Young Water Governance Scholar Among 21 Killed in Deadly Delhi Guest House Fire

Shrutika Baranwal, 25, a postgraduate from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai, had travelled to the national capital earlier this week to complete induction formalities for a job she had secured through campus placement. The visit was meant to be a brief professional engagement before she returned to begin the next chapter of her career. Instead, it ended in tragedy.

Baranwal, a native of Bokaro in Jharkhand, had completed her Master's degree in Water Policy and Governance and was awaiting the formal conferment of her degree at an upcoming convocation ceremony. She had recently been recruited by the Rubber, Chemical, and Polymer Skill Development Council and was reportedly enthusiastic about the opportunity.

According to her friend and batchmate Aman Singh, Baranwal was speaking on the telephone when the fire erupted inside the property.

“I cannot forget those screams,” Singh recalled.

Singh said contact with Baranwal was suddenly lost during the call. After repeated attempts to reconnect failed, she contacted another acquaintance familiar with Baranwal's accommodation in Delhi, and together they informed the police.

“Within a few minutes, they called and informed us about the fire,” Singh said.

Following the confirmation of the incident, Baranwal's family and relatives residing in Delhi were immediately informed.

Friends and colleagues remembered her as an energetic, compassionate, and dedicated individual. Ritika Agrawal, 25, who shared accommodation with Baranwal for a year at TISS, described her as someone who embraced life with resilience and positivity.

“Even if she went wrong, she would take it sportingly. She was a safe space and a great listener. She was visiting Delhi for office work,” Agrawal said.

Faculty members also highlighted her academic commitment and professional potential. Pranjal Deekshit, Chairperson of the TISS Centre for Water Policy and Governance, described her as a sincere student who actively participated in academic and field initiatives.

“She had secured a placement and was excited. She was doing great work in the area of groundwater preservation. Her Master's dissertation on shallow aquifer management in Dhanbad was well appreciated by faculty as well as those working in the field,” Deekshit said.

Eklavya Prasad, Managing Trustee of Megh Pyne Abhiyan, an organisation working in the Dhanbad region, supervised her dissertation research and praised her dedication to fieldwork.

“Her work and involvement in the field work were really commendable. She was not working to tick boxes, but with complete interest and purpose, wanting to bring about a change, and with a spark we require in the social sector,” Prasad said.

Friends and fellow students gathered in Mumbai on Thursday for a condolence meeting to pay tribute to Baranwal and remember her contributions, aspirations, and commitment to social development.

The fire ranks among the deadliest incidents in the national capital in recent years. The tragedy has triggered renewed scrutiny of building safety regulations in densely populated neighbourhoods where commercial and residential activities operate within the same structures.

Authorities have arrested the owner of the property, and multiple agencies, including the Delhi Disaster Management Authority and fire services, have launched investigations into the cause of the blaze and potential safety violations.

Officials confirmed that at least 12 foreign nationals were among the 21 people who lost their lives in the disaster.

The deaths of Shrutika Baranwal and the other victims have intensified concerns over fire safety enforcement and regulatory compliance, as investigators continue efforts to determine how a routine stay at the guest facility turned into one of Delhi's most devastating fire tragedies in recent years.