Category Archives: Amazing Feats

Meet Ariba Khan: A Young Municipal Councillor from Shaheen Bagh

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Women/Girls(since May26-2021)

NEW DELHI :

Ariba Khan. Picture: india.com

Ariba Khan from the Indian National Congress, and Municipal Councillor from Abul Fazal Enclave in Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, speaks to Aatika from TwoCircles on her political journey, challenges for minorities in India and the similarities between the politics of BJP and AAP.

Background & Political Journey

Ariba is the daughter of Asif Mohammed Khan, a former congress MLA from Jamia Nagar Okhla. However for Ariba electoral politics is a new terrain. She’s a graduate in English literature with a post-graduate diploma in guidance and counselling.

Ariba was pursuing her studies and was involved in social work when the opportunity to get into politics came along. Given her privileged background, Ariba admits that it’s beneficial to be familiar with the process, but it does not help one thrive in politics.

“If you are given an opportunity and you have a voice and resources to make a difference, then one should be up for it and that is what I did.”

View on AAP’s politics. 

“The past few years, since BJP has come into power, it’s been a disaster.” She says whether it is the economy or religion, BJP has continuously caused severe damage. Ariba laments that the economic situation is going to worsen, due to the recent Adani-Hindenburg scandal.

But being an emerging political leader from Delhi, she views AAP as her biggest challenge. She criticises the AAP government on various accounts, such as their insensitivity for the victims of the Delhi Pogrom of 2020, for the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s comments against the Markaz during Covid-19, for their lack of solidarity with the CAA-NRC protest, and the silence on Bilkis Bano case because of Gujarat elections.

“Kejriwal created a facade that they are saviours of Muslims. And he was able to persuade the innocent voters through the freebies,” says Ariba.

In reference to the North East riots, she also accuses AAP for showing double standards in their unabashed support for leaders like Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain despite corruption allegations against them, but not backing Tahir Hussain who was suspended from the party, even before he was proven guilty.

Ariba adds that the compensation amount announced for the victims has not been disbursed till date. “Although the electricity is free up to 200 units, the charges of 200 units are still Rs. 3.5 per unit as against Rs. 2.5 per unit during the Congress government in Delhi,” says Ariba highlighting another key concern.

For all these reasons, she believes that the Muslims have been dissuaded from AAP which has resulted in electoral gains for the Congress in the recently held MCD elections.

On her Constituency

According to Ariba, one of the biggest challenges is the issue of unauthorized colonies in her constituency of Abul Fazal Enclave. “Since these colonies do not contribute to tax revenue for the Municipal Council of Delhi, it becomes a challenge to procure funds for development works”, says Ariba.

Many issues of sanitation, garbage dumps resulting in road blockages, etc. continue to cause trouble to people residing in the area. She believes that her job as an MCD councillor should therefore be to ensure access to basic health and education by having more MCD schools, dispensaries, public toilets, etc.

Challenges as a Young Muslim Woman

On being asked about her experience as a young woman in politics, Ariba says “Mansplaining is a constant annoyance. A few people believe that a woman can’t handle things the way men do.”

So far, she’s happy with the respect she has received as a woman candidate but is also hopeful about the things to change for the better in the times to come.

Future of Congress and Bharat Jodo Yatra

Ariba thinks the four month long Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi in twelve states, will have a strong impact on the future political discourse of India. The Yatra passed from Badarpur which touches her constituency. Apart from logistical management, she had to coordinate with the faculty and students of Jamia University for their participation in the Yatra.

She reckons the Congress party is and will remain the true voice of the minorities in India. When being asked about political prisoners, she says “Those who are in jail including Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Shafa-ul-rahman and others, I stand with them, we raise our voice against this injustice under this dictatorial regime.”

She warns people to not view AAP as an alternative to BJP, as it was Priyanka Gandhi and leaders like Salman Khurshid, who led from the front during the protests of CAA-NRC and Violence in Jamia, but AAP shied away from taking any positions. “AAP has also compromised the status of 123 Waqf board properties by not putting up a resistance against the Centre”, says Ariba.

Minorities & Secularism

On being asked about Dalit Muslim unity against the BJP, Ariba believes that its only a small section that is with the BJP, as even Hindus are coming together to oppose this radicalisation, because it should not be about just one section as the entire population needs to stand up against the rising intolerance.

“We live in a country, where if we stop being secular, we won’t survive. It’s the essence of being an Indian,” says Ariba.

Aatika S is a fellow at the SEEDS-TCN mentorship program.

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCirlces.net / Home> India Politics / by Aatika S / May 12th, 2023

Karnataka: Harihar soldier dies during firing practice in Pokharan

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), Martyrs of the Nation

Harihar (Davangere District), KARNATAKA:

A soldier of the Indian Army from Harihar died during a demolition firing in Pokhran in Rajasthan on Monday.

Javed

Bengaluru / Davangere :

A soldier of the Indian Army from Harihar died during a demolition firing in Pokhran in Rajasthan on Monday. The body is expected to reach Bengaluru on Wednesday.

According to defence sources, the soldier is identified as Javed (33), a resident of PB Road area in Harihar in Davangere district. He was attached to an engineer regiment of the Indian Army located at Secunderabad. Javed who had been serving the Army for 14 years is survived by his wife and two children.

Lt Col Manish Ojha, Defence spokesperson, Rajasthan said, “During the demolition firing being conducted in Pokhran by an engineer regiment of the Indian Army  as part of its annual training firing practice, a shaped charge exploded accidentally, resulting in the death of one soldier and injuring four others.” All injured were evacuated by air to Military Hospital in Jodhpur. An inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the exact cause of the accident, he added.

Javed was the second son of Abdul Khader Sab and Fathima Bi. He studied at MRB school at Harihar and did his second PU at SJVP College in Harihar. Soon after completing PU, he joined the Army in 2005 and later completed his BCom through distance education while in service. Javed had married Sartaz Bhanu in 2013 and had two daughters — Ameena Kaiser (3) and Umme Javera Aiyath (18 months), family sources said.

Javed used to talk to his mother over the phone daily and had called her on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon, he had informed his wife that he was going to attend a training at Pokhran, family sources said. The body is expected to arrive from Jodhpur to Bengaluru on Wednesday and reach Harihar late night. Final rites will be performed at Harihar on Thursday, source said.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / February 14th, 2018

Meet Iram Meher and Fatima Zahra, both of Telangana’s select Intermediate & First year Toppers

Amazing Feats, Education, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hyderabad, TELANGANA:

Iram scored 100 percent marks in Mathematics and Physics.

Hyderabad: 

The Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) on Tuesday announced the much-awaited inter 1st and 2nd year results on Tuesday.

Among the toppers of the intermediate exam, Iram Meher Khaja Sahkeeluddin, a student of St. Joseph’s Junior College in Hyderabad’s Tolichowki branch, has made her mark by scoring 992 out of 1000 marks. This incredible achievement has made her one of Telangana’s intermediate toppers.

This is not the first time that Iram has shone in her academic career. Last year too, she became one of the toppers of Telangana’s intermediate exam by scoring 467 out of 470 marks.

Iram scored 100 percent marks in Mathematics IA, IIA, IB, IIB, Physics (first and second year) and Chemistry (first year).

Apart from her, another candidate from the same college, Fatima Zahra, a BiPC student, scored 434 out of 440 marks and became one of the toppers of Telangana’s intermediate first-year exam.

According to the official data released by TSBIE, a total of 948153 students appeared for the examination at 1473 centers. Out of these students, 482675 were of the first year and 465478 were of the second year.

A total of 297741 candidates cleared the first-year exam, whereas 295550 students were successful in the second-year exam.

The incredible achievements of Iram Meher and Fatima Zahra, Telangana’s intermediate toppers, are an inspiration to all students.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / posted Sameer Khan / (headline edited) / May 09th, 2023

Why we need to remember the Muslims who raised their voice for a united India

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, World Opinion

NEW DELHI:

In the run-up to 2024, with the pendulum poised between a secular or theocratic state, we need to revisit this forgotten chapter of history.

In the end, only three Indians spoke against Partition: Mahatma Gandhi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (centre) and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (right). (Express Archives)

The hall of the Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad on Calcutta’s Shakespeare Sarani was fully packed when I arrived for the Hashim Abdul Halim Foundation International Seminar. The Foundation is named after a man who was the speaker of the West Bengal Assembly for 29 years. The Iran Society which brings out the journal Indo Iranica is located in his ancestral home. Fuad Halim and Saira Shah Halim, along with their group, were the spirit of this event.

The overhead banner read “Muslims for a United India — Unvisited Histories: Remembering the Azad Muslim Conference, April 27-30, 1947”. Each word of the banner was part of my life although I had never thought of framing it in this way.

In 1947, my family was forcibly evicted from our ancestral place, Panipat, where we had lived for 800 years. No one asked them if they wanted to go to a newly carved country named Pakistan. The women of my family left notes pasted on their front doors, “We are going for a short time; we will return”. Keys were handed to neighbours, tears flowed on both sides. All they could carry were bundles and potlis. They were mostly women; the men of Panipat worked in nearby cities. They would join later. Young men who were studying abroad did not “opt” for the new country until it became inevitable. Seventy-six years later in 2023, I live in Delhi, near the campus of a university, Jamia Millia Islamia. Those who established it in 1920 were fortunately not evicted; they stayed on amidst the communal frenzy because they believed in a united India.

That day I heard speaker after speaker in a hall which remained packed for almost eight hours. They spoke on topics like ‘The Case for a South Asian Union’, ‘1857 Joint Heritage Joint Martyrdom’, ‘Muslims against Partition – Carrying Forward the 1857 Legacy’, ‘Challenging the Two Nation Theory: Maulana Azad and Nationalist Muslims’, ‘The Two Nation Theory: One Thought of Hindu Mahasabha RSS and Muslim League’, ‘Muslims who opposed the Partition of India’, ‘Allah Bux Soomro and Muslim Politics’. These were academics from universities across West Bengal, plus a few from the US and the UK.

The Azad Muslim Conference was the cord that held it all together. It was organised in Delhi in 1940 for three days, its objective: Advocacy for composite nationalism and for a united India, and unequivocal opposition to Partition and the Two Nation Theory. Participants were from the Krishak Praja Party, the Jamiat, Majlis e Ahrar ul Islam, All India Momin Conference, Khudai Khidmatgar, All India Shia Political Conference, Anjuman i Watan Baluchistan and others. Wilfred Smith, a world-renowned orientalist from McGill University in Canada wrote that this conference represented the vast majority of India’s Muslims. The Bombay Chronicle reported that the Muslim attendance was five times that of any event organised by the Muslim League. Allah Bux Soomro, twice premier of Sindh, was its leading light. Born in 1900 in Shikarpur, his fierce commitment to a united India led him to return the honours bestowed on him by the Empire. An equally unequivocal opposer of the two-nation theory was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He was born in Mecca, lived in Kolkata and joined the struggle with the guerrilla movement of Jugantar with Rash Behari Ghosh and Shyam Sundar Chakravarty. Azad spoke from every platform, the highest being his addresses as President (twice) of the Indian National Congress ,  against Partition and for a united India. In his first presidential address in 1923, he spoke for Hindu-Muslim unity, even if it meant a delay in attaining Swaraj.

Three years after the AIMC, Allah Bux Soomro was assassinated by an assailant said to belong to the Muslim League.

As the conference proceeded, layer after layer opened up and, to reword John Keats, I felt as if a “new planet swam into my ken”.

In the last decade, I have heard the following refrain from many quarters: “They demanded Pakistan. So why are they here? The Muslims — expunge, expel, exorcise them.”

Questions: Who asked us? Was there a plebiscite? Was there a “rai shumari”? Who made it happen? Elite Muslims, colonial masters — who suffered?

In his excellent work, Muslims Against Partition, Shamsul Islam writes, “The people of India, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, unitedly challenged imperialist power. This unprecedented unity naturally unnerved the firangis and made them conscious that their rule could flourish only if Hindus and Muslims were divided along communal lines.” The Minister of Indian Affairs, Lord Wood wrote to Lord Elgin, ‘We have maintained our rule in India by playing off one part against another.’ John Lawrence, Administrator of the East India Company, wrote, ‘If Muslims and Hindus have quarrelled, so much better for us; let them slaughter each other…’”

In the end, only three Indians spoke against Partition: Mahatma Gandhi, who said “over my dead body” but succumbed to the Congress; Maulana Abul Kalam Azad who stood his ground and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, who wrote to Gandhi, “We Pashtuns stood by you and had undergone great sacrifices for attaining freedom. But you have deserted us and thrown us to the wolves.”

In the run-up to 2024, with the pendulum poised between a secular or theocratic India, we need to recall this forgotten history. In the current din of Muslim hatred is heard the rasping voice of the Minster of State for Law and Justice. At Delhi’s Maharashtra Sadan, he said, “There are very few tolerant Muslims; those who pretend to be tolerant do so to grab the offices of the Vice President, the governor as well as vice-chancellors. As soon as they retire they start spitting poison. They wear the mukhota (mask) of tolerance; tolerant Muslims can be counted on fingers. The basic structure of the nation is Hindu Rashtra.”

I’m ending with two lines from Hafiz Shirazi, quoted in S Abid Husain’s prophetic work, The Destiny of Indian Muslims: “If sorrow raises its dire legion/ To overwhelm people of faith / The Saqi and I will join hands /To wipe it off the face of this earth.”

The writer is former Member, Planning Commission

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News> Opinion> Columns / by Syeda Hamid / May 11th, 2023

Hussamuddin clinches bronze in 57kg category at World Boxing Championships, gives walkover in semifinals

Amazing Feats, Sports, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Nizamabad, TELANGANA:

India’s Mohammed Hussamuddin finished his IBA World Boxing Championships campaign in Tashkent, Uzbekistan with a bronze medal on Friday.

India’s Mohammed Hussamuddin finished his IBA World Boxing Championships campaign in Tashkent, Uzbekistan with a bronze medal on Friday.

Hussamuddin was forced to give a walkover to Horta Rodriguez Del-Rey of Cuba in the 54-57kg semifinals due to a knee injury sustained during his quarterfinal bout, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) said in a tweet.

Against a taller opponent landing blows from a long range, the Indian southpaw connected a few headshots to claim the first round 3-2.

Hussamuddim relied on his ring craft to stay marginally ahead in the second period and matched the Bulgarian in the physical third round, which witnessed both going all out, to emerge triumphant.

The Haryana boxer defeated Russia’s Eduard Savvin in the pre-quarters.

Mohammed Hussamuddin’s background

Hailing from a family of boxers, Mohammed Hussamuddin is the youngest of six brothers, four of whom are seriously entrenched in the sport. Hussamuddin, whose role model is Vasyl Lomachenko, two-time Olympic Champion, was afraid to don the gloves until his father and coach, Mohammad Shamsuddin, got him to shed that fear and trained him at the Collectorate grounds in Nizamabad, north Telangana.

Commonwealth Games champion Hussamuddin had upset fifth-seeded Bulgarian Javier Ibanez Diaz 4-3, via bout review, in a closely-contested fight in the quarterfinals.

The 29-year-old went on to outshine his siblings and established himself in the state-level competitions before moving on to the national scene, making his debut in the 2009 junior Nationals at Aurangabad, claiming bronze. He turned it into gold in his debut at the senior nationals.

The boxer’s potential was spotted early and in 2011, he was sent to a fortnight-long stint of training and competition to Havana, Cuba, before participating in the 2012 Tammer Tournament in Finland and later in the Youth World Championship in Yerevan, Armenia.

His barren-run on the international stage ended with bronze at the 2015 Military World Games. Since then, he has been on the up and today he has evolved into one of the finest boxers in the country in his weight category.

With a bronze in Commonwealth Games 2018 and a gold in the Chemistry Cup, Hussamuddin continued to shine and bag silver at the Gee Bee Boxing Tournament in 2019. He won silver at the Boxam International in march 2021 and finished 2022 with bronze medal at CWG and Asian Championships.

source: http://www.sportstar.thehindu.com / SportStar / Home> Boxing / by Team Sportstar / May 12th, 2023

Jamiatul Falah’s 34 scholars felicitated, speakers count on the institution’s days of yore

Amazing Feats, Education, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NEW DELHI :

Dozens of alumni of Jamiatul Falah, one of the South Asia’s finest institutions of Islamic studies, were felicitated in New Delhi on Sunday for obtaining PhD from prestigious universities in different streams, smashing the perception and prejudices built around the institution of madrasa.

The speakers enlightened the general public about the contributions made by the institution in inculcating religious teachings and moral regeneration among the students.

The distinguishing feature of the graduates of the Jamia is that they maintain good relations with each other, keep in touch in a systematic manner and always strive for the welfare of the Jamia, said Maulana Muhammad Tahir Madani, the renowned  Islamic scholar and  Nazim of Jamiatul Falah while addressing the  gathering on the occasion.

He said that Jamiat al-Falah is not just the name of an educational institution or a center or an educational institution but it is an educational movement from which many generations have benefited and this process continues.

Jamia alumni are our brand ambassadors and the university has paid special attention to women’s education so that they can play an important role in the formation of a righteous society, he added.

The secretary of the Delhi unit Old Boys Association Mohammad Ershad Alam Falahi said that Jamiatul Falah was established by a group of dedicated scholars to promote knowledge and achieve greater goals for the common good. He compared the effort to the process of creating new clothes by using old fabric, letter by letter.

Rafat Kamal Fallahi, the President of the unit, thanked the audience and appreciated the Association for presenting the accomplishments of the Delhi Unit and discussing future plans. He assured everyone that the Old Boys Association would continue to extend its support in the progress and development of the community.

Asim Akram (Abbu Adeem) Falahi’s book, ‘Quran, Saransh Hindi Ek Taarak,’ was also released during the event.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Education> Indian Muslim > Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror Special Correspondent / May 07th, 2023

Running with a vision: Mohammed Asif Iqbal’s life, an inspiring tale for many

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021), Sports, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kolkata, WEST BENGAL:

Bouncing back from adversity with indomitable resilience and willpower, Asif Iqbal helps others with disabilities as he pushes the limits. Ejaz Kaiser shares his story.

Since 2021, Iqbal has run 10 km each on 12 different races.
Since 2021, Iqbal has run 10 km each on 12 different races.

Chhattisgarh :

A life well lived is a life worth talking about. With complete vision loss, Mohammed Asif Iqbal’s life can force anyone to rethink disability.

A Kolkata resident, who had a successful stint in Central government’s smart city projects for digital inclusion initiative at Nava Raipur in Chhattisgarh, Iqbal (46) had partial vision loss since birth due to a genetic disorder called retinal degeneration. By the time he turned 16, he had turned completely blind.


He moved to the United States and managed complete his high school and partial college education in Oregon, USA. Iqbal returned to India in 1995 to later become the first visually challenged commerce graduate of St Xavier’s College Kolkata and got his MBA in human resources from Symbiosis Institute, Pune.

Around six years back, he was diagnosed with high blood pressure. Having given a choice to either change his lifestyle or be on medicines all his life, Iqbal decided to lead a life worth living. “I thought my health shouldn’t be a hurdle towards my contribution to nation-building. Just the thought of doing something to ensure I remain healthy. I was overweight. I began visiting the playground and park with the help of friends. It was there the idea clicked to participate in marathons and began preparing for the race to build my confidence”, Iqbal said.

Running became a routine; starting from 100 metre, he increased the length slowly to 300 and later to a few kilometres with the support of volunteers. Gradually, he learnt navigation on his own.

“I was competing with myself to enhance my performance”, he added. Since 2021, Iqbal has run 10 km each on 12 different races and has also been recognised by former Indian cricket skipper master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for his brave initiative.

But his biggest moment came on December 18, 2022 when he accomplished TSK-25 km (15.53 miles) marathon run in Kolkata only through voice guidance. He was blind-folded and had zero physical touch or physical assistance from anyone. He set a record and entered into Asian Book of Records, as the first Indian Asian blind runner to complete a marathon in 3:32 hours with voice navigation support from Dibyendu Mondel and Prakash Singh who piloted his run.

“While I run on voice guidance (talking GPS) issued by fellow buddy runners who run at the same speed,  the mission of 25km marathon in Kolkata was well achieved,” Iqbal said.

He is also the recipient of a national award, West Bengal state role model award and the extraordinary citizen of Kolkata award among others.

During his career spanning over 15 years, he has designed and implemented social inclusion strategy for AADHAR enrollment, accessible income tax, and accessible telecom under Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) among others.

He is presently an associate director at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) India Ltd. In 2000, he filed a public interest litigation (PIL) for implementation of reservation quota in government-run universities including the IIMs and IITs.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Ejaz Kaiser, Express News Service / January 29th, 2023

‘Green Valley’ students glitter once again with 100% First Classes

Amazing Feats, Education, Karnataka (under research project), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Karavali, KARNATAKA:

ICSE EXAMS 2018 

Udupi : 

Green Valley National School and PU College, Shiroor has scored 100% result for the 11th consecutive year in ICSE Grade X Exams with an outstanding performance taking the school performance to a higher level.

Out of 63 students all the students have registered good results 100% pass and first class in all subjects. 20 students have secured High Distinction and 43 students have secured High first Classes.

MARIAM INAYATULLAH is a topper scoring 472 (94.4%). SOHAIL AHAMED ANWAR scored 470 (94%) and come second. MOHAMMED SAOUD secured the third position with 466 (93.2%).

While continuing the tradition of excellence and 100% results, students have secured an all-time record in high first class.

source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / Vartha Bharati / May 15th, 2018

AMU Faculty Discovers a Common Mechanism for the Prevention of Liver Cancer

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Education, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Science & Technology, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH:

In a big breakthrough in the field of cancer prevention, Dr Hifzur Rahman Siddique, Department of Zoology, Aligarh Muslim University, in coordination with Dr. Keigo Machida, University of South California, USA, has discovered a common mechanism that activates disruption of a single RNA binding protein, MSI-2 binding to mRNAs of the cancer-causing proteins and significantly reduces the synthesis and accumulation of these proteins, reducing HCV infection and proliferation. The single RNA binding protein (named MSI-2) helps to accumulate multiple cancer-causing proteins in patients and helps to proliferate Hepatitis C Virus to promote liver cancer.

Dr. Siddique and the team who have identified this protein by analyzing the liver tissues of 374 liver cancer patients, said, “As we know, alcohol and cholesterol-rich high-fat diet and hepatitis infection promotes cancer initiation, but the exact molecular mechanism is unknown. In this research work, we have discovered that MSI-2 protein helps to accumulate multiple cancer-causing proteins and supports HCV proliferation to aggravate the disease.”

Dr Siddique said that Liver hyperplasia is also reduced in the animal model predisposed to viral infection fed with alcohol mixed cholesterol-rich high-fat diet. This is a very exciting discovery and could serve as a potential therapeutic target for the drug design and give direction to the management strategy for this deadly disease.

“The study has been recently published in Cell Death Discovery (April 2023, available at www.nature.com/cddiscovery),” he added.

Dr Siddique and his team had earlier discovered the molecular pathway that promotes the abnormal division of Cancer Stem Cells that are responsible for cancer therapy failure and Cancer reappearance/recurrence. Their study was then published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications 11 (2020) and found a place in different national and international dailies.

He said that the liver is considered the powerhouse of the body and due to the change in lifestyle, chronic alcohol consumption, high-fat diet, and hepatitis virus infection, the incidence of liver cancer is increasing fast. More than 350 million people are currently infected with hepatitis viruses, out of which 70 million are infected with Hepatitis C. It is estimated that approximately 40 million people are chronically infected with Hepatitis B and 6-12 million people with Hepatitis C. The situation worsens when Hepatitis infection occurs in an alcoholic person.

He said that the discovery is significant in the treatment of liver cancer as blocking the identified protein has an immense effect on liver cancer in the animal model and also stops the accumulation of the number of human cancer-causing proteins, the proliferation of hepatitis viruses and improving recovery.

Dr Siddique has been working on Cancer Stem Cells for a decade and has established a dedicated lab to initiate pioneer research on Cancer Stem Cells at AMU with a team of 10 researchers and collaborators from the USA, Russia, China, the UK, India, etc.

Recently, he  got a Patent for his herbal formulation to prevent liver cancer and expecting some extramural grant from the Government of India for further clinical research.

source: http://www.amu.ac.in / Aligarh Muslim University – AMU / Home> AMU News / by Public Relations Office / May 01st, 2023

South Africa’s highest awards given to two of its Indian-origin citizens

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

SOUTH AFRICA:

Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim served time on Robben Island as a political prisoner alongside Nelson Mandela. 

Dr Aboubaker Ebrahim Dangor is known for his ground-breaking physics research.

National Orders
National Orders winners (Photo | Presidency | South Africa Twitter)

Johannesburg :

Two South African Indian-origin citizens, the late struggle icon Ebrahim Ismail Ebrahim and scientist Dr Aboubaker Ebrahim Dangor, were among the many recipients of National Orders when President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted the annual event in Pretoria on Friday.

National Orders are the highest awards that South Africa country bestows on its citizens and eminent foreign nationals who have contributed towards the advancement of democracy and have made a significant impact on improving the lives of South Africans.

The National Orders also recognise the contributions made by individuals towards building a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic and prosperous South Africa as envisaged in our Constitution.

Popularly known as ‘Ebie’, Ebrahim passed away after a long illness in December 2019, shortly before his autobiography ‘Beyond Fear — Reflections of a Freedom Fighter’ was released by his wife Shannon.

Ebrahim served time on Robben Island as a political prisoner alongside Nelson Mandela, Ahmed Kathrada and others.

After his father was arrested twice for defying laws that restricted the movement of Indians in South Africa, he joined the liberation struggle at the age of 13.

Ebrahim often shared how he had been inspired by the Satyagraha style of Mahatma Gandhi, which he used in his passionate representation of the ANC in global conflict situations in Sri Lanka, Palestine, Rwanda, Kosovo, Bolivia and Nepal.

After his release, Ebrahim went into exile to continue his work with the ANC, but was abducted by apartheid-era security police from neighbouring Swaziland, tortured and sentenced to a second term on Robben Island. He obtained two university degrees while on Robben Island.

After the release of all political prisoners and the election of Mandela as South Africa’s first democratic president, Ebrahim served in various capacities, including as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Parliamentary Counsellor to Mandela.

Ebrahim’s citation said he was receiving the Order of Luthuli in Gold for his lifelong commitment to the liberation of all South Africans. “He lived by the courage of his conviction and became a formidable opponent to the repressive apartheid government,” it read.

Shannon Ebrahim described her late husband as a “gentle giant, even to his family.”

“He inspired us with his undiluted moral values, his absolute commitment to transform South Africa for the better (even beyond political liberation), and his willingness to engage warring factions in conflicts around the world as a peacemaker. He was the essence of humility and never expected recognition for any of the hardships he endured throughout his life in the cause for freedom,” she said.

His one hope was that South Africans would read his memoir “Beyond Fear” to better understand what revolutionaries of his generation went through to bring about a new South Africa, his wife added.

“(Our children) Sarah, Kadin and I miss him dearly, but will always cherish his legacy,” she said.

“Dr Dangor was awarded the Order of Luthuli in Silver — for his admirable and distinguished contribution to the field of science through his ground-breaking research in physics,” his citation read.

Dangor has been based in the UK since he went there to continue his studies after getting his first Honours degree at Wits University in 1961.

He could not return home permanently because the white minority apartheid government denied entry to his wife from Bermuda, as she was of Black descent.

Widely published in academic journals, Dangor has also overseen scores of doctorate candidates in his career.

“It is particularly humbling for me that the first recipient of the Award was Nelson Mandela, our first post-apartheid president. I hope that being the recipient of this award will encourage the youth in the sciences in South Africa,” Dangor said.

Dangor’s niece, Zubeda Dangor, founder and director of Nisaa Institute for Women in Johannesburg, said he was very shy and did not like the limelight.

He could not attend the ceremony and his award was accepted by his grandnephew Mohammed Raees Dangor.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> World / by PTI / April 30th, 2023