VIVEK SHUKLA
The writer is a Delhi-based senior journalist and author of two books ‘Gandhi's Delhi: April 12, 1915-January 30, 1948 and Beyond’ and ‘Dilli Ka Pehla Pyar - Connaught Place’
Posts by: VIVEK SHUKLA
Before Jewar, a journey that began at Safdarjung
With Noida International Airport at Jewar set to open, it is an opportune moment to look back at nearly a century of aviation in Delhi-NCR — from Safdarjung’s early airfield to Palam and IGI — and how the region’s skies have steadily expanded
Food, faith and equality: the story of bhandaras in Delhi
Across Delhi-NCR, especially during Navratras and Ramzan, bhandaras, which trace their roots to a Punjabi Dilliwala, have become a common sight, bringing together people from different backgrounds through shared meals and reflecting the culture of community service, participation, and informal support networks
Delhi’s government colonies face the twilight
Lodhi Colony, the DIZ Area and Sadiq Nagar—three long-standing Central government housing colonies—are set for redevelopment as the Centre plans modern high-rise complexes. As demolition approaches, residents and former occupants recall decades of history, community life and memories tied to these once-quiet neighbourhoods
Lutyens out, time to honour city’s faceless makers
After the removal of Edwin Lutyens’ bust from Rashtrapati Bhavan, voices grow louder for honouring the thousands of labourers and contractors who built the capital between 1911 and 1931, arguing that true independence lies in recognising their sweat, skill and sacrifice
After Lutyens, a changing colonial landscape
With Edwin Lutyens’s statue now removed from Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi’s evolving relationship with its imperial past comes into sharper focus. As colonial symbols are relocated or replaced, questions arise about memory, legacy and the spaces they once defined
Stand. Serve. Survive — The untold lives of AIIMS security guards
As thousands stream into AIIMS every day, crowds, conflicts and crises are quietly managed by a team of security guards. Speaking to Patriot, two guards share their long hours, modest pay and the dignity they find in keeping India’s premier hospital running
Sun sets on a royal legacy in Delhi
The likely Rs 1,000 crore sale of the Tehri Garhwal House, former royal residence on Bhagwan Das Road, signals the end of an era for one of Lutyens’ Delhi’s landmark estates, where princely legacy, political history and modern real estate now converge
AI Summit in Delhi: echoes of home for world leaders
At the India AI Impact Summit 2026, visiting presidents from France, Sri Lanka and Brazil encountered symbols in Delhi that mirror their own national histories — from war memorials and sacred trees to shared grief and cultural memory