Kainat Sarfaraz
Kainat Sarfaraz covers education for Hindustan Times in Delhi. She also takes keen interest in reading and writing on the intersections of gender and other identities.
Articles by Kainat Sarfaraz
Draped in PPE suits, farmers carry out fumigation drives at Singhu
By Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 15, 2021 09:55 AM IST
Karanpreet Singh, 22, a resident of Chaklan village in Rupnagar district of Punjab, was scheduled to get married on January 1
A contactless Republic Day parade in store for students
PUBLISHED ON JAN 14, 2021 04:52 AM IST
As in previous years, three groups of students will perform at Rajpath this year — Delhi Tamil Education Association (DTEA) Senior Secondary schools, Mount Abu Public School and Vidya Bharti School from Rohini, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School B-2 Yamuna Vihar.
Singhu farmers put up new signage, rename protest areas
By Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi:
UPDATED ON JAN 11, 2021 07:57 AM IST
The over ten kilometre-long protest spot has been divided into seven areas and has been named after freedom fighters like Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru, Chandrashekhar Azad, Kartar Singh Sarabha, along with Sikh warrior Banda Singh Bahadur.
A day after another farmer suicide during stir, protesters set focus on mental health
UPDATED ON JAN 11, 2021 06:36 PM IST
A day after another farmer died by suicide at Singhu border, several internal committee members of an umbrella body of farmers’ union on Sunday said they have planned to rope in mental health experts along with celebrities, religious leaders, and motivational speakers to spread messages of hope among farmers and steer them away from depression
DU working on SOPs for phased re-entry of final year students, next semester likely to be offline
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 08, 2021 11:34 AM IST
Delhi University is working on framing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the phased return of final-year undergraduate and postgraduate students with officials also hinting that the next semester may be taught offline.
Ambedkar University to soon launch its happiness programme
PUBLISHED ON JAN 05, 2021 07:51 PM IST
One year since violence in JNU, no arrests yet
By Fareeha Iftikhar and Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 05, 2021 02:21 AM IST
On January 5, a group of students and teachers had organised a march at the T-point near Sabarmati hostel when a mob, armed with hammers, sticks, and rods and wearing face masks, allegedly attacked them. The mob broke into several hostels, including Periyar and Sabarmati, and beat up the students.
CBSE Board exams schedule: Schools, parents concerned over practicals
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 02, 2021 10:05 AM IST
Several principals are worried as many parents are not eager to send their children to school before the Covid-19 vaccine is rolled out. School authorities have also planned to discuss the issue with parents once schools reopen after winter vacation.
Many skip celebrations to join farmers in protest to ring in the New Year
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON JAN 01, 2021 01:06 AM IST
On December 26, farmers had invited residents of Delhi-NCR to join them to welcome the New Year.
Farmers’ protest: With three daughters and son, Paramjit Kaur look out for anti-social elements at Singhu border
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 28, 2020 08:15 AM IST
Paramjit Kaur keeps vigil during the night. “We stay up talking to one another and look out for mischievous elements which may want to disrupt the protest in some manner,” she said.
A month on, farmers have made highway their home
By Kainat Sarfaraz and Dhrubo Jyoti | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 28, 2020 05:10 AM IST
Protests began in Punjab and Haryana shortly after the government pushed the three laws – Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill 2020.
At Kundli end of Singhu stir, quieter nooks and cleaner spaces
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 27, 2020 01:39 AM IST
Here, the crowds are thinner, fewer garbage mounds and there are a lot of unoccupied spaces with quiet nooks. Here too, one can find colourful tents and tractor-trolleys that bear a striking resemblance to the ones closer to the Singhu Singhu border.
A surprising outcome at Singhu: Farmers pick up cooking skills
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 23, 2020 12:16 AM IST
The cooks’ day begins at 6 am when the air is still very chilly. The morning meal is usually various Indian breads with chickpea curry; for lunch they’ll have rice with dal and seasonal vegetables; dinner will likely see rotis accompanied by what was made for lunch with yet another batch of freshly-cooked curries.
Delhi scholars return to decrepit labs, ruined samples
By Kainat Sarfaraz and Fareeha Iftikhar | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 22, 2020 06:18 PM IST
Science research scholars and postgraduate students in the Capital, who have started to return to their institutions for the first time since March, have come back to find laboratories in disarray, equipment damaged, samples ruined, and their work severely set back — with financial losses possibly running into lakhs.
Virtual carols, mass: Tied down by curbs, Christmas spirit in Delhi goes online
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 21, 2020 08:36 AM IST
Christmas celebrations across the world revolve around the traditions of the Christmas tree, the guiding star, nativity scenes, songs, and skits on the birth of Jesus along with the rendering of Christmas carols and gift-giving among other revelries.
JNU to reopen for PwD category PhD scholars from Monday
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 19, 2020 10:26 PM IST
As part of its phase-wise reopening, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on Saturday allowed PhD scholars from People with Disabilities category of Science schools and centres to return from December 21.
Delhi: A restored Rahim’s Tomb opens to public today after six years
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 17, 2020 06:37 AM IST
Built in 1598 by Rahim for his wife Mah Banu, historians say the building was the first Mughal monument built for a woman and the architectural innovation developed there “informed the designs of Taj Mahal”. Following his death in 1627, Rahim’s body was also placed there.
Farmers’ protest: Now, a library-cultural centre comes up at Singhu border
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 16, 2020 01:56 PM IST
Sahitya Chaupal set up to give street children a place to engage in constructive activity; allow the elders to rest and hold discussions
Delhi: On bone-chilling night, farmers huddle under tarpaulins and plastic sheets to stay warm
By Kainat Sarfaraz, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 16, 2020 04:35 PM IST
On bone-chilling night, farmers huddle under tarpaulins and plastic sheets to stay warm
UPDATED ON DEC 16, 2020 03:42 PM IST
A year after Jamia violence: Lives upended, campus stays on edge
By Kainat Sarfaraz and Fareeha Iftikhar | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 15, 2020 05:58 AM IST
Following the events of December 15, the university strengthened security, regulating the entry of outsiders more strictly, repairing the damaged Central library and old library, and erasing protest graffiti on the campus.
NGO starts free electric foot massages at Singhu protest site
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 12, 2020 10:39 AM IST
The 25 massagers that were set up at the protest site was introduced by Khalsa Aid, a non-government organisation. The facility is free for all protesters, and all they need to do is get a token number and then wait their turn.
Tarpaulin sheets, waterproof tents: Protesters brace for rain and chill
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 12, 2020 12:54 PM IST
While tractors and trolleys converted into temporary homes have become a symbol of the farmers’ protest blockade which began on November 27, many protesters have no option but to sleep in the open.
Singhu border: Farmers protest by day, watch religious films by night
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 12, 2020 01:53 AM IST
On Wednesday, an 8x12-feet LED screen was set up near a langar spot a few hundred metres away from the green United Farmers Front stage set up at the Singhu border.
Students in quandary as Jamia insists they must have own laptop/PC, internet to take semester exams
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 11, 2020 09:34 AM IST
The new notification has distressed students, who said the proctored mode of examination would be “discriminatory” to marginalised students and those with limited digital access.
Covid-19: Students want board, JEE, NEET exams postponed
By Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 10, 2020 12:04 PM IST
Ahead of Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank’s online interactive session with class 10 and 12 students and aspirants of different competitive exams on Thursday, various stakeholders have demanded postponement of all exams in light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Bed attached to truck, desi geyser that runs on wood fire: farmers find ways to cope at protest sites
By Shiv Sunny and Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 09, 2020 03:46 PM IST
The most visible of these comforts at the Singhu Border were the sofa-cum-beds jutting out of trucks, padded with mattresses. Up to four farmers sat on each on them
Farmers set up gurdwara at protest site to derive ‘strength’
By Kainat Sarfaraz and Shiv Sunny, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 09, 2020 03:51 PM IST
200 more trucks of farmers to arrive at Singhu border. How police are prepping
By Shiv Sunny and Kainat Sarfaraz | Edited by Kanishka Sarkar | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 08, 2020 01:14 PM IST
A much larger gathering could be seen at the Singhu border than previous days, with the protesting farmers saying more of them have arrived since Monday night.
Chilla border completely shut as farmers block Delhi to Noida carriageway as well
By Anvit Srivastava and Kainat Sarfaraz | Hindustan Times, New Delhi
UPDATED ON DEC 06, 2020 02:17 AM IST
Chila border (Delhi-Noida Link Road) was completely blocked by farmers on Saturday morning, bringing traffic to a standstill and forcing the police to increase the deployment in the area.