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Imam of Mumbai Jama Masjid Syed Shaukat Ali passes away, laid to rest in Raigad

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders

Mumbai:

Hundreds of people on Sunday gathered in Mhasla, a census town in Raigad district of Maharashtra’s Konkan region, for the funeral of Syed Shaukat Ali Nazir, Imam of Mumbai Jama Masjid.

Syed Shaukat Ali Nazir, the Imam of Mumbai’s Grand Mosque located at Crawford Market passed away at his ancestor’s town Mendri in Taluka Mhasla on Saturday late in the afternoon. He is survived by his wife and son.

The news of his death sent shock waves across India. When the worshippers at the Mumbai Jama Masjid were told about his death soon after the Asr prayers Saturday, many were left in tears.

Besides people from the neighboring towns and cities in Konkan, a large number of people from Mumbai, Gujarat and other parts of Maharashtra travelled to Mhasla for the funeral prayers of Syed Shaukat Ali.

The 84-year-old cleric, among one of the most respected living clerics in India, was Imam of Mumbai’s Jama Masjid for 51 long years since 1964.

He was ailing since last few years and had shifted to Mendri. The last time he visited the Mumbai Jama Masjid was during the month of Ramadan when he came to Mumbai for two days.

Very pious and soft spoken, Syed Shaukat was famous for his Friday sermons. His sermon delivered immediately after the tragic demolition of Babri Masjid in 1992 is still in people’s minds. Advising calm and restraint, Syed Shaukat Ali had called upon the worshippers for introspection and prayers.

Syed Shaukat Ali Nazir was a graduate from Darul Uloom Deoband and was among the talented students of the senior teachers of that time like Qari Mohammad Tayyab, Aizaz Ali Amrohavi and Ibrahim Balyavi.

President of Jamia Hussainia in Shreewardhan, Syed Shaukat Ali had also presided over the inaugural session of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). He also worked as the Arabic language teacher at Mohammadia High School.

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India / by ummid.com Staff Reporter / Sunday – October 11th, 2015

Old Quranic Exhibition at Chow Mohalla Palace

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books - Holy Quran, Koran / Translations, Commentaries / by Indian Muslims (wef. February 11th, 2025)

Prince Azmath Jah inaugurated the 600 year old manuscripts of Quran at Chow Mohalla Palace, Khilwath yesterday. The exhibits include 2.5 cm to 9 ft. books written in various styles of Arabic Calligraphy from Iran, Iraq, North India, Kashmir etc. Speaking on this occasion, Prince Azmath Jah applauded the efforts of the persons who organized this exhibition.

Prince Azmath Jah inaugurated the 600 year old manuscripts of Quran at Chow Mohalla Palace, Khilwath yesterday. The exhibits include 2.5 cm to 9 ft. books written in various styles of Arabic Calligraphy from Iran, Iraq, North India, Kashmir etc.

Speaking on this occasion, Prince Azmath Jah applauded the efforts of the persons who organized this exhibition.

Present on this occasion were, Princess Asra Jah, Princess Shehkaar, Prince Azam Jah, Mr. Asif Pasha, former Law Minister, Lt. General Zaki, Begum Bilquees Lateef, Mohammed Abdul Basith, former DGP, Mr. Meer Kamaluddin Ali Khan, Secretary, Mukkram Jah Trust for Education and Learning, Mr. Iqbal Ali Khan, Mr. Faiz Khan, Mr. G.Kishan Rao and Ms. Anuradha Naik.

Speaking on this occasion, Prince Azmath Jah told that he is very much pleased to see this exhibition which has added to the beauty of Chow Mohalla Palace. Ms. Anuradha Naik played a key role in organizing this exhibition.

–Siasat News

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / February 08th, 2014

Chishti Awards go to Shastri & Bilqees

Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders

India Harmony Foundation, headed by Zafar Saifullah, former Union Cabinet Secretary, held a two-day cultural event at the Indian Islamic Cultural Centre on 18-19 July. The star attraction was the presentation of the Chishti Harmony Award for 2011 to two personalities which have spent a life time for communal harmony and community service. The first is Pandit Yugal Kishor Shastri of Ayodhya who has stood as a rock against communalists in Ayodhya and beyond and the second is Begum Bilkees Latif, wife of former Air Chief Marshal, Idris Latif, who has dedicated her life to serve the downtrodden in Mumbai. The awards were presented by Vice President Hamid Ansari in a function attended by Union minister of law and justice Veerappa Moily, Chief Election Commissioner Dr. S. Y. Quraishi and others. Hamid Ansari said in his brief speech that the Sufi Chishtia Order is the best example of the how human beings can do two things simultaneously: establish relationship with the Creator and serve humanity. The receipients of this award by their example have demonstrated the essence of Chishti teachings. It is the same old message which should be reiterated time and again so that human beings can live harmoniously with one another.

Here are brief life-sketches of the award receipients:
Pandit Yugal Kishor Saran Shastri of Ayodhya is a person of quiet but extraordinary achievements. Born into a poor Yadav family of Madhubani district of Bihar, Pandit Yugal Kishor, struggling against heavy odds, completed his MA in Sanskrit from the Varanasi University. Whereafter he took over the care of the Sarayu Kunj Ram Mandir, located opposite the Babri Masjid at Ayodhya. Following the demolition of the Masjid in December, 1992, this remarkable man devoted his entire life to defending the lives, the properties and the livelihood of the Muslim community in the region at great risk to his own life. Without money, privilege or power, he upheld the values of secularism and respect for all religions. He ensured that Ayodhya has not been afflicted by the communal virus. Targeted, both physically and psychologically, by forces inimical to his work to abandon it, he has defied all odds to continue what he has taken as his life’s mission, namely, to preserve the centuries-old tradition of total communal harmony within the families of Ayodhya – a name which itself means “a land without conflict”. He has now enlarged his vision and the ambit of his work, to extend the same message of harmony on a wider scale throughout the country. A commendable initiative which he has embarked on in conjunction with several like-minded social workers and organizations are two padyatras. The first one from Ayodhya to Sewagram (Wardha) in Gujarat and the other from Ayodhya to Ajmer in Rajasthan to motivate people along the route to work for national harmony.

Begum Bilkees Latif was born into a privileged Muslim family and is married to former Air Chief Marshal, Idris Latif. She chose to make her most distinctive contribution in social service, in Dharavi, India’s largest slum cluster in Mumbai. It was notorious as home to some of Mumbai’s most dreaded mafia dons, where children were employed in illicit distillation; and the area recorded Mumbai’s highest crime rate. Following her very first visit to Dharavi in 1982, she decided to work for the transformation of the lives of the families living here. She established SHED (Society for Human and Environment Development) along with a few prominent and public spirited citizens of Mumbai. So dramatic has been the impact of her work that Dharavi today has the lowest crime rate in Mumbai. SHED has set up 45 youth groups in Dharavi. Through them, Vocational Training Projects, eradication of Leprosy and Tuberculosis, family planning, immunization of children and national integration programmes have been systematically taken up with active help in most cases of many of the Mafia dons and their families, who have even assured them total security. So much so that when communal unrest raged in other parts of the city, not a single instance of any communal disturbance was recorded in Dharavi. In fact, the whole area joins in celebrating festivals of each others’ communities with their own funds. SHED has taken up this work in other slums in Mumbai and the neighbouring district of Thane. Their work has covered the most extensive range of social services leading to requests from the World Bank and several other multi-lateral international aid agencies to take up their programmes.

As Chairperson of the National Bal Bhavans for two terms and of the Rajiv Gandhi Childrens’ Museum, she launched in November, 2005, a movement for children “to build the India of their dreams and secular values in nation-building”. Bilkees Latif is truly a role model for young Indian Muslim girls to follow.

source: http://www.milligazette.com / The Milli Gazette /  Home> Special Reports / Online August 13th, 2011 – Print Issue 16-31 August 2011

Ishaq bags IAF marathon title

Sports

Allahabad :

A 21 kms half marathon was held at Air Force Station, Manuari on Saturday. The registration for the event started at 5 am. A huge crowd gathered to register and participate.

More than 400 participants had registered for various categories. The marathon was flagged off by Air Vice Marshal A K Bhattacharya, VSM, Senior Maintenance Staff Officer, HQ CAC. Sujatha Bhattacharya flagged off the women’s event.

As many as 138 runners completed the race successfully. Simmi Aneja President AFWAA (L) and Air Commodore Sanjay Aneja distributed prizes.

The winners are: Half marathon men:

First – Mohammed Ishaq

Second – Pramod Kumar Yadav

Girls below 18 years (3.5 km):

First – Puja Patel

Second – Pragti

Women (3.5-km):

First – Sudha Mishra

Second – Manju

Boys below 18 yrs (7-km):

First – Prajwal Pandey

Second – Rajat Kumar

Seniors above 50 yrs (7-KM):

First – Havaldar S Singh

Second – MC Rajora

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India  / News Home> City> Allahabad / by Abbas Ali, TNN / October 11th, 2015

A maestro and his love for ‘Benglor topi’

Arts, Culture & Entertainment,

BismillahKhanMPOs12oct2015

As the world celebrates the birth centenary of shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan this year, Bengaluru and Karnataka have their own links with the Ustad to cherish.

His youngest daughter, Bengaluru-based Kaneez Fatma recalls that he loved his ‘Benglor topi’, as he fondly referred to the special topi he had received from the then king of Mysuru Jayachamaraja Wadiyar after one of his concerts at the palace. “He wanted to wear his ‘Benglor topi’, which he cherished, for every small function and kept it safely packed after use,” recalls Ms. Fatma.

TopiMPOs12oct2015

Organisers of his concerts here too have fond memories of the maestro. Imagine Bismillah Khan making audiences sway in unison to his Ram Dhun, says S.N. Varadaraj of Sree Ramaseva Mandali, Chamarajpet. “He was such a pious devotee of the Ganga that he would bring water from Varanasi for his entire stay here,” he said.

Bismillah Khan’s shehnai playing for the Kannada film Sanaadi Appanna and his subsequent association with Rajkumar, who played the role of a shehnai player in the film, remains etched in Karnataka’s memory for its heritage value. “His modesty was so apparent. In 1977, after the recording, he used to show us pictures and proudly declare that Kannada hero Rajkumar had lunch with him,” recalls the maestro’s son Zamin Hussain Khan.

And when it came to gastronomic delights, the maestro could not resist some of the delicacies of Bengaluru, reveals his family members. “He loved the shami kabab that his friend Nazeer used to prepare for him here. Mysore bonda and vada were also among his favourites and he even used to source them when someone visited Varanasi from Bengaluru,” says his grandson Afaque Haidar Khan.

Soma Ghosh concert in Bengaluru today

Special concert

As a tribute to the shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan during his birth centenary year, Bengaluru Art Fest, steered by Suma Sudhindra and Veena Murthy Vijay, will feature a Hindustani vocal recital by Soma Ghosh, whom the maestro regarded as his adopted daughter, on Sunday at 6.30 p.m. at the National Gallery of Modern Art.

“I feel humbled to have been acknowledged by Khan saheb nearly two decades ago at a mehfil in Varanasi when he singled me out and said my style reminded him of time-honoured yesteryear mehfil gaayikas. Khan saheb’s love for the neo-classical poetic mehfil genre, mainly sung in courts for a closeted royal crowd, had him revive some of the signature darbari mehfil facets into his own styling.

Nobody is singing mehfils these days, and I plan to present some components such as kajari, thumri, tappa, dadra, hori and ghazal during by Bengaluru concert,” said Ms. Ghosh.

source:  http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Ranjani Govind / Bengaluru – September 20th, 2015

Reviving an 800-yr-old art

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, World Opinion

Kolkata  : 

Among the stories of torture, loot and oppression that the British left behind for us, one of the most common is that of how the thumbs of muslin weavers from Bengal were chopped off to wipe out the ancient art form from the face of the country. Muslin has since then been an item only to be seen in museums across the world.

A fine cotton textile making art that originated in India in the ancient times, with the maximum concentration in Bengal, and proliferated under Mughal patronage since the 17th century, muslin died an unnatural death when the British decided to smother it so that they can bring in their own mill-made textiles from Manchester to India.

Recently, the West Bengal chapter of Crafts Council of India has taken up a project to revive the art of muslin making. It started in 2010 and now weavers who were being re-skilled for producing muslin, have finally been able to reach an enviable thread count of 500.

After the Mamata Banerjee government came into power, the state micro, small and medium enterprises department also started thinking on how the fine textile making art can be revived in Bengal. The MSME department scouted for experts in villages across five districts of the state where muslin used to be produced traditionally. In this manner, some 793 weavers’ families were chosen from Birbhum, Murshidabad, Nadia, Bankura, West Misnapur and Burdwan, who had all been connected with muslin making some generations ago. The state government encouraged them to take to the art once again.

When the thread count reached 300 last year, muslin made by weavers under MSME made its way to the government’s Biswa Bangla Haat. MSME department is trying its best to increase the count further because the higher the count, the better is the quality of muslin.

During the time of the Mughals, muslin weavers from Dhaka were able to reach a count of 1500. Samples of these are available in museums across the world. A 500 count means that the two threads crisscross each other to create a mesh 500 times in the span of a square inch. “It all started quite by an accident. An American advertising honcho, Anne Johnson, had visited us with inquiries about muslin and whether any efforts were being made to revive it. She was fascinated with muslin and was even prepared to fund it if we took up a revival project, which we eventually did at a cost of Rs 70 lakh,” said Ruby Pal Chowdhury, who heads the Crafts Council of India here.

The Crafts Council project took place in Kalna, where master weavers, who are otherwise associated with the production of khadi yards under the aegis of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) of the central government and West Bengal Khadi Board (WBKB), kept experimenting with spinning of the yarn with the right thickness out of cotton sourced from Gujarat.

“Once the yarn is spun, it has to be soaked in starch made of kolma or dohor nagra varieties of rice. The water used is essentially rain water to keep the solution soft. There is no formula for this, these are part of family knowledge that are being gradually recalled through re-skilling,” said Pal Chowdhury.

The weavers of the council have not only been able to weave muslin yards but also entwine antique jamdani motifs in it. These have been christened as muslin jamdani and a pure saree woven thus costs nothing less than Rs 20,000. These creations are now available for viewing at Artisana, the council’s outfit at Chowringhee Terrace, while a mega debut is also being planned.

Considering the huge expense that such revival incurs, the council is also trying to tie up with Biswa Bangla to take the revival issue a step forward.

“We would welcome this because the final aim is to bring back muslin to its original glory. That will be possible only if we are able to keep giving incentives to weavers to sacrifice other commercial interests and concentrate on spinning finer yarns and then weaving finer counts,” said Sinha.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Kolkata / by Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey , TNN / October 11th, 2015

MICANVAS’15 Annual Academic and Cultural Fest

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education
MET Chairman Ashraf Peeran addressing the gathering at MICANvas 2015. Picture right shows participants of the fashion show held as part of MICANvas 2015.
MET Chairman Ashraf Peeran addressing the gathering at MICANvas 2015. Picture right shows participants of the fashion show held as part of MICANvas 2015.

Mysuru  :

Mysore Institute of Commerce and Arts (MICA), managed by Mysore Educational Trust (MET), hosted its two-day annual academic and cultural fest, MICAnvas’15 on Oct. 8 and 9 at its campus on KRS Road in Metagalli here.

Praful Thachery, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Delyver Retail Network, a venture which is with BigBasket now, was the chief guest. Sharing his experience with the students, he said that hard work and passion in what one does would invariably lead to success.

Ashraf Peeran, Chairman, MET, who is also the strategic Director of Xerox, California, called upon the students to make best use of the technology as it has improved the connectivity and increased opportunity for the youth.

Syed Ishaq, Director, MET, in his address, pointed out that the primary objective of participation should be learning and success comes to those who make their passion their profession and vice-versa.

Amir Sadan, Secretary, Fouzen Raheel, Director – Operations and MICA Principal M.N. Ponnamma were present on the dais. The annual report on progress, activities and achievements were presented by the Principal. Siddhart Sethi from KPMG was the special guest.

Various academic activities were organised for both high school and UG students. The academic activities were followed by the cultural show which included ramp walk, solo and group dances, singing etc.

In the school category contests, JSS School won 3 prizes while Manasarovar Pushkani was the overall champion.

In the UG category, MISTocrat event was won by Devika of St. Joseph’s College, Marketing by Vidhyaashram, Finance by Vidhyaashram and HR by St. Joseph’s.

The team activities were won by Mahajana FGC.

In the cultural category, ramp walk was won by Vidhyaashram, group dance by UK crew of Mahajana and solo dance by Pooja Chengappa of Vidhyaashram.

Prizes were distributed to the winners of MI7s, MI volleyball and MI…Quiz.

source:  http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Sunday – October 11th, 2015

Book on State football launched

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Sports

Karnataka has a rich history in football, providing the national side with players like Ahmed Khan, T Shanmugam, Vajravelu and Arumainayagam who have enriched the game in the country.

But a record of their achievements are hard to come by. In a move to document the State’s contribution to the game comes S Abdul Rahman’s book, ‘Football in Karnataka — A historical perspective’.

The book was released at a function here on Saturday.
Rahman, a former national referee, traces the history of the game in the State, its evolution and other related aspects. The 360-page book also highlights the famous players who took the game to another level and represented the country at various international events, including the Asian Games, the Asian Cup and the Olympics.

In addition, it also gives a glimpse of the various national-level tournaments like the Stafford Cup, the National League and the National championships held in the State and the response it used to generate among the masses back then.

Four-in-a-row for Sania and Hingis

Sports, World Opinion
VICTORY JIG: Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis pose with their trophy after winning the women's doubles final in Beijing. Photo: Lintao Zhang / Getty Images
VICTORY JIG: Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis pose with their trophy after winning the women’s doubles final in Beijing. Photo: Lintao Zhang / Getty Images

In a remarkable run, Sania and Martina have dropped only two sets in their last 17 matches in four tournaments.

Extending their incredible unbeaten record, Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis on Saturday won their eighth trophy of the season and fourth in a row, winning the WTA China Open doubles here.

The top seeds faced stiff resistance from sixth seed Taipei girls Hao-Ching Chan and Yung-Jan Chan before winning 6-7(9), 6-1, 10-8 in the final which lasted one hour and 40 minutes.

In the match tie-breaker, the two pair were going neck and neck and the score was 7-7 at one stage but Sania and Hingis won three of the next four points to clinch the issue.

Martina Hingis (foreground) and Sania Mirza. File photo: Kevin Lee / Getty Images
Martina Hingis (foreground) and Sania Mirza. File photo: Kevin Lee / Getty Images

It was fourth title in a row for the Sania-Hingis pair.

In a remarkable run, they have dropped only two sets in their last 17 matches in four tournaments.

It was ninth title for Sania in the 2015 season and eighth with Swiss great Hingis.

They had won titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, Wimbledon, the US Open, Guangzhou and Wuhan before today’s win.

Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal overcame his nemesis Fabio Fognini with a spirited 7-5, 6-3 victory to reach the ATP China Open final. And Novak Djokovic brushed off David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3 where Nadal stands between the Serb and a sixth title in Beijing.

Nadal has lost three times to Fognini this year, including at last month’s US Open, but he redressed the balance with a tight win.

In Sunday’s final, Nadal will be seeking his fourth trophy of a season in which he has failed to win a Grand Slam title for the first time since 2004 and has seen his ranking drop to eighth.

Paire stuns Nishikori

Meanwhile, lightning struck twice for Kei Nishikori as the defending ATP Japan Open champion was defeated by “shoeless” Frenchman Benoit Paire in an explosive semifinal.

Paire, playing in a pair of badly torn sneakers following a forlorn dash to buy some new ones, won a nail-biter 1-6, 6-4, 6-2 to prove his first-round win over Nishikori at the US Open six weeks ago was no fluke.

Top seed Stan Wawrinka awaits his close friend in Sunday’s final after the French Open champion produced a clinical 6-4, 7-6 win over Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller.

The results:

At Beijing: ATP & WTA China Open: Men: Semifinals: Rafael Nadal bt Fabio Fognini 7-5, 6-3; Novak Djokovic bt David Ferrer 6-2, 6-3.

Women: Semifinals: Timea Bacsinszky bt Ana Ivanovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-1; Garbine Muguruza bt Agnieszka Radwanska 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles: Final: Sania Mirza & Martina Hingis bt Hao-Ching Chan & Yung-Jan Chan 6-7(9), 6-1, 10-8.

At Tokyo: ATP Japan Open: Semifinals: Stan Wawrinka bt Gilles Muller 6-4, 7-6(5); Benoit Paire bt Kei Nishikori 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport / Agencies / Beijing – October 10th, 2015

Faisal Khan wins Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded!

Arts, Culture & Entertainment

The young lad has defeated all the other three celebrity contestants- Mohit Malik, Sanaya Irani and Shamita shetty to emerge victorious..

FaisalKhanMPOs11oct2015

After weeks of gruelling dance competition and face-off, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded, the show’s eighth edition as it is called, has found a winner. Yes, the young dancer-turned-actor has defeated all the other three contestants to become the winner of the show.

Here’s what happened. The final four contestants- Mohit Malik, Faisal Khan, Shamita Shetty and  Sanaya Irani  had to battle it out to emerge victorious. In the first round itself, Mohit was eliminated by the judges as he delivered the weakest performance among the finalists, leaving behind the top 3- Shamita, Sanaya and Faisal.

After Mohit, in another face-off, Shamita too bid the Jhalak stage a goodbye and the final battle was between Faisal and Sanaya. Despite Sanaya’s immensely growing popularity, thanks to her popular TV shows, it was Faisal who managed to loot all hearts and become the champion. The young guy was also the winner of Dance India Dance Juniors a few years back and is a trained dancer.

The teenager was crowned by the judges- Shahid Kapoor, Malaika Arora Khan, Ganesh Hegde and Lauren Gottlieb and walked away with all the accolades and the trophy, along with the cash prize.

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Entertainment / Agency : DNA webdesk / Saturday – October 10th, 2015