News / Author / Naresh K Thakur

Naresh K Thakur

Naresh K Thakur is a staff reporter in Hindustan Times’ Himachal bureau. Based at Dharamshala, he covers Tibetan affairs, local politics and environmental issues.

Articles by Naresh K Thakur

Polish paraglider pilot goes missing in Kangra

Some locals had reported spotting him flying over Kareri village, a remote hamlet in the foothills of Dhauladhar, about 25 km northwest of Dharamshala, towards Khari Behi

70-year-old Andrzej Kulawik took off from Billing on Monday and was last seen flying over Kareri village in Kangra. (HT Photo)

cities

Updated on Oct 25, 2023 05:26 AM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Himachal shivers, coldest October day in Keylong since 2007

The average temperatures were down by up to five notches in certain parts in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh

Darcha-Shinkula road was closed for vehicular movement, said Lahaul-Spiti superintendent of police Mayank Chaudhary. (HT File Photo)

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Updated on Oct 18, 2023 07:08 AM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Amid conflict, Israeli tourists in Himachal quietly return home

An eerie silence hangs over the village overlooking Dharamshala as the few left behind are also readying to return

Police said that they were on alert and had reviewed security around Dharamkot. (HT File)

cities

Published on Oct 09, 2023 10:50 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Monsoon at its tail end, Himachal gets 20% excess rains

According to the Monsoon Report 2023 of Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Shimla Centre, monsoon arrived in most parts of Himachal on June 24, 2023. The earliest onset of monsoon in over a decade was on June 9, 2000, and the most delayed arrival on July 5, 2010. The rain surplus was 19% in June and a record 75% in July whereas August and September were 4% and 42% rain deficit, respectively.

With south-west monsoon retreated from most parts of the state, Himachal Pradesh this season has recorded 20% surplus rains getting actual seasonal rainfall of 884.8mm against a normal of 734.4mm. (PTI File Photo)

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Updated on Oct 03, 2023 08:32 AM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

After lull, rain returns to Himachal Pradesh from September 14-16

Meteorological dept forecasts heavy to very heavy rain in pockets of Chamba, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Kullu, Mandi, Solan and Sirmaur districts over next three days; monsoon likely to withdraw from state after September 24

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at landslide-hit Summer Hill in Shimla on Wednesday. Twenty people had died in the rain-triggered landslide on August 14. (ANI Photo)

cities

Published on Sep 13, 2023 03:03 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur

Manimahesh pilgrimage begins in Himachal on Janmashtami

The commencing of the Manimahesh pilgrimage to the glacier-fed Manimahesh Lake, located at a height of 13,500 feet in Budhil valley of Pir-Panjal range, coincides with Janmashtami, the festival celebrating Lord Krishna’s birth

Every year, hundreds of pilgrims from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and others parts of the country trek to the oval-shaped lake to catch a glimpse of Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva. (HT File Photo)

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Updated on Sep 07, 2023 04:35 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Despite monsoon fury, Himachal sees 4% rain deficit in August

This July was the second-wettest since 1980, receiving 437.5 mm rain against the normal of 255.9mm, a 71% surplus from usual

Himachal Pradesh recorded 4% deficit rain in August with the state getting 247.6 mm rainfall against a normal of 256.8mm (HT File)

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Updated on Sep 01, 2023 11:42 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

IAF choppers fly people to safety in disaster-hit Himachal

The state government had sought IAF’s help in carrying ration and medicines to the people stranded in remote villages of Thunag and Bali Chowki sub-divisions after the road connectivity was severed due to landslides

IAF helicopters delivered more than 1,000 ration kits, comprising rice, pulses, flour and spices (Western Air Command)

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Updated on Aug 27, 2023 11:11 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Himachal rain: NDRF rescues 51 stranded villagers in Mandi district

Landslides and flash floods triggered by a cloudburst had cut off Kholanala and Shehnu Gouni villages in Bali Chowki sub division of Mandi district

A National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team during a rescue operation carried out in the remote Shehnu Gouni village of Bali Chowki sub division in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday evening. (HT Photo)

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Updated on Aug 25, 2023 01:11 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur

Himachal rain: 500 vehicles stranded after Kullu-Mandi highway blocked near Pandoh

Weather office has issued a yellow alert across the state today, while an orange alert has been sounded for Wednesday and Thursday

Vehicles stranded after the Kullu-Mandi national highway was blocked near Pandoh Dam on Tuesday following heavy rain overnight. (HT Photo)

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Updated on Aug 22, 2023 10:48 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur

Toll in Himachal rains rises to 80, CM declares state calamity

At least 80 people have died in rain-related incidents in Himachal Pradesh, India. The state government has declared the damage caused by heavy rainfall as a state calamity. Rescue operations are ongoing and the estimated loss is ₹10,000 crore. The Indian Institute of Advance Studies in Shimla has also been affected by the heavy rains.

Search and rescue operation underway at the landslide-affected areas of Shimla on Friday. (ANI)

india news

Updated on Aug 19, 2023 12:11 AM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Himachal rain: Shimla landslide toll climbs to 16, five still missing

A joint rescue operation by the Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is underway in Kangra to evacuate people stranded after excess water released from Pong Dam flooded downstream areas in Fatehpur and Indora sub divisions.

Search and rescue operation underway at a landslide-affected area of Shimla on Friday. (ANI Photo)

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Updated on Aug 19, 2023 01:02 AM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Rescue ops underway in Kangra, 309 more evacuated

Out of these, 228 people were airlifted and 81 were rescued using boats; more than 30 people were rescued late on Wednesday

DRF personnel rescue residents stranded in flood-affected areas of Tiora village in Kangra district. (PTI)

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Updated on Aug 17, 2023 10:36 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Himachal flood: IAF, army evacuate stranded villagers in Kangra district

Pong Dam on the Beas received an all-time high inflow of 7.3 lakh cusecs of water on Monday, resulting in the level in the reservoir crossing the permissible limit of 1,390 feet following which the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) opened floodgates, inundating villages in Indora and Fatehpur sub divisions

A video grab of a woman being rescued by the Indian Air Force during an operation to evacuate stranded residents in flood-hit Kangra district on Wednesday. (PTI Photo)

cities

Updated on Aug 16, 2023 02:46 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur

Himachal, Uttarakhand battered by heavy rain; dozens killed

At least 52 people were killed in landslides and flooding caused by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh, while 13 are dead or missing in Uttarakhand. The torrential downpour destroyed buildings, washed away vehicles, and disrupted key road and rail links. The states were hit by floods and extreme rainfall in July as well. Major highways were blocked, and the historic Kalka-Shimla railway track was damaged. The devastating weather events serve as a reminder of the impact of the climate crisis and the need to protect the Himalayan ecosystem.

Buildings washed away in Mandi in Himachal Pradesh after torrential rains. (REUTERS)

india news

Updated on Aug 14, 2023 10:48 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Shimla

Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane highway thrown open for traffic

The Kiratpur-Nerchowk section of the Kiratpur-Manali four lane highway has been opened on a trial basis, while a formal inauguration will be held later

Trucks plying on the Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane highway on Sunday. (HT File)

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Updated on Aug 07, 2023 01:16 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

This July was Himachal’s second wettest in four decades

From the onset of monsoon on June 24 to July-end, natural disasters across Himachal claimed 190 lived and caused losses worth ₹5,691.79 crore

Himachal Pradesh received a 71% excess rainfall this July. (HT File)

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Updated on Aug 02, 2023 01:11 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Himachal monsoon: Debris dumping worsened flooding in Manali, Mandi

Apart from illegal mining, construction and deforestation, the recent destruction was due to debris dumping along river banks by builders and companies as they went about executing road widening, tunneling and hydel projects.

The recent flash floods and landslides that caused large-scale destruction in Himachal Pradesh, particularly in Kullu and Mandi districts, was the fallout of natural and manmade factors. (HT Photo)

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Updated on Jul 29, 2023 06:52 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

BSF jawan held for faking death to evade loan repayment in Himachal Pradesh

Addicted to online gaming, 32-year-old jawan says he was in debt so decided to leave skeletal remains in car before setting it ablaze in secluded area of Chamba; three weeks on, police catch him travelling from Bengaluru to Chennai in friend’s truck

Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Amit Rana, 32, from Nurpur in Kangra district, was arrested for faking his death to evade loan repayment. (HT Photo)

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Updated on Jul 21, 2023 02:45 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur

Selling daily-use items at inflated prices to invite strict action, Manali authorities warn

While there were instances of locals extending help to those stranded in Manali in view of the flash floods, complaints of some shopkeepers charging exorbitant rates for daily-use items and lodging also came to fore

Authorities have issued a warning to Manali-based shopkeepers of strict penalties against selling daily-use items at inflated prices. (HT File)

cities

Updated on Jul 20, 2023 12:44 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

One killed in Himachal flash floods, toll in rain fury at 122

Central teams will arrive in Himachal to take stock of flood-affected areas on Tuesday. A team will visit Mandi, Kullu and Manali, while another will tour Shimla, Solan and Kinnaur districts to assess the damage. Both teams are expected to stay in the state till July 22

Heavy rain, cloudbursts and landslides have claimed 122 lives and caused widespread damage across the state since June 24. (PTI)

india news

Updated on Jul 18, 2023 01:08 AM IST

ByGaurav Bisht, Naresh K Thakur, Shimla/dharamshala

Flash flood in Kullu claims life, leaves 3 injured

Nine vehicles swept away, house damaged and road connectivity snapped at Kayas village in Raison area of Kullu; livestock casualty due to unseasonal cold and snow in Spiti’s Pin Valley; school holidays extended

The cloudburst on Monday left a trail of destruction at Neoli village in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. Nine vehicles were swept away in the deluge that claimed a life at Kayas village in the district. (HT Photo)

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Updated on Jul 18, 2023 11:48 AM IST

ByGaurav Bisht, Naresh K Thakur, Shimla/dharamshala

Himachal Pradesh on alert, IMD predicts heavy rainfall for 3 days

MeT warns of flash floods along watershed areas and other channels in rain-ravaged Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur

A view of flood-ravaged Manali town in Kullu district on Friday. Isolated spells of heavy to very heavy rainfall are forecast in Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Solan, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Sirmaur from July 15 to 17. (HT photo)

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Updated on Jul 14, 2023 10:28 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Himachal on yellow alert, braces for another spell of heavy rain

Weatherman forecasts heavy rainfall in Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Solan, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Sirmaur districts till July 17

Vehicles on the Beas riverbed in the flood-ravaged tourist town of Manali in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh on Friday. The vehicles were swept away in the surging waters of the Beas after heavy rain in the area on July 9 and 10. (HT Photo)

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Updated on Jul 14, 2023 12:23 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur

Floods in Himachal leave trail of destruction

While rescue operations are on in full swing, the hill state of Himachal Pradesh continues to count loss of life and property caused by the devastating floods

Massive devastation happened in the areas having high infrastructure development such as hydel project, hill cutting for widening of roads and destruction of forest cover for infrastructure projects (PTI)

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Updated on Jul 13, 2023 01:09 AM IST

ByChetan Chauhan/ Gaurav Bisht/Naresh K Thakur, New Delhi/shimla/dharamshala

Mindless concretisation behind Himachal Pradesh’s flash floods, landslides

Experts said that the high impact of the rains was due to several factors such as proliferation of hydel projects, infrastructure development.

Destruction in the Thunag area of Mandi district. (HT PHOTO)

india news

Updated on Jul 13, 2023 04:13 AM IST

ByChetan Chauhan, Gaurav Bisht, Naresh K Thakur, New Delhi/shimla/dharamshala

Explainer: Goat plague sends alarm bells ringing in Himachal Pradesh

Caused by a morbillivirus, the common symptoms of the disease are diarrhoea and pneumonia affecting the lungs

Himachal Pradesh animal husbandry authorities swung into action after at least 60 sheep and goats of nomadic ‘gaddis’ (shepherds) died and 250 animals fell sick in the highland pastures of Lahaul-Spiti due to Peste Des Petits Ruminants, a highly contagious viral disease. (File photo)

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Updated on Jul 05, 2023 10:50 PM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur

Artist Sobha Singh’s biography to hit stands on July 9

Authored by his grandson Hirday Paul Singh, the book has 12 chapters, 32 colour plates and a treasure trove of information about Sobha Singh, which was previously unavailable in the public domain

Through the book, people will get to know about his efforts to revive Dogra and Kangra School of painting with “Kangra Kala Kendr” and “Kangra Kala Utsav”, said Hirday. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

cities

Updated on Jul 01, 2023 12:37 AM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala

Heavy rain forecast in Himachal Pradesh, advisory for tourists

Tourists recall ‘nightmare’ of being stranded for 22 hours in traffic jams on Mandi-Manali highway, accuse food joint owners en route of overcharging.

The Chandigarh-Manali highway was blocked after a landslide near Pandoh in Mandi district for 22 hours till traffic was restored on Monday night. (Birbal Sharma/HT)

cities

Updated on Jun 28, 2023 06:27 AM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur

Monsoon Fury: 4 more dead, Mandi-Kullu highway blocked for 20 hours

Heavy rains continue to lash state, triggering landslips in many areas; 83 roads, including two national highways, blocked

The blocked Kullu-Manali road on Monday. (Birbal Sharma/HT)

cities

Updated on Jun 27, 2023 06:06 AM IST

ByNaresh K Thakur, Dharamshala/mandi

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Naresh K Thakur

Naresh K Thakur is a staff reporter in Hindustan Times’ Himachal bureau. Based at Dharamshala, he covers Tibetan affairs, local politics and environmental issues.

Some locals had reported spotting him flying over Kareri village, a remote hamlet in the foothills of Dhauladhar, about 25 km northwest of Dharamshala, towards Khari Behi

The average temperatures were down by up to five notches in certain parts in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh

An eerie silence hangs over the village overlooking Dharamshala as the few left behind are also readying to return

Meteorological dept forecasts heavy to very heavy rain in pockets of Chamba, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Kullu, Mandi, Solan and Sirmaur districts over next three days; monsoon likely to withdraw from state after September 24

The commencing of the Manimahesh pilgrimage to the glacier-fed Manimahesh Lake, located at a height of 13,500 feet in Budhil valley of Pir-Panjal range, coincides with Janmashtami, the festival celebrating Lord Krishna’s birth

This July was the second-wettest since 1980, receiving 437.5 mm rain against the normal of 255.9mm, a 71% surplus from usual

The state government had sought IAF’s help in carrying ration and medicines to the people stranded in remote villages of Thunag and Bali Chowki sub-divisions after the road connectivity was severed due to landslides

Landslides and flash floods triggered by a cloudburst had cut off Kholanala and Shehnu Gouni villages in Bali Chowki sub division of Mandi district

Weather office has issued a yellow alert across the state today, while an orange alert has been sounded for Wednesday and Thursday

A joint rescue operation by the Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is underway in Kangra to evacuate people stranded after excess water released from Pong Dam flooded downstream areas in Fatehpur and Indora sub divisions.

Out of these, 228 people were airlifted and 81 were rescued using boats; more than 30 people were rescued late on Wednesday

The Kiratpur-Nerchowk section of the Kiratpur-Manali four lane highway has been opened on a trial basis, while a formal inauguration will be held later

From the onset of monsoon on June 24 to July-end, natural disasters across Himachal claimed 190 lived and caused losses worth ₹5,691.79 crore

Apart from illegal mining, construction and deforestation, the recent destruction was due to debris dumping along river banks by builders and companies as they went about executing road widening, tunneling and hydel projects.

Addicted to online gaming, 32-year-old jawan says he was in debt so decided to leave skeletal remains in car before setting it ablaze in secluded area of Chamba; three weeks on, police catch him travelling from Bengaluru to Chennai in friend’s truck

While there were instances of locals extending help to those stranded in Manali in view of the flash floods, complaints of some shopkeepers charging exorbitant rates for daily-use items and lodging also came to fore

Central teams will arrive in Himachal to take stock of flood-affected areas on Tuesday. A team will visit Mandi, Kullu and Manali, while another will tour Shimla, Solan and Kinnaur districts to assess the damage. Both teams are expected to stay in the state till July 22

Nine vehicles swept away, house damaged and road connectivity snapped at Kayas village in Raison area of Kullu; livestock casualty due to unseasonal cold and snow in Spiti’s Pin Valley; school holidays extended

MeT warns of flash floods along watershed areas and other channels in rain-ravaged Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur

Weatherman forecasts heavy rainfall in Chamba, Kangra, Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Solan, Una, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Sirmaur districts till July 17

While rescue operations are on in full swing, the hill state of Himachal Pradesh continues to count loss of life and property caused by the devastating floods

Experts said that the high impact of the rains was due to several factors such as proliferation of hydel projects, infrastructure development.

Caused by a morbillivirus, the common symptoms of the disease are diarrhoea and pneumonia affecting the lungs

Authored by his grandson Hirday Paul Singh, the book has 12 chapters, 32 colour plates and a treasure trove of information about Sobha Singh, which was previously unavailable in the public domain

Tourists recall ‘nightmare’ of being stranded for 22 hours in traffic jams on Mandi-Manali highway, accuse food joint owners en route of overcharging.

Heavy rains continue to lash state, triggering landslips in many areas; 83 roads, including two national highways, blocked

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