan in a repeat of its performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.(Himanshu Vyas / Hindustan Times)

elections

Published on May 24, 2019 06:10 AM IST

Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

‘Not hiding crimes’, says Rajasthan police chief amid spurt in rape cases

Under fire from the opposition BJP after a spate of rape and abduction cases in the last one month, the Rajasthan government late Tuesday evening removed Alwar’s Superintendent of Police Rajiv Pachar. Additional chief secretary, home department Rajiv Swarup said the SP has been placed on APO (awaiting posting order).

Rajasthan’s Director General of Police Kapil Garg addresses a press conference at the police headquarters in Jaipur on Tuesday.(HT PHOTO)

india news

Updated on May 07, 2019 09:08 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Lok Sabha elections 2019: Final polling in Rajasthan today; BJP, Cong look for gains

A total of 4,88,19,246 voters will cast votes in 23,783 polling stations for the 12 parliamentary seats. There are 134 candidates, including 16 women, in the fray.

Rajasthan has 25 Lok Sabha constituencies and polling on 13 seats was held on April 29.(HT Photo)

elections

Updated on May 06, 2019 02:48 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Lok Sabha elections 2019: Congress’s Krishna Poonia emphasises rural connect to appeal to voters

After Jodhpur, Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat has emerged as the most contested with two Olympians Rajyavardhan Rathore of the BJP and Poonia of the Congress in a direct fight.

It’s a different stage for Poonia, international gold medallist dicus thrower and Olypoic participant.(HT Photo)

elections

Published on May 02, 2019 12:37 PM IST

Hindustan Times, MANOTA/NAILA | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Lok Sabha elections 2019: BJP’s Rajyavardhan Rathore banks on developmental work in Jaipur’s Sinodiya village

Rathore toured around a dozen villages in Phulera sub-district on Monday.

The Jaipur Rural constituency has emerged as a hot seat between two Olympians.(HT Photo)

elections

Updated on May 02, 2019 11:36 AM IST

Hindustan Times, PHULERA | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Lok Sabha elections 2019: In Jaipur, a Olympian battle

Rathore won a silver medal for Double Trap Shooting at the 2004 Athens Olympic — India’s first ever individual silver. Poonia, a discus thrower, has represented India at the Olympics thrice.

In 2014, Rathore won the seat against CP Joshi of the Congress. Last year, Poonia won the Sadulpur assembly seat defeating BJP stalwart Ram Singh Kaswan.(Milind Saurkar/HT File Photo)

india news

Updated on May 02, 2019 12:17 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Lok Sabha elections 2019: Vasundhara Raje, Gajendra Singh Shekhwat put up united show in Jodhpur

Raje and Shekhawat’s political rivalry is not hidden from anyone. When the BJP high command had wanted to make Shekhawat the state party president last year, Raje had strongly objected and scuttled his appointment.

Lok Sabha Congress candidate Vaibhav Gehlot and BJP candidate Gajendra Singh Shekhawat greet each other in Jodhpur.(HT File Phot/Ranjeet Singh Sodha)

elections

Updated on Apr 27, 2019 07:49 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Lok Sabha elections 2019: High-voltage contest on the cards in Jodhpur as BJP, Congress bank on big guns for campaign

The BJP plans to bring in its top brass to campaign for the seat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a public meeting in Jodhpur on Monday. BJP chief Amit Shah will hold a grand roadshow in Jodhpur on April 26, just three days ahead of polling on April 29.

Congress’s Vaibhav Gehlot will take on BJP’s Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (in photo) in Jodhpur, which is considered CM Gehlot’s home turf.(HT Photo)

elections

Updated on Apr 26, 2019 10:37 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Oldest Lok Sabha candidate in Rajasthan is 76-years-old, youngest is 30

Interestingly, in comparison to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, the BSP has given ticket to younger candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan.

Seventy-six-year old Devkinandan Gurjar (left) of Congress is the oldest Lok Sabha candidate in Rajasthan while Laxmikant Bairwa, 30, of BSP is the youngest.(Agencies)

elections

Updated on Apr 25, 2019 04:00 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal (Editorial- Jaipur)

Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP’s Diya Kumari banking on Modi wave in Rajsamand seat

But despite her attempts to strike a chord of familiarity, BJP’s Rajsamand candidate Diya Kumari, who was earlier an MLA from Sawai Madhopur, hasn’t been able to shed her reserved nature yet.

BJP candidate Diya Kumari being weighed with jaggery during her campaign in the Rajsamand Lok Sabha seat.(Himanshu Vyas / HT Photo)

elections

Published on Apr 24, 2019 04:19 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Merta / Degana (Nagaur) | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

BJP’s poll strategy revolves around nationalism, Modi, says Rajasthan BJP in-charge

A BJP leader said after the Pulwama terrorist attack and Balakot air strikes, the party feels the mood in the country is in favour of the BJP. The party’s campaign is focused more on the issue of national security and development and other issues have taken a back seat.

BJP State in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna(HT File)

elections

Published on Apr 13, 2019 09:39 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

UPSC results 2019: Jaipur gardener’s son cracks the exam

Passers-by would scarcely notice a man quietly watering plants at the BJP headquarters in Jaipur. But of late Murlidhar Meena has been garnering attention and congratulations after his younger son cleared the UPSC exam. His son, Brijmohan Meena, got 713 rank in the UPSC exam in his 2nd attempt.

education

Updated on Apr 09, 2019 04:47 PM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Lok Sabha elections 2019: RLP joins BJP in Rajasthan, Hanuman Beniwal gets Nagaur

Hanuman Beniwal’s entry into the NDA fold has given a strong Jat leader to the BJP which had no Jat face in the Marwar and Shekhawati belt. Jats have a strong presence on parliamentary seats such as Nagaur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Bikaner, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Pali, Ajmer and Jaipur Rural.

Asked about his opposition to the BJP in the past, Beniwal brushed aside old disputes.(HT Photo)

elections

Updated on Apr 05, 2019 08:56 AM IST

Hindustan Times, Jaipur | ByUrvashi Dev Rawal

Copy

Whatsapp Twitter Facebook Linkedin

Urvashi Dev Rawal

Urvashi Dev Rawal is assistant editor with Hindustan Times Rajasthan edition and is based in Jaipur. She reports on politics, development journalism and women’s issues. She has reported from Delhi and Gujarat previously.

The Congress government in Rajasthan had earlier dropped the prefix ‘Veer’ from Savarkar’s name in school text books which had led to strong objection from the BJP and the RSS.

The Rajasthan State Cooperative Bank Ltd and Rajasthan State Land Development Bank Ltd are the main banks that give short-term and long-term loans respectively to farmers.

The Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) report is the first national nutrition survey covering 112,316 pre-schoolers, school-age children and adolescents in rural and urban areas across 30 states.

Rajasthan has ranked second in the School Education Quality Index, 2019 which has been brought out by the NITI Aayog.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Kirodi Lal Meena and MLA Narpat Singh Rajvi will have to vacate the bungalows, which have now been allotted to Congress MLAs.

Experts blame social media, break up of family, societal support system

Higher education dept invites applications from teachers and research scholars who fulfil UGC norms; they are required to teach for one to three hours

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot had announced in May that FIRs could be registered in the SP’s office if local police stations refuse to file one and that action would be taken against the heads of such stations.

Police attribute multiple factors from rise in criminal mentality to better awareness of laws.

For 3 consecutive years, Bhil Pradesh Vidyarthi Morcha winning students’ union election in Dungarpur.

Seema Kumar, the deputy secretary in the home department, has written to the state assembly’s secretary and given the reason behind the request.

Lakshyaraj Singh of the erstwhile Mewar royal family today said they were descendents of Lord Ram’s son, Luv, who had established Luvkote (Lahore) in the ancient times.

Rajasthan’s Congress leaders see this as an opportunity to recoup lost ground in state after the washout in the Lok Sabha elections where the party did not win even one seat.

The Congress-led government proposed to bring a bill in the assembly to amend acts of state universities to take into its hand the power to transfer or remove vice-chancellors in case of any impropriety, a senior official said.

The board will aim to restore the ancient knowledge in the fields of education, healthcare and philosophy and promote scientific temperament in society.

The letter written by UGC secretary Prof Rajnish Jain states that “shortage of quality teaching faculty in higher education institutions is a major concern and requires to be addressed immediately for improving the quality of higher education.”

Through several Right to Information (RTI) applications, the RSS-backed organisations have asked for information about the procedure to set up committees for reviewing the syllabus and whether it was done in a transparent and fair manner.

It marks a turnaround since the BJP lost power in December to Congress in the state that sends 25 lawmakers to Parliament.

A total of 4,88,19,246 voters will cast votes in 23,783 polling stations for the 12 parliamentary seats. There are 134 candidates, including 16 women, in the fray.

After Jodhpur, Jaipur Rural Lok Sabha seat has emerged as the most contested with two Olympians Rajyavardhan Rathore of the BJP and Poonia of the Congress in a direct fight.

Rathore toured around a dozen villages in Phulera sub-district on Monday.

Rathore won a silver medal for Double Trap Shooting at the 2004 Athens Olympic — India’s first ever individual silver. Poonia, a discus thrower, has represented India at the Olympics thrice.

Raje and Shekhawat’s political rivalry is not hidden from anyone. When the BJP high command had wanted to make Shekhawat the state party president last year, Raje had strongly objected and scuttled his appointment.

The BJP plans to bring in its top brass to campaign for the seat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a public meeting in Jodhpur on Monday. BJP chief Amit Shah will hold a grand roadshow in Jodhpur on April 26, just three days ahead of polling on April 29.

Interestingly, in comparison to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, the BSP has given ticket to younger candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan.

But despite her attempts to strike a chord of familiarity, BJP’s Rajsamand candidate Diya Kumari, who was earlier an MLA from Sawai Madhopur, hasn’t been able to shed her reserved nature yet.

A BJP leader said after the Pulwama terrorist attack and Balakot air strikes, the party feels the mood in the country is in favour of the BJP. The party’s campaign is focused more on the issue of national security and development and other issues have taken a back seat.

Passers-by would scarcely notice a man quietly watering plants at the BJP headquarters in Jaipur. But of late Murlidhar Meena has been garnering attention and congratulations after his younger son cleared the UPSC exam. His son, Brijmohan Meena, got 713 rank in the UPSC exam in his 2nd attempt.

Hanuman Beniwal’s entry into the NDA fold has given a strong Jat leader to the BJP which had no Jat face in the Marwar and Shekhawati belt. Jats have a strong presence on parliamentary seats such as Nagaur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Bikaner, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Pali, Ajmer and Jaipur Rural.

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like