Latest news with #ShrutiSharma
Khaleej Times
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
'Miracle': Family reunites in Kashmir after fleeing conflict
Shruti Sharma tearfully hugged her family goodbye and fled her home near the contested border in Kashmir with her three children on the first night of India and Pakistan's worst conflict in decades. She returned home on Wednesday to a rapturous welcome from her mother-in-law and husband after fearing they would be killed by Pakistani strikes and that her house would be destroyed. "I never thought I would return to a home that was still intact," the 37-year-old school teacher from Poonch said. The house is a patchwork of brightly painted rooms, built gradually as the family expanded. A second floor is underway but far from complete. Tens of thousands of people living near India's contested frontier with Pakistan were forced to flee as both countries launched deadly attacks and counter-attacks over four days, starting May 7. But many are returning after the nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday. Poonch, a frontier town in Indian-administered Kashmir that was one of the worst-hit in the attacks. Sharma's home, in a narrow lane hemmed by tightly packed houses, survived the deadly strikes, but several of her neighbours were not so lucky. Her mother-in-law, Champa Devi, who refused to leave, said it was a "miracle" their house was intact and that she and her son survived. "I had resigned to the possibility of not seeing my grandchildren ever again," she said, as her youngest grandson, two-year-old Daksh, zoomed past in a toy car. - 'Night of terror' - "It was a night of terror," Sharma said, recalling the first night of fighting before she fled in a taxi to her sister's house, nearly 300 kilometres (190 miles) away. She said her decision to leave was "for the sake of my children". Sharma's mother, who lives alone a few blocks away, joined them. The 12-hour journey down the mountains saw them being bombarded with phone calls and text messages bringing a spate of bad news. "I got a call from a relative saying that an explosion in a petrol station had killed my nephew," she recalled. "Our cab had stopped there for refuelling barely 10 minutes earlier." At least 15 Indian civilians died in the fighting -- the deadliest between the two South Asian rivals since 1999. It followed an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. India accused Pakistan of backing the "terrorists" it said were responsible for the Pahalgam attack -- a charge Islamabad denied -- and last week launched missiles at sites in Pakistan it said were hosting the militants. - 'The trauma followed us' - Sharma said she was constantly fretting about her husband and in-laws' safety during the week she was away. "We may have been physically far, but the trauma followed us," she said. "I would often wake up in the middle of the night with a feeling of dread." An AFP team joined them for their return journey, a far more relaxed and happy affair. After an early start, the family stopped for breakfast at a small eatery on the highway, where they chatted with other families returning home. The conversations were grim, with many of the exchanges discussing dead relatives or friends. "They have changed Poonch forever," said Sharma's mother Purnima. "You will never know what we have gone through." A packed lunch, chicken curry and rice, was eaten on paper plates in the car. As the sun dipped, the scenery changed from semi-urban plains to more rural and picturesque, pine-dotted valleys, signalling that home was near. "It feels good to be back but there is this lingering apprehension that something will go wrong again," said Sharma. In some areas along the contested frontier that fear pervades, with reports of fresh drone sightings and renewed shelling, forcing some families to flee again. That fear pervades in some parts of the contested frontier where there have been reports of fresh drone sightings and renewed shelling, forcing some people to flee again. The sun was setting when the taxi finally reached Sharma's neighbourhood. Her husband Sanjeev stood outside the narrow lane leading to their home to greet them. His son Daksh immediately jumped into his father's arms. Sharma lugged her suitcase up the alleys, arriving home just in time for evening tea -- their first together in over a week.
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Business Standard
21-05-2025
- General
- Business Standard
Jamia Millia Islamia's free coaching for UPSC 2026: Know dates, eligibility
Jamia Millia Islamia's free UPSC 2026 Coaching: Jamia Millia Islamia's Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) is inviting applications for its free UPSC Civil Services coaching programme for the 2026 batch. This coaching is specially designed for candidates from minority communities, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and all women applicants. The last date to apply is May 28, 2025, through the official website: Jamia Millia Islamia Free coaching and hostel facilities for UPSC preparation RCA provides free residential coaching for both Prelims and Mains of the UPSC Civil Services Exam. The program includes: Over 500 hours of classroom teaching Mock tests and interviews Mentoring by former officers and successful candidates 24/7 library access Free Wi-Fi A non-refundable fee of Rs 6,000 is to be paid during admission for maintenance (₹1,000 per month for six months). Jamia's free UPSC 2026 coaching: Important dates Last Date to Apply: May 28, 2025 Edit Application Window: May 29–30, 2025 Entrance Test (GS + Essay): June 15, 2025 Written Test Result (Tentative): July 14, 2025 Interview Round: July 21 – August 2, 2025 Final Selection List: August 8, 2025 Deadline for Admission Formalities: August 18, 2025 The entrance test will be held in 12 cities: Delhi, Jaipur, Srinagar, Jammu, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Mumbai, Patna, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Calicut. Jamia's free UPSC 2026 coaching: Eligibility and application fee Who can apply: SC, ST, women, and candidates from minority communities? Application fee: Rs 1,200 + bank charges Apply at: Entrance Test Details The entrance test includes two papers: General Studies (Objective type) Essay Writing, based on the UPSC pattern The exam will be held in English, Hindi, and Urdu, and will test your general knowledge, critical thinking, and writing skills. The duration of the exam is 3 hours. About RCA Started in 2010 under a UGC scheme, RCA is run by Jamia's Centre for Coaching and Career Planning (CC&CP). So far, it has helped nearly 300 students get selected in top services like IAS, IPS, and IFS, and over 300 more join other important roles in CAPF, IB, RBI, and various state-level exams. Shruti Sharma, who topped the UPSC exam in 2021, is one of the academy's well-known alumni.
NDTV
21-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Jamia Millia Islamia's Free Coaching For UPSC 2026: Key Dates, Eligibility, And More
Jamia Millia Islamia's Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) has started accepting applications for its free UPSC Civil Services Examination coaching programme for the 2026 cycle. The coaching is exclusively for candidates from minority communities, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and women. The last date to apply is May 28, 2025. The programme offers free residential coaching, including a hostel facility, to help aspirants prepare for both the Preliminary and Main stages of the UPSC Civil Services Examination. The application process is online and can be accessed through Jamia Millia Islamia's Free Coaching For UPSC 2026: Key Dates and Schedule Application Deadline: May 28, 2025 Application Editing Window: May 29-30, 2025 Entrance Test (General Studies + Essay): June 15, 2025 Written Test Result (Tentative): July 14, 2025 Interview Round: July 21 - August 2, 2025 Final Selection List: August 8, 2025 Last Date for Admission Formalities: August 18, 2025 The entrance test will be conducted in 12 cities: Delhi, Jaipur, Srinagar, Jammu, Hyderabad, Guwahati, Mumbai, Patna, Kolkata, Lucknow, Bengaluru, and Calicut. The entrance exam will consist of two papers: 1. General Studies (Objective) 2. Essay Writing, modeled after UPSC standards. These will be available in English, Hindi, and Urdu, and aim to test general awareness, logical and critical thinking, and writing skills. The total duration of the test is three hours. Established in 2010 under a UGC scheme, RCA functions under the university's Centre for Coaching and Career Planning (CC&CP). Over the years, it has helped nearly 300 students enter elite services such as the IAS, IPS, and IFS, and over 300 others join organisations like the CAPF, IB, RBI, and various State PSCs. Notably, Shruti Sharma, the UPSC topper of 2021, is among its distinguished alumni. The coaching programme features: Over 500 hours of classroom sessions Mock interviews Interactive sessions with retired civil servants and subject experts Mentorship from successful alumni 24/7 library access, free Wi-Fi, and secure hostel accommodation Number Of Seats There are 100 seats available this year. Hostel accommodation is compulsory, and if there is a shortage, rooms will be allotted based on merit. Admitted students must pay a monthly maintenance fee of Rs 1,000, collected six months in advance (₹6,000) at the time of admission. Female students will submit their fees through the Girls' Hostel/Provost Office. The academy also reserves the right to reduce intake or cancel admission in case of prolonged absenteeism or non-compliance with rules. Application Fee Applicants must pay an application fee of Rs 1,200, plus applicable bank charges. The form must be submitted online only at
NDTV
20-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
ESG Meets The Boardroom: Key Takeaways From The Launch Webinar By NDTV, TERI And Zenora
India's business landscape is entering a pivotal phase - one where sustainability is no longer optional, and leadership must evolve with it. In a bold step forward, NDTV, TERI, and Zenora have jointly launched a Strategic ESG Certification Program for Business Sustainability and Growth, set to begin in July 2025. Designed for CXOs, board members, and ESG/CSR leaders, this 13-week hybrid program blends global frameworks, real-world strategy, and immersive learning to turn ESG from checkbox compliance into a strategic growth lever. Dr Shruti Sharma, of TERI SAS, held a webinar with all the stakeholders where they explored how this initiative is redefining leadership in the age of climate risk, regulatory shifts, and responsible capitalism. At the beginning of the webinar, she talked about "polycrisis", a situation where multiple crises occur simultaneously or in close succession, often with complex and interconnected effects. If you missed the webinar, here's a chance for you to catch it: Backed by thought leaders, educators, and industry experts, the certification blends academic insight with real-world relevance.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Miracle': family reunites in Kashmir after fleeing conflict
Shruti Sharma tearfully hugged her family goodbye and fled her home near the contested border in Kashmir with her three children on the first night of India and Pakistan's worst conflict in decades. She returned home on Wednesday to a rapturous welcome from her mother-in-law and husband after fearing they would be killed by Pakistani strikes and that her house would be destroyed. "I never thought I would return to a home that was still intact," the 37-year-old school teacher from Poonch said. The house is a patchwork of brightly painted rooms, built gradually as the family expanded. A second floor is underway but far from complete. Tens of thousands of people living near India's contested frontier with Pakistan were forced to flee as both countries launched deadly attacks and counter-attacks over four days, starting May 7. But many are returning after the nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday. Poonch, a frontier town in Indian-administered Kashmir that was one of the worst-hit in the attacks. Sharma's home, in a narrow lane hemmed by tightly packed houses, survived the deadly strikes, but several of her neighbours were not so lucky. Her mother-in-law, Champa Devi, who refused to leave, said it was a "miracle" their house was intact and that she and her son survived. "I had resigned to the possibility of not seeing my grandchildren ever again," she said, as her youngest grandson, two-year-old Daksh, zoomed past in a toy car. - 'Night of terror' - "It was a night of terror," Sharma said, recalling the first night of fighting before she fled in a taxi to her sister's house, nearly 300 kilometres (190 miles) away. She said her decision to leave was "for the sake of my children". Sharma's mother, who lives alone a few blocks away, joined them. The 12-hour journey down the mountains saw them being bombarded with phone calls and text messages bringing a spate of bad news. "I got a call from a relative saying that an explosion in a petrol station had killed my nephew," she recalled. "Our cab had stopped there for refuelling barely 10 minutes earlier." At least 15 Indian civilians died in the fighting -- the deadliest between the two South Asian rivals since 1999. It followed an April 22 attack on tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir that killed 26 civilians. India accused Pakistan of backing the "terrorists" it said were responsible for the Pahalgam attack -- a charge Islamabad denied -- and last week launched missiles at sites in Pakistan it said were hosting the militants. - 'The trauma followed us' - Sharma said she was constantly fretting about her husband and in-laws' safety during the week she was away. "We may have been physically far, but the trauma followed us," she said. "I would often wake up in the middle of the night with a feeling of dread." An AFP team joined them for their return journey, a far more relaxed and happy affair. After an early start, the family stopped for breakfast at a small eatery on the highway, where they chatted with other families returning home. The conversations were grim, with many of the exchanges discussing dead relatives or friends. "They have changed Poonch forever," said Sharma's mother Purnima. "You will never know what we have gone through." A packed lunch, chicken curry and rice, was eaten on paper plates in the car. As the sun dipped, the scenery changed from semi-urban plains to more rural and picturesque, pine-dotted valleys, signalling that home was near. "It feels good to be back but there is this lingering apprehension that something will go wrong again," said Sharma. In some areas along the contested frontier that fear pervades, with reports of fresh drone sightings and renewed shelling, forcing some families to flee again. That fear pervades in some parts of the contested frontier where there have been reports of fresh drone sightings and renewed shelling, forcing some people to flee again. The sun was setting when the taxi finally reached Sharma's neighbourhood. Her husband Sanjeev stood outside the narrow lane leading to their home to greet them. His son Daksh immediately jumped into his father's arms. Sharma lugged her suitcase up the alleys, arriving home just in time for evening tea -- their first together in over a week. "I feel alive again," her mother-in-law Champa Devi said. "What is a home anyway without the kids?" Sai/ach/tc
