Interestingly, the spouses of Fathima, Hajra, Ayesha, and Faiza are also doctors. Kumhamed Kutty and his wife were also against dowry.
Zaina (third from right) flanked by her doctor family. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
Sometimes fact is stranger than fiction. This is true in the case of Ahamed Kunhamed Kutty and his wife Zaina Ahmed of Nadapuram in Kozhikode district of Kerala.
When Zaina Ahamed gave birth to six daughters, Ahamed and his wife didn’t despair. Rather they were happy. Ahamed was a progressive thinker. He envisioned a life for his daughters in which they would serve society better and be role models for others.
His wish did not take long to turn into reality. All the six daughters of the couple did well in their studies and would go on to be doctors. Wait, we are getting ahead of ourselves.
Four daughters namely, Fathima Ahamed 39, Hajra Ahamed 33, Ayesha Ahamed 30, and Faiza Ahamed are already practicing doctors. Raihana Ahamed 23 is doing her final year MBBS in Chennai while the youngest Ameera Ahamed is in the first year of her MBBS course in Mangalore.
Interestingly, the spouses of Fathima, Hajra, Ayesha, and Faiza, namely, Dr Rishad Rasheed, Dr Ajnas Mohammed Ali, Dr Abdurahman Padiyath Manapat, and Dr Ajas Haroon respectively are also doctors.
Zaina was only 12 years old when she was married off to her cousin Ahamed. At the time, he was running a business in Chennai. After the birth of their first daughter, Ahamed went to Qatar with his wife and daughter where he was employed in a refinery.
Hajra, who did a BDS course while all the others opted for MBBS, recalls the evenings in Qatar when their parents used to infuse them with the importance of doing well in their studies and serving society.
Once they returned from school, there used to be a family gathering when their parents chatted with their daughters about several things, particularly their studies and future.
Ahamed Kunhamed Kutty and his wife Zaina Ahmed
My Uppa liked medicine. When he couldn’t become a doctor he dreamt of making his brother a doctor. But his brother went on to become a teacher and he’s known as Soofi teacher in our place,” Hajra said.
So, naturally, Ahamed wished that one of his daughters would fulfill his dreams. Fathima opted for MBBS and she took to the course like a duck to water. The positive feedback from Fathima inspired her other sisters also to go in for medicine. Behind it, all was the advice of their parents.
In fact, one of the sisters, Ayesha was interested in doing law. But her parents told her she can pursue it after completing her MBBS course.
Similarly, when it came to the marriage of their daughters, Ahamed and his wife were specific that their daughters should marry someone from the same profession so that it would help the young couple understand each other better. They were also against the practice of dowry. They didn’t want to “sell off” their daughters but marry them off to a person who understood and loved them.
After working in Qatar for nearly 35 years, the couple with their daughters returned to Kerala. About two years later, Ahamed suffered chest pain and passed away. At the time, only two of the daughters were married off. Thereafter, Zaina encouraged and inspired her daughters to pursue their courses and married off two other daughters.
Fathima is presently working in a military hospital in Abu Dhabi. Hajra said she had returned from abroad and is planning to do her PG course.
Ayesha is serving in a hospital in Kodungallur while Faiza and her husband work in Kochi.
This story would read like a dream. But, as they say, Rome was not built in a day. The six women doctors and their mother would testify.
The sisters don’t have a photograph taken together with their Uppa. They carry an image of him in their hearts.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Gladwin Emmanuel, Online Desk / October 20th, 2021
Kozhikode-native Dr Fathima Asla is fearless in her persuit. Battling disability, she became a doctor, and she found a groom in Firoz Nediyath, who gave her a wheelchair as wedding gift
Dr Fathima Asla and Firoz Nediyath
Kochi :
For the past couple of years, dowry and dowry-related atrocioties has been the topic of discussion in Kerala. The fact that women are to be valued more than the gold and money their family can shell out, is being addressed on a large scale. This is why the wedding of Dr Fathima Asla and Firoz Nediyath is relevant at this point.
Kozhikode native Fathima has been struggling with brittle bone disease since she was a kid. For her wedding, her husband Firoz gave her a wheelchair as wedding gift — a gesture that would go a long way in terms of empowering those who dare to dream above their disabilities.
For Fathima, Paathu as she is lovingly called, the battle began just three days after she was born. However, being diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta or brittle bone disease didn’t stop her. Her parents, though financially struggling, encouraged her to study and helped her become a doctor.
“I was fascinated with doctors because they have helped me since I was a kid. I wanted to be like them, help those like me,” says the house surgen at ANSS Homeo Medical College hospital, Kottayam. Fathima is 65 per cent disable, and had undergone six surgeries as a kid. She can walk very short distances now with the help of a walker. She also penned a book ‘Nilavupole Chirikkunna Penkutty’, an autobiography that discusses her life as a differently abled person.
Fathima met Firoz — a digital artist and MFA student at Fine Arts college, Thiruvananthapuram who hails from Lakshadweep — last year through a mutual friend. They fell head over heels for each other. “Our parents were very supportive of the relationship too, which was delightful. Everyone wants to feel loved and respected by their partners. Firoz doesn’t treat me with pity or sympathy. Rather, he sees me as an equal, someone who can dream and do things just like him. Wahtever little insecurity I was harbouring about myself before meeting Firoz is gone now. I want to go on an all-India trip with my new authomatic wheel chair,” quips Fathima.
The couple’s love bloomed during Covid. Firoz adds how the wedding was also a message to the society. “I want to tell everyone to be that person supporting specially disabled people to live their life to the fullest. It is not about sympathising with them, but enabling and encouraging them,” says the youngster.
Firoz also also talks about how travelling with Fathima has made him realise how our public spaces are non-disabled friendly. “We boarded a bus from Nilambur to Kozhikode. The bus’s foot board was not disabled friendly. When I was carrying her into the halted bus, other vehicles would honk loudly behind the bus. I doubt how many of educational institutions and tourist locations have disabled-friendly toilets and ramps.
Lack of these spaces makes specially-abled people isolate themselves,” he says. Fathima adds that her vision in life is to address these issues and make Malayalis more sensitive to these aspects. “We have launched a new YouTube channel ‘Kadalum Nilavum’ which will feature our travel vlogs and thoughts about making our society disabled friendly,” signs off Fathima.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Arya LK, Express News Service / Octobter 22nd, 2021
The World Youth Group has appointed Bahrain-based businessman Mohammed Mansoor as the Director of their Council.
Mansoor, Founder & CEO of Saara group heads a series of ventures and organisations spread across the domains of information technology, energy, oil & gas, sports, seed capital investments, and is a well-known social activist and philanthropist.
Founded in 2019, the World Youth Group, is a globally renowned team of elected young leaders, politicians, parliamentarians and diplomats. Their mission is to Educate, Encourage, and Engage global youth in social and political sectors within the UN realm by supporting the United Nations initiatives.
Apart from the UN and it’s Agencies, the entity to host highest number of elected representatives in the 76th UNGA. With 22 Members of Parliament, 6 Ministers and UN Permanent Representatives, representing over 25 countries, to participate in 5 Summits.
The founding organizations are Collegiate Congress Inc. (USA), All-Africa Students Union (AASU), European Students Union (ESU), Organization Continental Latinoamericana y Caribeña de Estudiantes (OCLAE), Young Democrats of America, and Young Republican National Federation (YRNF), and the founding members are then heads of the respective organizations.
Adding heft to the organisation is the Advisory Board which comprises of ten Permanent Representatives (Ambassadors) of UN Member States. Each Ambassador also acts as Chief Advisor for a Committee on SDG. With 108 national student unions, a dozen national youth political leadership, and over 45 Youngest Members of Parliament, they are to be the largest only elected youth leader’s consortium in the world.
Speaking about Mansoor’s appointment as Director – The Council, H.E. Ambassador Collen V.Kelapile, Permanent Representative of Botswana to the UN and President of UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) said, ” Mr Mansoor’s credentials as an entrepreneur and social activist speak for themselves and we, at the Advisory Board, are delighted to have him as our partner as we are confident that under Mr Mansoor’s able leadership the Council, which comprises of top experts in various fields and is the only non-parliamentary, non-diplomat team at the World Youth Group, will serve to further strengthen our group as we actively work towards United Nations Agenda 2030 – the Sustainable Development Goals and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development especially during these challenging times.”
Cristo Thomas, Chair, World Youth Group added, ” Mansoor’s association with us will add the much needed impetus to invigorate The Council, I am confident that we will grow by leaps and bounds and accelerate our progress towards our common goals.”
Abdul Subhan Saith, co-founder of Bengaluru based Upmyranks Pvt. Ltd. will be coferred Global Excellence and Leadership Award by the Global Business Federation in Dubai. Subhan will be awarded under the category of “Edtec Educational Excellence.
The award will be conferred during Business Conclave and Global Excellence and Leadership Awards ceremony on October 22 at The Oberai Hotel in Dubai.
He will also take part as a panelist at a panel discussion that will be held at the Indian Pavillion at Dubai Expo 2020 on October 23 as a part of the business conclave.
Abdul Subhan Sait is the son of senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan Sait.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / October 16th, 2021
Arzan Khorakiwala posing with the winner’s trophies.
Mysuru’s upcoming tennis player Arzan Khorakiwala, a product of the Raghuveer Tennis Academy, Mysuru, taking part in the AITA CS7 U-14 Tennis Tournament conducted by Tenniglo Tennis Academy at Coimbatore, won the U-14 Girls Singles and Doubles titles.
In U-14 Singles event, second seeded Arzan shocked the top seed and local girl Aditi Balamurugan 7-5, 6-2 and clinched the title.
In the semifinals, Arzan beat Aadirai 6-2, 6-1 and in the quarter-finals, she beat Koushihasree 6-2, 6-1. In the pre-quarter-finals, Arzan got the better of S. Lakshita 6-0, 6-0 to progress further.
In the U-14 Doubles event, top seeds Arzan and Aditi won the title beating Dakshana & Deeksha 6-1, 6-0 in the final. In the semifinals, the duo beat Vasundra and Koushihasree 6-0, 6-0. In the earlier round, Arzan and Aditi combined well to beat Fathema & Aayushi 6-1, 6-2.
A student of I Can – The Learning Centre, Mysuru, Arzan is the daughter of Sonali Khorakiwala and Haider Khorakiwala, residents of Sankalp Central Park, Mysuru.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Sports / October 21st, 2021
Haris Sumair secured All India Rank of 270 in UPSC 2020
Bidar, KARNATAKA :
Haris Sumair
Earlier this month the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) declared the results of UPSC examination 2020 wherein 761 candidates who appeared for the exams, cleared it. One of the names that made the headlines in Karnataka was that of Haris Sumair, a young engineering graduate hailing from Bidar city who secured the All India Rank of 270 bringing laurels to his city and the State.
What is more interesting in Haris’ story is that he has not received any professional or paid coaching for clearing, which is touted to be one of the toughest exams in the country. Although he was helped by his brother who cracked the UPSC exams last year and is an IPS Officer, Haris believe there are enough content and topper strategies on the internet to help anyone crack the exams without any professional coaching.
Less than a week after the UPSC declared the results, Haris says he was elated when he saw his name in the list adding that he was expecting a positive result but felt on cloud nine when he came to know that he had secured All India Rank of 270.
Vartha Bharati spoke to Haris in an interview and spoke to him about different aspects of clearing the UPSC and his personal life. Below are the excerpts from the interview:
Q: Did you expect this result? What was your reaction to the result?
A: I was very hopeful of a positive result however since the examination of UPSC has cutting edge competition. There is always doubt in mind that doubt was still there but I was very hopeful and very positive about the result. When I saw my name on the list, I was on cloud nine and I was feeling very elated.
Q: Please tell us about your family, education, and childhood.
A: I have done my schooling from grade 1 to grade 10 in Kendria Vidyalaya A-4 station Bidar. To pursue my intermediate, I went to Shri Chaitanya College in Hyderabad, and later I pursued my Engineering from Ramaiya College in Computer Science and Engineering. Most of my childhood was spent in Bidar city itself in the Northernmost part of Karnataka. I was a very playful kid I used to play sports as a kid and I encourage students even now to play sports along with their studies.
My father is a retired lecturer, my mother is a housewife and my brother also cleared UPSC last year and he is an IPS officer.
Q: Was cracking UPSC and becoming a civil servant your first ambition? If not, what was it?
A: Since childhood, I would play with computers, I used to play computer games while growing up I was very fond of them. In 12th std, I decided that enough with playing computer games now I will create new computer games and do software programming so I pursued computer Science engineering with that dream in my mind and did well in it as well and I got a job at Intel.
But as I went through the journey I learned more about civil services and the power and responsibilities that come with it. With the platform which civil services provide using which we can change the face of society. The role played by IAS officers like Shri Harsh Gupta ji he was the District Collector in my area he made a master plan of the city and revamped the entire city so this was very inspirational for me. This also motivated me to aspire for civil services. I am hopeful that the knowledge that I have learned in CS Engineering about artificial Intelligence, blockchains, and newer technologies I will implement this knowledge as a civil servant when I enter bureaucracy.
Q: Please tell us about your first inspiration that prompted you to take up UPSC exams?
A: There isn’t a particular incident as such, however, my friend Abdul used to stay in a rural village called chidri it is very near to my city. I used to see him and his condition that he had to walk for around 2 km just to be able to attend school. I was sad about his situation only because of a lack of good road his studies were getting affected. He has to spend most of the time completing the trek to be able to attend school. So, this was one of the reasons that motivated me that if only a single road connecting from village to town can empower so many students so what a DC can do if he can connect all the villages and make them smart villages, so this inspiration also was there in me.
Q: How old were you when you first thought about clearing UPSC and how did you shape yourself accordingly? What were the major changes in your life that you brought in to prepare for UPSC?
A: I was 21, I was in the final year of my engineering where I decided that I need to do this and I want to be able to do civil services. I had to change my schedule because in my Engineering final year it was supposed to be interactive, if I could use the word, it was not so hard. When it comes to civil services it is tough, cracking civil services examination requires consistency and hard work. I had to make some changes for instance we have to inculcate the habit of being able to read for long hours. What I did was even besides the studies I ensured that I played some sports like football and badminton because physical health and mental health are as much important along with your studies.
Q: Please tell us about how you prepared for UPSC exams? How did you select your subjects etc.?
A: For my optional, I took political science and international relations, there was a multitude of reasons why I took political science one of the reasons was this particular optional had converged with other subjects as well. If you study political science in international relations as optional it helps you cover your general studies paper almost entirely you do not have to do much effort for other papers and it also helps you in ethics as well as essays. So, I took political science in international relations as an optional. It is a dynamic subject you are supposed to be aware of current happenings around the world, so this was also a reason because it is an interesting subject it’s not just like history where some events are recorded. In political science in international relations, you are supposed to be up to date about how India’s foreign policies work Vis a Vis another country. So, it was very interesting it helped me and today I think the choice was right that’s why I have been able to clear the exams.
Q: If you have to put the struggle of clearing UPSC in one word, what would it be?
A: I would use the word consistency. It is the single most important thing when it comes to cracking any competitive examination you need consistency. Because of your little efforts each day, even an atom’s worth of efforts, even if it is as small as an atom together cumulatively, they add up to create a mountain so consistency is the key.
Q: Did COVID and lockdown hamper your preparations in any way?
A: Certainly, being humans, civil service aspirants are not robots they are also humans they also have emotions they see things around them and get depressed. So, when the covid pandemic happened then the lockdown started it was very depressing to see the number of casualties everywhere. I was looking for hope and positivity which I found in my friends and family. They supported me and motivated me to study during the covid 19 period. Some of my friends lost their relatives and parents, negative news was there around that, but the other aspect was because of the covid 19 pandemic the exams were delayed and there were three months to prepare more, I became resilient and studied despite the covid 19 pandemic.
Q: If you had to choose one, what would you choose as your biggest challenge throughout the process of clearing UPSC?
A: The biggest challenge if I were to choose one would be the lack of motivation sometimes people get demotivated and they are not motivated enough to study. It is hard work; it is smart hard work you need some motivation at times people do tend to be demotivated that is certainly a challenge continuing that momentum being motivated throughout the year because the examination process is long and all the three stages of the examination take around nine months so, being motivated thoroughly and consistently is the single biggest challenge I faced. I was very positive and I kept a positive attitude and because of this, I could ace through this challenge.
Q: Did you take any coaching for these exams? Do you think it’s necessary?
A: I did not take any coaching at all; I did not take any paid coaching or any professional coaching. However, I stayed at different study circles if you could say Hamdard study circle in New Delhi and Jamia Milia’s residential academy. So, I stayed at these places but I have not taken any coaching my brother helped me because he is an IPS officer so he knew how the examination procedure works, so he helped me a lot, and apart from this internet is available. So my advice to the students is they do not need paid coaching at all because all the resources and toppers strategies are free of cost available on YouTube. So, you can use the medium of YouTube for a good purpose and listen to the toppers on how they are reading and how they are doing and using this strategy you can make the best use of the internet and without any coaching, you can clear this examination.
Q: Apart from the actual preparation, what should be the mindset of a UPSC aspirant?
A: I will tell you, there is a quote in Telegu language, very small phrase that goes like Vishwasam, Prayatnam, Vijayam so the three words mean you should first have trust in yourself, then Prayatnam, efforts, and consistency should be there then Vijayam or success will come. So, our attitude should be like this, we should first trust ourselves if there is a lack of trust then obviously the result may not be positive. So, first, you need to trust yourself that I can do this. Read with a very positive mindset and open mindset so that is the important key apart from this examination is not about studying in a closed room alone it is not like that you are supposed to interact with people and that builds up your personality as well and learning from other peers helps you a lot. Apart from studying you should take care of playing some sports and taking care of your health. Overall these things are required for UPSC or any competitive examination for that matter. You should have a positive attitude and the right guidance is required. The right guidance can be sought from the toppers. On YouTube toppers strategies are available. So be positive, seek toppers guidance, and do Prayatnam then Vijayam or victory will automatically come.
Q: Tell us something about your UPSC interview?
A: As I previously told you that my background is in computer science engineering, so after you clear the main examination, you are supposed to fill a detailed application form. So, in that detailed application form, I had filled out various things I did academically in computer science and engineering like reading about AI, interest in blockchain technology so I had filled those things. Most of my interviews went talking about these technologies. I was asked how AI or machine learning can impact society, our economy, and what is my vision of how I will implement this when I come into a bureaucracy?. My advice to you students would be doing not to prepare for the interview after passing the mains examination have that vision in mind and preparation for the interview before you write prelims. Have a vision in your mind as a bureaucrat what aspirations you have after you become a bureaucrat. So, that vision you can share with the interview panel and they will ask you questions on that and that would ace you through and build up confidence in you.
Q: Now that you have achieved one of your most important ambitions in life, of clearing UPSC, what is your ambition as an IAS officer?
A: First of all I would like to say that becoming an IAS officer was an important ambition but it was not the only goal, my goal is to serve society and contribute to national integration and Rashtra Nirman. So even when I wanted to become IAS I had that in mind, for instance, the full form of IAS is Indian Administrative Service, in the end, we use the word service so it is a service to the society and the nation. So my ambition is I will serve in key areas that would take my nation forward, key areas like education, rural development and poverty, and women empowerment as well. These are the key areas in which I want to work using my technical abilities and the responsibility that is given to me. So, this is the actual ambition that I want to serve and change the society in these key areas to take my state Karnataka forward and take my nation forward.
Q: There is a lot of hue and cry about the alleged side-lining of minority candidates in government services. What do you have to say about this?
A: I think this is a myth that people have created, article 16 of the Indian constitution gives equal opportunities to everyone so there is no discrimination in UPSC or any government services. If some communities are there whose educational factors or poverty or these things are there so, what they need to do is work on these areas and through education, any community and section of society can develop themselves. So, my message is to all the vulnerable communities and all the disadvantaged sections of societies, work on education because Nelson Mandela the former president of South Africa said that education is the most powerful tool to change society and change the world. So, if you want to change yourself, your family or the society or your section of the society then pursue educational excellence in education can change and improve the socio-economic indicators we can be active drivers of Rashtra Nirman or contribution to national integration.
Q: What is your advice to youngsters?
A: In general my advise my advice to the youngsters is this is the best phase of your life and this phase of your life will determine the growth trajectory of our nation, family and society so make it productive, make it count pursue various fields of education be it law, journalism for that matter this is an important field it could be defence services, civil services or any service or any job whenever you are doing any work or anything think besides me and my family how can I contribute to society and the nation. So keep that vision in your mind and enjoy this productive phase of life and also learn in this productive phase of life. Because learning and education are key things that can change you as a person can change society can improve the development factors of the nation as well.
Q: Your advice to those preparing for UPSC.
A: One important piece of advice I would like to share with the UPSC aspirants or any competitive exam aspirants is some people do the error of counting the number of hours they have studied. They keep a count on saying I have studied 12 hours or 13 hours this is not the right way is instead of counting the number of hours count the number of chapters you have read. Make some weekly targets and daily targets and stick to them consistency and honesty to yourself and those targets are required sometimes it may be that you might take 8 hours or sometimes only 4 hours to complete a target so the study should be of quality, qualitative and not quantitative, so, this is the main thing that could make your hard work smart work so please pay attention to this.
source: http://www.english.varthabharti.in / Vartha Bharati / by Vartha Bharati / September 30th, 2021
A youth from Chennai has invented a flying car, while a schoolboy from Aurangabad has invented an e-Cycle
Chennai:
Indian Muslims are silently making their efforts for innovative development in the country. A youth from Chennai has invented a flying car, while a schoolboy from Aurangabad has invented an e-Cycle. Their achievements tell the story that Muslims are second to none in the innovative development of the country.
Muhammad Furkan Shoaib, an aeronautical engineer, has fulfilled the dream of million Indians of riding a flying car in the sky. He along with his technical team has innovated India’s first flying car. Furkan Shoaib is a certified UAV pilot and the Chief Technology Officer at VINITA – an Aero-mobility company in Chennai.
The model of this flying car was shown at the London Helitech Exposition on October 5, 2021. Many of India’s news channels showed the car launch in their news coverage. They gave credit for this innovation to the “Make in India” project and failed to mention the promising young engineer’s contribution to this innovation.
The gap was filled by a US website called ‘Future Flight’ that gave coverage to this innovation and also appreciated Muhammad Furqan’s abilities for his stellar contribution to the field of aviation.
Undoubtedly Muhammad Furqan has made the whole country proud. His innovation is a morale booster and inspiration for the youth, especially the Muslim youth, who too want to be on such work of innovation in the country.
Aurangabad :
“e-Cycle”
The second story is of a talented high-school boy Mohammad Faizan from Aurangabad in Maharashtra. Faizan is making waves in social media for his innovation of an e-bike that has made people rushing for a glimpse of him and his invention. Its video is available on YouTube.
Faizan, the tech-savvy student of 8th grade, has transformed a paddle bike into electric one. He actually has transformed the common paddle bike into a motorbike. Attached to the bike are a self-starter switch, accelerator, clutch, breaks, and other features.
The bike is powered by an electrical motor. Faizan has connected the motor with a rechargeable battery that takes two hours to get fully charged. A single charge lasts for about 50 kilometers and there is a digital indicator that displays remaining battery levels. The speedo-meter tells the speed of the bike. The innovator claims that the top speed of the bike is 30 kilometers per hour.
These two positive stories from the much-maligned Muslim community show mirror to those who accuse, the 14 percent Muslim minority community of a drag on 84 percent Hindu population.
The negative stereotyping of the Muslims likes “puncher chaap” or “love jihadi” are corona jihadi are dutifully circulated in the media, while the story of these two characters has never been told even though they inspire a whole generation of youth of the country.
[Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at syedalimujtaba2007@gmail.com.]
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Science & Technology / by Syed Ali Mujtaba / October 18th, 2021
The 20 youths held a meeting a fortnight ago to survey how many among the Hindu community in their locality needed garments.
A member of the Muslim community hands over new clothes to a needy Hindu villager in Lodda, Bankura / Rupesh Khan
A group of Muslim youths at remote Lodda village in Bankura district on Sunday gifted new clothes to around 400 poor Hindu families after they held a survey on how many villagers could not buy any for Bengal’s biggest festival.
The 20 youths, mostly farmers and small traders, held a meeting a fortnight ago to survey how many among the Hindu community in their locality needed new clothes.
“Most of the Hindu families in our area are poor. We visited the homes to see if they were able to buy new clothes for their family members. Many could not. So we took details like age and gender of the family members, including children, as these were important before purchasing dresses. We distributed the clothes on Sunday,” said Sheikh Bapi, a member of the Lodda Muslim Yuva Sampradai that organised this event.
On Sunday, during a cultural programme at the village grounds, the members handed over new clothes to those who had enlisted their names.
“We believe in amity and here both Hindus and Muslims live like brothers. We also celebrate our festivals together. For us, religion is a personal affair but festivity is for all,” said Sheikh Mojammel, a member.
The youths said that to buy the new clothes they pooled their own money and from other philanthropic villagers to raise Rs 1 lakh. With this, they brought new clothes for the 400 families, including around 50 children and 200 women.
Bablu Bauri, whose elderly parents, wife and child received new clothes from the Lodda Muslim Yuva Sampradai, said he was in deep financial crisis and was in no position to buy clothes.
“I am a daily wage earner and used to work as a mason’s helper here. I have not been earning regularly since the pandemic started. I had no money to buy new clothes for my family during Durga Puja this year,” Bablu said, thanking organisers for the gesture.
Lodda is a village in Khalagram gram panchayat in Taldangra block area of Bankura. The village is the only one in the area with a sizeable Muslim population. The village has around 400 Muslim families, most relatively better-off.
In Bankura district, the Muslim population is only 8.08 per cent as per 2011 census.
This is not the first time that the Muslim youths have come forward to help needy Hindu families. During the lockdown, they helped villagers who had lost their jobs with dry ration like riceand pulses.
“When there was partial lockdown or curbs during the second wave of the pandemic we used to serve cooked food to the needy families,” added one of the youths of the group.
The organisers said they will continue similar drives in the future too.
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online Education / Home> West Bengal / by Snehamoy Chankraborthy / Bolpur (Birbhum) / October 12th, 2021
On the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi, muslim community members under the patronage of Jumma Masjid Trust Board organized a blood donation camp at Hazrat Khudus Saheb Eidgah (Khadriya Masjid, Bengaluru), Crescent School in Basavangudi and Chirayu Hospital in Thanisandra on Tuesday.
Over 500 hundred units of blood were collected during the camp through Jeevaraksha Blood Bank, Mediscope Hospital and St Philomenas Hospital.
The camp was organized in association with Emergency Response Team (ERT) Bengaluru, Karol Foundation, Zubeida Sulaiman Charitable Trust and Sunni Jamiyat-Ul-Ulama All Karnataka among others.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – October 19th, 2021
Majaz, uncle of lyricist Javed Akhtar, was one of those rare gems whose poetry reflected two most important aspects: romance and revolution.
Born in Rudauli (then in Barabanki, UP) during Diwali celebrations, he was named Asrarul Haque and later took up the name ‘Majaz Lakhnavi’. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)
Two days ago, a nazm reverberated across Aligarh Muslim University as the institution celebrated its founder’s day on October 17. Alumni across the globe, who proudly address themselves as ‘Alig’, sang: Ye Mera Chaman, Ye Mera Chaman.
The author of this famous nazm, Asrarul Haque, popularly known as ‘Majaz Lakhnavi’, whose poetry still rules the heart of millions, was born on October 19, 1911.
Regarded as the Keats of Urdu poetry, Majaz was one of those rare gems whose poetry reflected two most important aspects: romance and revolution. In an era when legendary Urdu poets as Faiz, Jazbi, Sardar Jafri, Sahir Ludhiyanvi were in their prime, Majaz rose to fame and carved a niche for himself.
Born in Rudauli (then in Barabanki, UP) during Diwali celebrations, he was named Asrarul Haque and later took up the name ‘Majaz Lakhnavi’. He belonged to a zamindar family. At a young age, Majaz had an inclination towards Urdu poetry. His fame came when he reached AMU as a student where he got the company of literary legends as Ali Sardar Jafri, Ismat Chugtai, and others. During one of the mushairas, Majaz, dressed in sherwani, delivered his famous poem:
Khoob Pehchan lo Asrar Hoon Main, Jinse-Ulfat ka talabghar hoon, Main, Ishq hi Ishq hai Duniya Meri, Fitna-e-Aql se Bezar hoon Main, Ek Lapakta ho Shola ho, Ek Chalti Hui Talwar Hoon Main.
The audience was mesmerised; the silence established that Majaz had arrived on the scene. There was no looking back. Majaz gave his alma mater a famous nazm, which is now the university tarana (anthem).
Majaz’s popularity rose by leaps and bounds and there were more females than males among his admirers. At AMU, girls used to keep his book ‘Aahang’ beneath their pillows. They would commit to keeping ‘Majaz’ as the name of their children.
Himanshu Bajpai, Daastango, who has rendered several daastans on Majaz, recalls one incident: “Once, Ismat Chugtai told Majaz that girls love him and Majaz quickly replied, ‘And they marry a rich person’.”
Truly, Majaz had a failed love life, and the dejection got him admitted to a mental asylum at Ranchi. His addiction to liquor took its toll. Chugtai asked him, “Liquor or wine, who destroyed your life, Majaz?” Witty and humorous as always, he replied, “I have given this right to both of them.”
His poem Awara was also an instant hit.
Shahar ki raat aur main naashaad o nakara phirun Jagmagati jagti sadko pe awara phirun Ghair ki basti hai kab tak dar-badar maara phurin Ai Gham-e-Dil kya karun, Ai Vahshat-e-Dil kya karun.
Majaz had recited this nazm on the request of people at White Baradari in Lucknow, which eventually turned out to be his last public gathering before his demise.
His poetry, as said earlier, had both romance and revolution. Some of his lines for women empowerment are still relevant.
Tere Mathe pe ye anchal bahut hi khub hai lekin, Tu is aanchal se ek parcham bana leti toh achcha tha.
Bajpai narrates an incident: “Once, famous film actress Nargis came to meet Majaz. She requested for his autograph and Majaz obliged by writing the above lines on her white dupatta. He identified himself with every deprived person — perhaps this brought him closer to the progressive movement.” In his poetry, Majaz had raised the issues of women liberation and feminism, which are still discussed today.
Majaz’s revolutionary couplets, too, ruled the masses. While other poets raised the pitch in their revolutionary couplets, Majaz rendered his lines that could be sung with revolution. ‘Bol, Ari O Dharti Bol, Raj Sinhasan Daanwa Dol‘ is one such poem. It is simply unbelievable to see anyone write on the worldly intricacies so beautifully — ‘Bahut Mushkil hai Duniya ka Sanwarna, Teri Zulfo ka Pencho Kham nahi Hai‘.
Alas, Majaz remained a loner. Josh Malihabadi even advised him to keep a ghadi (watch) with him while drinking, but Majaz laughed it off, saying, “You drink keeping a ghadi, I drink keeping a ghada (pitcher).”
In December 1955, his end came abruptly, after he collapsed in Lucknow, and passed away before reaching Balrampur Hospital. The present generation may recall him as the uncle of Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar.
The poet, whose kingdom was in the hearts of millions, is buried in a six-feet grave at Nishatganj graveyard with his own lines from a nazm on the epitaph.
Ab iske baad subah hai aur subah-e-Nau Majaz Ham par hai khatm Sham-e-Gareebaan-e-Lucknow
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Books & Literature / by Faisal Fareed, New Delhi / October 19th, 2021
