Ajmal Foundation’s Super 40 program started with a science topper in board exams (2018) and later prepared students for medical and engineering exams.
Representative image.
New Delhi:
All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) President Badruddin Ajmal’s integrated educational program with a special focus on students from underprivileged background has fought against all odds to deliver great results in competitive exams such as NEET/ JEE(Main)/(Advance).
On Saturday the MP tweeted: “More than 100 students from our 2-years Integrated Coaching Programme have cleared NEET this year, of which 80+ students likely to get admission in MBBS. My heartfelt thanks to the faculty and other staff members associated with Ajmal Super 40 programme and Ajmal Group of Colleges (sic).”
Badruddin Ajmal was referring to the Ajmal Foundation’s Super 40 program that started with a science topper in board exams (2018) and later prepared students for medical and engineering exams. Eleven students cleared NEET (2019), and more than 100 students cleared NEET in 2020 with 80-plus getting admissions in MBBS.
According to the director of Ajmal Foundation, Khasrul Islam, from 11 students clearing the exam in 2019 to over 80 likely to get admission in MBBS this time, “the result over the year is speaking for itself on how commitment and dedication of teachers and students can make all the difference.”
This year in JEE (Advanced) and (Mains) there were 7 and 18 students clearing the exams, respectively.
The students’ response to Super 40 has been overwhelming over the years. “After seeing the keenness among them to study for medical and engineering, the Foundation increased the sponsored participants from 40 to 160 (80 girls and 80 boys),” he said.
Islam said the key feature of the integrated program is its teachers with most of them being non-Muslims. “About 75% of the teachers are non-Muslims and their dedication is the life of the program. They are committed and available to clear all doubts of the students, who are majorly Muslims, almost 75%”, said Islam.
The Ajmal Foundation is a registered public charitable trust, established in the year 2005 at Hojai, Assam, India. It has 25 educational institutions all over the state of Assam. “The organisation has been working in the fields of modern education, skill development and employment generation, women empowerment, poverty alleviation, relief and rehabilitation, and environmental awareness and health aid programs,” states its official website.
The trustees of the foundation are committed to undertake multifarious schemes and projects in various parts of the country to “serve the downtrodden section of the society.”
source: http://www.news18.com / News18 / Home> News18> India / by Eram Agha / October 18th, 2020
Amid conflict, Basit Khan was forced to leave Pulwama to pursue his studies.
The Kashmir Valley’s most troubled and militancy-affected Pulwama district has earned a new distinction — that of being home to J&K’s National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) topper, Basit Bilal Khan. The 18-year-old Khan scored 695 marks out of 720.
“My parents had shifted me from Pulwama three years ago to Srinagar. I was insulated from what was happening in my district, whether favourable or unfavourable. It did contribute to my success,” Mr. Khan told The Hindu.
On the Internet ban and slow connectivity in J&K, Mr. Khan said students in Kashmir need to find new ways and means to achieve their goals.
“If your goal is important to you, find ways rather than excuses. We are not having favourable conditions for many many years now. We should be prepared to face the tough conditions, as we may face more hardships,” he said.
Advisor to the Lieutenant-Governor, Farooq Khan, felicitated Mr. Khan for his “historic feat of securing 99.98 percentile in the NEET-2020 exam”.
“I hope he (Khan) would inspire many other youth from the region to crack other prestigious exams in order to serve the society in the best possible way so that their energy would be utilized for the development of the nation,” the official said.
National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah also congratulated the topper.
“The-18-year-old boy has proved the youth of Kashmir are second to none in academic excellence and chasing dreams for a better tomorrow. If students like Bilal can do it despite all challenges due to the prevailing situation, other students can do it as well,” Dr. Abdullah said.
Karthik Reddy, who bagged 710 out of 720 marks, was the State topper. | Photo Credit: special arrangement
He is a student of Shaheen Pre-University College
Of the 89,359 candidates who appeared for the UG National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2020 from Karnataka, 61.56% have qualified. This is a 1.69% drop from the previous year where 63.25% of 1.02 lakh candidates had qualified.
The percentage of students who have qualified for the test in the State is higher than the national average of 56.44%.
The success of two students from Shaheen Pre-University College in Bidar is significant. Karthik Reddy, who bagged 710 out of 720 marks, was the State topper. He secured the ninth All India Rank, and is the only person in Karnataka in the top 50.
“So many doctors are COVID-19 warriors who are putting their lives at risk. Their dedication is commendable,” he said.
Karthik decided he wanted to become a doctor when he was in class 10, and wants to study in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. “I prepared for eight to 10 hours every day from class 11 onwards, and used the lockdown period to solve mock test papers every day,” he said.
Humble background
Arbaz Ahmed, who is also from Shaheen PU College, secured 700 marks. He is the son of a lorry driver who had lost his limbs in a mishap.
NEET was postponed due to the pandemic and was conducted to September 13. A re-exam was conducted on October 14 for candidates who had missed the test due to the pandemic. As many as 1,005 candidates in the State had registered for the test in Kannada medium.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Karnataka Bureau / October 16th, 2020
Sheikh Mohammed Abbas candidly admits that his in-laws at Kolkata supported him financially during the tough times
Sheikh Mohammed Abbas and his wife Rizia with their children. (Photo | EPS)
Rourkela :
Soyeb Aftab has wowed the entire country with his phenomenal performance in the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET)-2020 scoring a perfect 720 out of 720.
However, behind his extraordinary feat lies the struggle and resolve of his parents Sheikh Mohammed Abbas and Sultana Rizia who despite their limited means ensured their children got the best education.
Abbas and his wife Rizia made all the compromises and sacrifices for their children, Soyeb and his 10-year-old sister Alisha, who studies in Class V. Alisha is also a brilliant student.
Abbas, a graduate said he and his wife laid the foundation for a bright future for their children 20 years back when on his insistence, Rizia, with Soyeb in her womb completed her graduation.
“My orthodox family was adamant on not allowing Rizia to study further after marriage. We moved away from my family and stayed separately for eight-and-a-half years. In the meanwhile, Rizia gave birth to Soyeb and completed her graduation from Burdwan University by travelling frequently from Rourkela to West Bengal,” he said. Since then the couple has left no stones unturned to provide an ideal environment to their children for their studies.
As a businessman, Abbas often saw many ups and downs but he did not let adversities come in the way of his children’s future. He recently switched to construction work from loose tea leaf trade.
During lockdown, there was no work and then the earning started dipping drastically.
Abbas candidly admits that his in-laws at Kolkata supported him financially during the tough times.
Rizia said her struggle to complete graduation inspired her to give the best of education to her children. She along with Soyeb and Alisha had moved to Kota, Rajasthan in 2018 where the siblings took admission at Sarvodaya School.
Soyeb also pursued medical coaching at Allen Career Institute in the town. Abbas’ childhood friend Afroz Ahmed said the businessman’s resolve and determination helped him stay all alone in the city for two years.S
Visitors look at the vast range of antique utensils and other items exhibited from the collection of Ponnacchana Madhu in Madikeri on Friday.
Madikeri, KARNATAKA :
She was speaking after inaugurating the exhibition of antique items from the collection of Ponnacchana Madhu at Coffee Krupa building near Raja Seat in Madikeri on Friday. The exhibition a part of Janapada Dasara, was organised by Taluk Janapada Parishat.
“The items that were used by our ancestors had scientific applications. Some utensils in the older days were designed to improve the health of people. Unfortunately, the young generation is forgetting the significance of the livelihood of their ancestors,” she added.
Zilla Janapada Parishat president B G Anantashayana said that the folklore was close to nature. Folklore is a form of knowledge. But, the modernity has been taking us away from this knowledge, he added.
Taluk Janapada Parishat president Anil H T said that Ponnacchana Madhu, the exhibitor, had collected rare items in the last three years.
These items will be on display till October 26. The work by Madhu and Preethu couple is laudable, he added.
Collector and Exhibitor Ponnacchana Madhu said that he purchased old items in the households, after convincing the elders in the houses. Many tourists have been willing to purchase them from me. However, they are not for sale. The collection began with an old lamp contributed by an old lady called Arifa Munavar, a scrap dealer in Madikeri.
Taluk Janapada Parishat Treasurer Ambekal Navin Kushalappa, Parishat Directors Savita Rakesh and Veenakshi were present.
Exquisite collection
The collection showcases traditional weapons, a 120-year-old mud bowl, an ancient lamp from a temple in Tamilnadu with 84 diyas, puja items, African dolls, bronze items, utensils, coffee grinding machines and so on.
The agricultural equipment are an added attraction.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State / by DHNS, Madikeri / October 17th, 2020
Among the Muslims who figured in NEET 2020 Merit List is Shoyeb Aftab who got All India Rank 1 (AIR 1).
NEET 2020:
In a remarkable display of success against challenging conditions as many as 06 Muslims have figured in the Merit List of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG 2020) released today.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) had conducted National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET UG 2020) on September 13 and October 14, 2020. It declared its result today i.e. Friday October 16.
Among the Muslims who figured in NEET 2020 Merit List is Shoyeb Aftab (Soyeb Aftab as mentioned in the NTA list and Shoaib Aftab as normally the name is spelled) who got All India Rank 1 (AIR 1).
Shoyeb is first from Odisha to bag the top position in the important medical entrance exam.
Other Muslims who figured in the NEET 2020 AIR List are:
Aysha S of Kerala (710 Marks, Air 12), Shaik Kothapalli Arfath Khadeer of Andhra Pradesh (710 marks, Air 18), Sanish Ahammed of Kerala (705 marks, Air 25), Farheen K S of Kerala (710 marks, AIR 66), and Mohd SadiqAnsar of Uttar Pradesh who got 8th rank in the list of (Pwd) Toppers.
Among other toppers, Akanksha Singh has also scored 720 marks and secured AIR 2.
Tummala Snikitha, Vineet Sharma, Amrisha Khaitan and Guthi Chaitanya Sindhu secured 715 out of 720 marks and got AIR 3, AIR 4, AIR 5 and AIR 6 position.
The NEET result was originally scheduled to be declared on Oct 12. NTA however announced that it will declare the result on Friday at 04:00 pm. The result however was delayed by few hours and released late in the evening.
A total of 15,974,35 students had registered for NEET 2020. But, only 13,669,45 (85.57%) appeared for the exam conducted amidst Corona scare.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Education & Careers / by ummid.com news network / October 16th, 2020
Head of the Indian school in Benghazi, Tabassum Mansoor, led the negotiations with militants in Libya
Tabassum Mansoor
After almost a month of tense negotiations, the hostage situation involving seven Indians in Libya came to an end with their release on October 11.
In the absence of a resident Ambassador in the country, the delicate task of ensuring the safe release of the Indians workers with Al Shola Al Mudea energy company, fell to Tabassum Mansoor, the Principal of the city’s Indian school and a long-term resident of Bengazhi.
The seven men were abducted by militants at Asshwerif while they were on their way to the airport in Tripoli on September 14. A source with knowledge of the operation said the rescue would not have been possible but for Ms. Mansoor, who carried out negotiations with the militants through the Libyan authorities and tribal elders.
Ms. Mansoor, 59, who was born in Gorakhpur, has been in Benghazi for more than three decades. She has mentored the Indian school in Benghazi and it has emerged as the only Indian-led English-medium educational centre in the city.
Recognition for her long-standing commitment to education amid difficult circumstances came from the Libyan authorities when she was inducted as a member of the National Education Council of Libya. Her work in the larger Indian community first came into the spotlight for her efforts during the 2011 evacuation of nearly 3,000 Indians from Benghazi when the city witnessed intense fighting between pro- and anti-Qadhafi forces.
This time too, Ms. Mansoor swung into action when requested by the Indian authorities.
“I can’t explain the terrible time we have been through. We had initially given up hope of seeing Umed again. But it was at that time that we found strength and support from Tabassumji. The Indian Embassy in Tunis provided excellent diplomatic support, but Tabassum Madam handled the local negotiations to free our people,” said an emotional Firoz, brother-in-law of Umed, one of the seven Indians, in an online interview.
Local recognition helped
The local recognition helped the principal in the talks to ensure the safe release of the Indians. Ms. Mansoor declined to speak about her role when The Hindu reached out to her. But a source familiar with the developments said the negotiation with the militants was extremely risky as they are known to be unpredictable. As the negotiations reached their conclusion, Ms. Mansoor went personally to Brega with Libyan security officials where the captors handed over the Indians.
The Libyan support to the Indian-led initiative were lauded by the External Affairs Ministry which expressed “sincere thanks to the Libyan authorities and the tribal elders from the region”.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National / by Kallol Bhattarcherjee / New Delhi – October 14th, 2020
About two months ago, 41-year-old entrepreneur Sabitha AK—founder of Rainbow Women’s Outfits—received an SOS call.
About two months ago, 41-year-old entrepreneur Sabitha AK—founder of Rainbow Women’s Outfits—received an SOS call. The caller, a girl of 23, was inconsolable. Her wedding was in a few days’ time and she was unable to afford a wedding dress. She knew of Sabitha’s eight-year-old boutique that dealt with wedding finery, among other things, and decided to approach her on a whim.
Luck was on her side. Sabitha sent across a beautiful wedding dress with complimentary accessories. All free of cost.
The call got Sabitha thinking. She decided to reach out to her patrons and family through her social media handle to see if she could turn each underprivileged girl’s wedding dreams come true. She was in for a surprise. Her video has got one million views so far.
“The response was overwhelming. Many offered to donate their wedding dress. Bridal wear is mostly a one-time use. It ends up lying in our wardrobes for decades.
Moreover, in the Malabar region weddings last for three to four days.
Expensive outfits are bought for each day. Not many of these see the light of the day again,” she explains, adding that the dresses come from Mumbai, Ernakulam, Kochi, Dubai and even the UK.
She was also pleasantly surprised to get bridal outfits that cost Rs 1 lakh or more.
Now she had the problem of plenty. She decided to open a boutique exclusively for donated outfits, besides the one she runs in Pappinisseri in the coastal city of Kannur, Kerala.
Along with the dresses, many people also donated footwear, purses, jewellery, bed sheets and even makeup sets.
“I have everything a bride may want, and more,” Sabitha smiles. Based on word of mouth, she was inundated with calls from many districts. She has set up outlets in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam, Pattambi, Kasaragod, Kozhikode and Mangaluru.
Those who visit these outlets are allowed to take as many dresses as they want, with no compulsion of returning them. “If they want to return it after using it, it’s up to them. I want them to feel like they own the dress,” says Sabitha.
She has helped around 300 brides in the last couple of months. In fact, one might end up spotting a Sabyasachi or a Ritu Kumar outfit at her boutique. She has also started a free makeup arrangement for brides who come to her.
But Sabitha is wary of being taken for a ride and has made it mandatory for brides to produce a letter from community elders endorsing their need. At the same time, she makes it a rule to maintain the privacy of the brides. It’s all about providing a helping hand. But not in exchange for dignity. A story of Cinderellas in our backyard.
Sabitha has helped around 300 brides in the last couple of months. One might end up spotting a Sabyasachi or a Ritu Kumar outfit at her boutique. She has also started a free makeup arrangement for brides.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Magazine / by Medha Dutta Yadav / October 11th, 2020
Senior cleric, Maulana Wali Rahmani runs Rahmani 30, a movement to provide free coaching to students from economically, socially and educationally backward communities.
This year, the JEE Main results were yet another raging success for the famous ‘Rahmani 30’, with over 137 of its minority students qualifying for the JEE Advanced exams for admissions to India’s premier engineering institutes–like the National Institute of Technology (NITs) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs).
Senior cleric, Maulana Wali Rahmani runs Rahmani 30, a movement to provide free coaching to students from economically, socially and educationally backward communities.
The Rahmani Programme of Excellence includes free residential-cum-coaching programmes for JEE (Main), JEE (Advanced), NEET, chartered accountancy and law entrance exams.
Speaking to The Times of India , Fahad Rahmani, CEO of Rahmani Programme of Excellence, said, “We began in 2008, and till 2017 we have sent 213 students to the IITs. This year’s JEE (Main) results are very encouraging as our overall success rate, including Patna, Hyderabad and Aurangabad centres, is 75% while the Patna centre’s result is 100% (23 out of 23 students).”
The coaching centre which ran in association with Anjuman-I-Islam and financial support from the Memon Chamber of Commerce had coached two batches of JEE aspirants in Mumbai. But unfortunately, the Mumbai centres shut down last year as Anjuman-I-Islam ran into a financial crisis.
Even in the face of the closure of its Mumbai facilities, the authorities weren’t deterred from their will to help students. And so the centre moved to Aurangabad. The programme continues to benefit minority students in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Aurangabad and Chennai.
Rahmani 30 which started with the vision to search, find, house and train deserving students without any stated or implied fees, enrol a student after a screening–this involves a standardised objective written test followed by a behavioural interview for final selection.
Once selected, the students are provided with complete supervised hostel accommodation and nutritious meals during the tenure of coaching.
They are trained with the help of skilled teachers, hired to lecture and demonstrate specialised topics. There is a proper mechanism to measure student progress regularly. Even the lecturer’s progress is measured to maintain transparency between students and the administration and ensure a conducive learning environment. This also helps eliminate any communication issues or cultural misunderstandings and address student grievances.
The students are also thoroughly assisted through the process of applying for various standardised examinations.
As per TOI, over 17 students from the Aurangabad centre have qualified for JEE (Advanced) exams this year. There is hope for the revival of the Mumbai centre nonetheless as activists come together and request Muslim philanthropists and businesspersons to come forward and facilitate it.
(Edited by Shruti Singhal)
source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India / Home> The Better Home / by Jovia Aranha / May 02nd, 2018
Gujarat, INDIA / Blackburn (Lancashire) UNITED KINGDOM:
Mohsin Issa, 49, and brother Zuber, 48, stunned the City by being named as lead bidders for fight to buy Asda
Walmart, chain’s US owner, announced they had accepted bid from duo today but will retain a minority stake
Last stage of extraordinary rags to riches story that began with them taking over single petrol station in Bury
It comes more than a year after planned merger between Asda and Sainsbury’s was torpedoed by regulators
Two self-made billionaire petrol tycoon brothers have agreed to buy Asda from Walmart for £6.8billion to bring the supermarket back under British control.
Mohsin Issa, 49, and his brother Zuber, 48, from Blackburn, stunned the City by being named as lead bidders to take over the retail giant alongside private equity firm TDR Capital, and concluded the deal today.
The new owners have committed to keeping the retailer’s headquarters in Leeds and said they will invest to grow its convenience and online operations. Walmart will retain a minority stake in Asda as part of the agreement.
It is the latest stage in the brothers’ extraordinary rags to riches story, which saw them turn a single petrol station in Bury into an empire of 5,900 branches.
The duo, whose parents came to Britain from India ‘with nothing’, built EG Group – previously known as Euro Garages – from one site bought for £150,000 in 2001 into a £9billion giant employing 44,000 staff.
Today’s deal comes more than a year after a proposed merger between Asda and UK supermarket rival Sainsbury’s was torpedoed by regulators.
Mohsin Issa, 49, (left) and his brother Zuber, 48, whose parents came to Britain from India ‘with nothing’, today emerged as the winners of the battle to buy Asda The brothers holding trophies at an awards ceremony in London in 2018, which saw them named EY Entrepreneur of the Year
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The billionaire Issa brothers brothers and the rise and rise of EG Group
1970s – Mohsin and Zuber Issa’s parents arrive to the UK from Gujurat, India and the brothers are born not long afterwards in Blackburn, Lancashire.
They work at their parents’ petrol station before it closes.
2001 – The brothers buy their first filling station in Bury, Greater Manchester.
2015 – Private equity firm TDR Capital acquire a 50% stake in their Euro Garages chain.
2017 – Euro Garages buys EFR Group, a Dutch-based forecourt operator, and is renamed EG Group. The new company buys 1,000 garages from Esso in Germany.
2018 – EG Group announces it will buy 800 Kroger convenience stores in the US before buying 1,200 sites in Italy from Esso. Later that year it buys 97 fuel stations in the Netherlands and 540 from the Australian retailer Woolworths.
2019 – In another US expansion, EG buys 54 Fastrac sites in the US and 69 from Certified Oil.
2020 – EG becomes KFC’s largest franchisee in Europe after buying 145 KFC outlets in the UK & Ireland.
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Asda has seen its fortunes improve recently with trading strengthening through 2020, as shoppers have spent more money on groceries during the pandemic.
In the quarter to June, Asda saw online sales double but the new owners will be tasked with expanding its digital business further to take advantage of soaring demand and make ground on rivals, such as Tesco, who have a larger slice of the market.
The new owners will also face the challenge of keeping prices low amid tough economic conditions for shoppers and potential new tariffs on EU-imported foods, with the other big four supermarkets all announcing a raft of price cuts in recent months.
EG Group has sealed the deal after its offer was favoured by Walmart ahead of a move by US private equity firm Apollo.
Last week, a third bid from Lone Star Funds, fronted by former Asda executive Paul Mason, was dropped after failing to meet the price of its rivals during the latter stage of bidding.
Walmart sought a sale after the UK’s competition regulator blocked its merger with Sainsbury’s amid fears the move would push up prices and reduce product quality.
The US grocery started new discussions over a sale of Asda in February, but saw these halted due to disruption as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, the auction process restarted in July as Walmart sought to exit the UK, 21 years after first purchasing the Leeds-based retailer.
Blackburn-based EG Group, formerly known as Euro Garages, already runs forecourt convenience stores for Spar and French hypermarket chain Carrefour.
The deal will have to pass through regulators, although it is expected to be given the green light.
Last week, EG Group announced a trial involving three ‘Asda on the Move’ convenience stores at its petrol forecourts.
The £115,000 terraced house where the brothers grew up in Blackburn. They were born in the town after their parents moved from Gujurat, India A wider view of the road in Blackburn where the brothers grew up. Their company is still based in the town They are now worth an estimated £3.56bn, including a £25m Kensington townhouse (pictured) and a private jet that is kept in a hangar at Blackpool Airport alongside Donald Trump’s personal helicopter
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Asda history: How Britain’s third-largest supermarket began as a Yorkshire family butcher
1950s: The Asquith family (W.R. Asquith) open a butcher’s shop in Knottingly, West Yorkshire, which was eventually expanded to seven shops.
1958: They travel to the USA to visit Piggly Wiggly, probably the world’s first supermarket.
1963: The Asquiths open the UK’s first self-service supermarket in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
The first Asda supermarket, which was opened in 1965 in Wakefield, West Yorkshire
965: Peter Asquith built his first new supermarket from scratch, next to a large car park, knowing that cars would change the way people shop. Associated Dairies were employed to run the in-store butchery operation and the name Asda was born by combining ASquith and DAiries.
1966: Asda becomes the first major food store to sell general merchandise.
1968: Associated Dairies buys out the Asquith Brothers.
A newspaper article about one of the first ever Asda stores
1999 Asda is bought by Walmart.
2020 (February): Walmart says it is looking for a buyer.
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The Issa brothers are now worth an estimated £3.56bn, including a £25m Kensington townhouse and a private jet that is kept in a hangar at Blackpool Airport alongside Donald Trump’s personal helicopter.
They are also building five identical mansions just three miles from the £115,000 Blackburn two-up two-down where they were raised. Mohsin is expected to live there with his wife, Shamim with whom he shares two grown-up children.
As the children of immigrants who moved to Blackburn from Gujurat, India, in the 1970s, Mohsin and Zuber Issa – who were born in the former mill town – quickly learned the importance of hard work.
Their first experience of business was selling petrol from their parents’ filling station, where they would have their big idea that would revolutionise the industry and make their millions.
Petrol sales were in decline and fuel duty on the rise, cutting into already wafer-thin fuel margins and leading to hundreds of operators leaving the market.
At the time most garages – if they sold food at all – offered a measly selection of pre-packaged sandwiches, crisps, sweets and chocolate.
But the Issas realised fuel sales still had a purpose in creating a captive market at petrol stations, who could then be offered appetising food rather than the gruel offered elsewhere
The brothers struck franchise agreements with brands including Starbucks, Subway and KFC, before embarking on a buying spree to snap up sites that had previously become vacant.
They now own Europe’s largest forecourt operator, Euro Garages, which in 2019 reported revenues of more than £17.9bn.
The firm is now the largest Subway franchisee in Europe and earlier this year bought a group of 146 KFC stores.
Describing the secret of their success, Zuber told the Financial Times: ‘We wanted to create a destination where you could get fuel, food-to-go and shopping.
‘This is the formula and it works.
‘We were fortunate that the big players were leaving the market just as we were growing.’
TDR Capital – a London investment firm behind We Buy Any Car and David Lloyd gyms – bought a 50% stake in EG Group in 2015. The Issas retain the remaining 50%.
This prompted a debt-fuelled buying spree that saw the brothers buy thousands of new sites and expand into eight other countries around the world.
‘They never in their wildest dreams would have imagined 5,500 gas stations in nine markets,’ senior executive Ilyas Munshi told the American trade magazine CSP last year.
‘If they had only 20 sites, they would have felt they had done their job.’
As proud Lancastrians, the brothers have insisted on keeping EG Group’s headquarters in Blackburn, and recently unveiled a new £35m headquarters.
‘People are always asking when we will move to London or Manchester,’ Zuber told the FT.
‘But the quality of life here is great. A lot of people do a few years in London then come to the North West.
‘They want to raise a family and have less pressure. We have got a lot of fantastic people that way.’
Architect’s plans for one of the five new homes that the brothers are building in countryside near BlackburnPlans for the large houses, which are located on a quiet rural road outside Blackburn where houses sell for up to £1 million, were lodged in April 2018. They are currently a building site Pictured: The homes on Billinge End Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, that was demolished in order to make way for the new houses
Mohsin has a wife Shamim, and their son and a daughter both work for EG. Both brothers rarely give interviews and have adopted a low-key public profile.
They are now building five identical ‘super-sized’ homes three miles from their childhood home.
Despite the fierce opposition, which saw the council face 30 letters of complaint, eight old houses have now been demolished and builders have laid foundations for the five 5,000 sq ft mansions.
Plans for the large houses, which are located on a quiet rural road outside Blackburn where houses sell for up to £1 million, were lodged in April 2018.
They sparked an uproar, with the properties described as ‘not in fitting with the local area’ as the homes stand over 4.5 metres taller with 1,500 square metres of floor space.
But planning permission was granted and pictures taken earlier this year showed builders had already moved in.
In 2017, the pair purchased a £25million mansion in Knightsbridge, which estate agents said could be worth £80million when planned renovations are carried out according to estate agents.
Their Grade II listed Georgian house is also at the centre of a long-running planning row.
The previous owner began digging a basement and left a vast 30ft-deep crater the size of two tennis courts, described by horrified neighbours to ‘Hitler’s bunker’.
When finished the luxury 22,000 sq ft home will have a huge underground car park, a swimming pool, spa, and cinema.
The brothers donate 2.5% of their earnings to charity through the Issa Foundation, which funds hospitals and provides free breakfasts for children in Lancashire.
The five new homes will stand over over 4.5 metres taller that the old homes with 1,500 square metres of floor spaceThese new photos show the EG Group’s gargantuan new premises in Blackburn, Lancashire, where the Issa’s were born and raisedBuilding took three years and staff began working there in August, although due to current social distancing only half can be there at once
source: http://dailymail.co.uk / Mail Online / Home> News / by Rory Tingle for Mail Online / October 02nd, 2020
