The jury praised Johari’s work saying it shone through with its combination of meticulous reportage, humanism and empathy, all reflecting a high order of journalistic excellence.
New Delhi:
Mumbai-based journalist Aarefa Johari was picked on Sunday, April 3, as the winner of the Chameli Devi Jain Award for an Outstanding Woman Mediaperson 2021.
Instituted in 1982, the annual Chameli Devi Jain Award is a prestigious recognition for women mediapersons in India who have reported on themes such as social development, politics, equity, gender justice, health, war and conflict, and consumer values.
The Media Foundation announced Johari, who works for Scroll in Mumbai, as the winner of the award, which will be presented on Monday at the India International Centre here.
The winner was decided by a three-member jury, comprising Nirupama Subramanian from the Indian Express, writer Githa Hariharan and Ashutosh from SatyaHindi.
They praised Johari’s work saying it shone through with its combination of meticulous reportage, humanism and empathy, all reflecting a high order of journalistic excellence.
Harish Khare, chair of the Media Foundation, added that Johari’s ground-level reportage was an outstanding example of a journalist’s every day privilege to help society demand fairness and justness.
Nearly 50 journalists from print, digital and broadcast media from all over India sent entries for the award, named after Chameli Devi Jain, a freedom fighter and a community reformer who went to jail during the freedom movement.
(PTI)
source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Media / by PTI / April 04th, 2022
Gone are the days when the Muslims of Kerala were thought to have believed Malayalam as the language of Nairs. The Muslims of modern Kerala are greatly indebted to a number of devoted reformers whose dedicated endeavours liberated them from the yoke of illiteracy and cultural backwardness. Late C.N Ahmad Moulavi, in his book on Muslim literary heritage in Malayalam entitled Mahathya Mappila Sahithya Parambaryam, describes the contribution of such reformers.
In fact, Malayalam has been the mother tongue of the Muslims of this region but their dialect was considered relatively inferior. This was because they had neglected learning and teaching the Malayalam language and literature. They were more concerned with Quranic education. Moreover, for the purpose of imparting Islamic knowledge they used Arabic script when they wrote Malayalam. It slowly developed as a literary branch of Malayalam known as the Arabic Malayalam literature.
Arabic-Malayalam Literature The Arabic-Malayalam literature is exclusively the literature of the Kerala Muslims. It includes more than five hundred books in prose and about the same number of books in verse, on various subjects. Books in prose include translation and explanation of the Holy Quran, Hadith, Jurisprudence, history, stories and fables, narratives, criticism, lexicon, science and etiquette. Many journals and magazines were also published in Arabic-Malayalam.
Critics have wholeheartedly extolled the literary merit of the poems in Arabic Malayalam. They are highly impressed by its originality, rhythmic beauty, lucidity in imagination and expression. The majority of these poems are on religious topics. In fact, this stream of poems had been running parallel to Malayalam poetry for centuries. The earliest work so far traced in Arabic Malayalam poetry is Mohiyauddeen Mala, an ode in praise of Sheikh Mohiyuddheen. Its author, late Khazi Mohammed of Calicut was a contemporary of Ezuthcchan’s (16C) who is considered the father of Malayalam language. A comparative study of Ezuthcchan’s Adhyatma Romayana Khazi’s Mala reveals the latter’s simplicity in expression.
Moin Kutty Vaidyar elevated the Arabic Malayalam poetry to the pinnacle of its golry with his Badr pada pattu (war song on Badr) and Badrul Muneer Husunul Jamal (a love song). War and love have been celebrated topics for poetry of all ages. But what made Vaidyar’s poems real masterpieces of literature is his skilful way of blending form and content into an artistic unity. Through his poems Vaidyar created a language within language, a rare achievement in Malayalam poetry praised equally by famous critics and linguists. Chains of tunes (called Ishals) innovated by Vaidyar still remain to be emulated by latter poets. In fact he is the most popular among Arabic Malayalam poets. His poems provided the Muslims of Kerala with a unique culture identity, uniformity and redouble their pride and prestige. P.K. Haleema, Naduthopil Ayesha Kutty, Kundil Kunhamina are the poetesses whose poems left indelible imprints on Arabic Malayalam poetry.
Though Arabic Malayalam poetry boosted the morale of Muslims in their resistance to colonial invasion. The subjugation of Muslims by the invaders led to a state of stagnation in literary life. Later Muslim reformers used Arabic Malayalam poetry to rekindle the spirit of education and religious awareness. Prominent among these poets cum reformers are T. Ubaid, O. Abu and Punnayarkalam Bapu. The poems fostered by Muslims are generally known as Mappila Pattukal (Mappila songs). The salient feature of these songs is the instantly recognizable peculiarity of its tunes that have by and large influenced the cultural and literary life of Kerala as it is evident in modern Malayalam poetry and film songs.
Muslims today no more use the old script of Arabic Malayalam in their literary contribution. Modern works are all in Malayalam now. However, to a limited extent, efforts are made to preserve the identity of this language through Madrasa education.
Impact of Sanskrit Literary Tradition Though Muslim themes were introduced into Malayalam poetry by non-Muslim poets since the beginning of the 20th century, the entry of Muslims into the Malayalam literature is of late occurrence because of the attachment of the Muslim poets to Arabic Malayalam. In imitation of the Sanskrit literary tradition Maha Kavyam were composed by Malayalam poets. Rama Chandra Vilasam was written by Azakath Padmanabha. Kurp and Kattakkayam cheriyan Mappila wrote Sree Yeshu Vijayam. But Mahammadam was written only after a long period. Ponkunnam saidu Mohammad, a Muslim scholar in Sanskrit and Malayalam, wrote this Maha Kavyam in the same Sanskrit metre and here the poet attempts to narrate the story of mankind in an Islamic perspective. It also contains a description of the Quran in detail.
Yousef Ali Kecheri is a Muslim poet famous for composing poems with Hindu as well as Islamic cultural background. He has written poems on Quranic themes, the prophet and Muslim festivals. He is a famous composer of film songs.
P.T. Abdul Rahiman is another noteworthy poet who wrote a long poem on Bilal entitled, The Black Pearl.
Both Kecheri and P.T. have won literary awards.
Malayalam Fiction Anyhow, the Muslim genius made greater achievement in fiction and short stories. Viakkom Mohammed Basheer, a veteran novelist in Malayalam brought a continent of experience in life into the Malayalam literature. His compassionate attitude towards life accompanied by an ironic vision acquainted the Malayalam readers with a new aesthetic sense. His novels and short stories are translated into other Indian and world languages. Umashankar Joshi, the famous Indian writer, counted Tagore and Basheer as the only two Indian writers of originality. M. Mukandan, the pioneer of modernism in Malayalam fiction, once wrote, the Noble Prize is too small a thing to honour Basheer. Basheer’s novels are poetic expression of Muslim myth and Islamic mysticism. My Grand Dad had an Elephant and pathumma’s goats are his masterpieces. He mercilessly satirises the pervasive degeneration that infects Muslim social life. In his writings he had been attempting to create harmony in life through God consciousness.
N.P. Mohammed, another famous novelist, short story writer and essayist, traces the influence of Aryan, Dravidian and Hindu culture elements in the life of Kerala Muslims. His two famous novels named The Oil field and The Eye of God reveal the peculiar socio cultural life of a particular region. They can be called regional novels. He wrote short stories by perusing the Quranic style of expression. Punathil Kunhabdulla, another novelist and story writer, satirises the outdated view and customs prevailing in Muslim social life. Smaraka Shila Kal (Tomb stones) and Marunnu (Medicine) are his famous novels. Both N.P. and Punathil won awards of Kerala and Kendra Sahitya Academy. P.A Mohammed Koya, the father of sports literature in Malayalam, brought to light the social and religious life of the Koya Muslims of Calicut. His Island Stories have endowed the Malayalam short story with a rare aesthetic dimension. U.A. Khader beat a new path when he wrote his short stories anthologized in his famous Trikkotoor Peruma, which is highly appreciated. His style is inimitable.
The most developed literary genre in Malayalam literature is the short story and there are a number of Muslim short story writers such as T.V. Kuchu Bava, Shibabuddeen poithumkadavu, Akbar Kakratil, M.A. Rahima, N.P. Hafiz Mohammad and P.K. Parakhadavu. They are noted for their highest excellence in handling the Malayalam language in its colourfulness and rhythmic beauty.
The history of Malayalam drama will remain incomplete without mentioning the contribution of K.T. Mohammed. He criticizes the social life of the Kerala Muslims in an aggressive language. Ibrahim Vengara, Mohammed Yousef, K.A. Kondungallor and Azeez were renowned Malayalam dramatist.
Religious Writings In addition to making valuable contribution to the Malayalam literature, Kerala Muslims have been advancing in the field of religious writing. They have published many books aimed at reforming the religious life and introducing Islam to other people as well. Many publishing houses are established. The Holy Quran has been translated into Malayalam by various scholars. Tafheemul Quran of sayyid Maududi has been translated and published in Malayalam through Islamic Publishing House, Calicut, which shines like a pillar of light in the literary life of the Muslims of Kerala. Sheikh Muhammad Karakunnu, the Director of I.P.H., himself wrote about 50 books on various Islamic knowledge. Other publisher like Yuvatha, Hindustan and Al Huda published valuable works on Islam. The Muslims of Kerala constitute more than 20 per cent of the population and their literacy rate is satisfactory. Consequently they have started publishing dailies, weeklies, monthlies and bimonthlies including children’s and ladies magazines.
A close analysis of the literary history of Kerala Muslims will reveal the healthy trend of new awareness and reformation in the field of learning and thinking. And a cream of writers, thinkers, reformers, readers has emerged from various cultural groups among Muslims vying with each other for achieving excellence in developing Malayalam literature. There intense efforts and healthy rivalry enable us to envision a new sky of hope for the community and for the nation. The sea changes that have taken place in the realm of the Muslims of Kerala are promising signs of a new dawn-God willing.
(The writer teaches Malayalam at Government College, Kasaragod, Kerala.)
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> News & Analysis / by Ibrahim Bevinje, Ummid.com / March 16th, 2011
At the Battle of Malegaon, Muslim soldiers in the Maratha army defied the British army for a full month when they had no hope of victory as the Chhatrapati and Peshwa had already surrendered.
These battles, says Colonel Anil A Athale (retd), are in contrast to the colonial mindset driven narrative of Muslim separatism.
The current politics of both communities ensures that the heroes of Malegaon — or for that matter personalities like Ibrahim Khan, who led the Maratha artillery at the battle of Panipat in 1761 — are forgotten.
IMAGE: The Malegaon fort. Kind courtesy: Wikipedia
On January 1, 2018, the bicentenary of the defence of Koregaon by a small British force — that had a number of Mahar troops — was observed with great fanfare.
The British — the victors in the third Anglo-Maratha war — erected a pillar to commemorate the event.
During the same war, Muslim troops of the Marathas defied British forces for a full month from May 15, 1818 to June 13, 1818.
Since the Marathas were on the losing side, this saga of bravery was obliterated from history by the British.
As we approach the bicentenary of that event it is time to remember the brave soldiers of the Maratha army who continued to fight even when they had no hope since the Chhatrapati had already been captured by the British and Poona and Satara were under British occupation.
The loyalty to the Maratha flag by its Muslim soldiers even in a hopeless situation deserves to be remembered.
My own research in 1990 began with a question posed by the late Major General D K Palit, a military history scholar of repute.
The question he posed was this: How is it that the Marathas — who spiritedly fought a 22 year-long guerilla war against the mighty Mughal empire — succumbed to the British without a fight?
It is this quest for truth that led me to research the story of the Anglo-Maratha struggles of the 18th and 19th century.
The Battle of Malegaon fought in May-June 1818 was the last major attempt at resistance by the Marathas.
On May 15, 1818, a brigade strength force under Lieutenant Colonel A MacDowell reached the vicinity of Malegaon fort.
The British expected that this show of force would be sufficient to overawe the defenders of the Malegaon fort.
The British were in for a nasty surprise.
In response to summons to surrender, the defenders fired on the British camp leading to panic.
The quadrangular fort of Malegaon is located near the bend in the Musam river so as to cover two side of the fort, Malegaon town being on the other sides.
The fort had two lines of defence built of masonry surrounded by a seven feet wall and a 25 feet deep 16 feet wide ditch.
The outer wall had watch towers built of mud and stone. The inner fort or the citadel was 60 feet high with 16 feet wide ramparts.
On May 16, Colonel MacDowell reached the west bank of the river and began work to erect barriers of breastwork to deploy guns for the final assault.
At 8 am the British began bombardment of the fort with 20 guns, an assortment of 12 pounders (the biggest calibre gun then in India), 8 pounders and mortars.
The defending soldiers sortied out of the fort, destroyed the batteries and killed two British officers and several soldiers.
At the same time 7 guns from the fort opened devastating fire on the British lines on the west bank of the river.
The ding dong battle continued for six days.
On May 22, after particularly heavy shelling from the fort, the British were forced to abandon the breastwork for the guns and retreated.
On May 26, the British — through constant bombardment — succeeded in creating a breach in the inner wall of the fort.
The next day the British launched a three pronged attack after a bombardment lasting nearly two hours.
One column was led by Major Greenhill and consisted of a native battalion of 1,000 soldiers with 100 Europeans to directly go into the fort through the breach.
Another column of 800 sepoys under Lieutenant Colonel Stewart crossed the river downstream to outflank the fort from the west.
The third column consisting of 300 sepoys and 50 Europeans under Major Macbean went towards the river gate.
Each column had pioneers with tools, mines and ladders to tackle the fortification.
But the defenders of the Malegaon fort proved equal to the challenge.
The attacking British were met with a hail of bullets and gunfire. The attempt to scale the inner wall failed. Many of the engineer officers leading the attack suffered injuries.
Both the columns led by Majors Greenhill and Macbean were ordered to withdraw.
Only Lieutenant Colonel; Stewart’s column met with some success and he occupied part of the town.
The stalemate continued till June 4.
On that day another column under Major Watson arrived from Ahmednagar with a battalion of native infantry and a large number of siege guns.
For nine days, till June 13, the fort was subjected to heavy bombardment by the British guns.
On June 13, at 3 pm, the fort garrison accepted surrender and the Union Jack was hoisted in place of the Maratha saffron jari patka flag.
The next morning the garrison of 300 men marched out of the fort and surrendered their arms.
The British strength at Malegaon numbered over 2,000 troops. During the battle the British casualties numbered 11 officers and 220 soldiers (killed or wounded).
Thirty Maratha defenders died while 60 Maratha soldiers were wounded.
The British record states that in the end they used 36 guns, fired over 8,000 shells and used 35,500 pounds of gunpowder.
The British were so impressed with the valour and chivalry of the defenders that they permitted the surrendered soldiers to keep their daggers.
Historian N C Kelkar notes in his Marathi book Marathe ani Ingraj that at one stage the desperate British sent a message to the Muslim soldiers of the Maratha army that since the Chhatrapati had already surrendered, they should do likewise.
The doughty defenders replied that they were indeed aware that their king was in British captivity, but they were yet to receive instructions from him to surrender and therefore would keep fighting.
The devotion to duty and loyalty to their king was of the kind seen later only during World War II when many Japanese soldiers continued to fight even after Japan surrendered.
There is neither any victory pillar nor are the names of these brave soldiers engraved anywhere.
Even two hundred years after the event and the departure of British 70 years ago, the Muslim heroes of battle of Malegaon remain unknown, forgotten and unsung.
Two hundred years ago, the third Anglo-Maratha war fought in 1817 and 1818 ended in the Maratha Chhatrapati and Peshwa (prime minister) surrendering to the English.
After having defeated the Holkars and Shindias in early 1817, the British turned to the conquest of Maharashtra proper.
The full story of the Maratha struggle with the British has for long been swept under the carpet. In its place a modern myth of the British having directly taken over India from the Mughals or accidently acquired an empire has gained currency.
Ignoring the Marathas and their role in ruling most of north and central India was part of the grand colonial project of disinformation that sought to then play up Mughal-Rajput rule.
I recall an interesting news report some years ago, datelined Aligarh, where an Aligarh Muslim university ‘scholar’ had discovered that a major battle between the Marathas and the English had indeed taken place in Aligarh in 1803!
The worthy had, of course, never heard of the second Anglo-Maratha war that took place in 1803-1804 with battles at Delhi, Lassawari near Agra, Aligarh, Shekohabad etc.
The British had sound reasons to whitewash the Maratha period of our history.
Since the Marathas formed a formidable alliance with the Muslims, Jats and Sikhs in resisting the British, they posed a potential threat.
The distortions continued post-Independence as writing and teaching history was hijacked by the left-leaning Delhi elite. But those who ignore the Maratha or Sikh epoch fail to answer a simple question.
The Marathas fought three wars with the British, so did the Sikhs, the Gorkhas and Tipu Sultan in the south. Is there any mention of the Anglo-Mughal wars, even in the doctored historical narrative?
Note: The information about the Battle of Malegaon is based on a British Indian Army General Staff Publication (Simla 1910), Maratha and the Pindari War pages 89-91.
Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) is a military historian. This article is based on extracts from his forthcoming book, The Story of the Mighty Marathas and their Empire.
source: http://www.rediff.com / rediff.com / Home> News / by Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) / April 10th, 2018
At most of the places in the country, the names of the martyrs have been put on specially constructed Memorials. But the Memorial in Malegaon is still waiting for the names of the seven martyrs to be written over it.
“I have always wondered how, the Muslims and the Hindus together, had decided to set a Mandir on fire”, said Dr. Iftekhar Ansari recalling the incident when on April 25 in1921, the Malegaonians set the Pophale Mandir on fire where, Bhaskarrao, the PI and Incharge of the only Police Station in Malegaon was hiding. He was ultimately killed by the people. A Muslim Constable was also killed in the same uprising.
He further said, “It demonstrates not only the harmony with which the Malegaonians were living then, but also shows their eagerness for the country’s freedom. For them, the freedom was above everything, even their religion. In fact, Hindus and Muslims, except few from both the communities as was the case everywhere, had demonstrated a rare unanimity during the whole struggle. I believe if it was a Mosque, a Gurdwara or any other place, it must have met with the same fate.”
Agreeing with Dr. Iftekhar, Ramzan Painter 74, who has collected more than hundred-years of the city records added, “A confirmed account of the exact situation during 1921, clearly suggests the harmony with which people were living.” Mentioning the name of Balu Shah, owner of the first newspaper in Malegaon and a prominent figure of that time who was actively involved in the whole movement with the Muslims, he added, “And who can forget the contributions of Advocate Tatya Khare and Gadgil Wakeel, who remained at the forefront in establishing a separate court in Malegaon.”
“I have always wondered how, the Muslims and the Hindus together, had decided to set a Mandir on fire”
But, as it had done at several other places in the country, the British Police registered the whole incident as rioting and hanged the upfront leaders of the uprising in Yeroda jail. However, after the independence in 1947, the State as well as the Central governments, mentioned the historic event of April 1921 as part of the freedom struggle and included the names of the seven martyrs in their gazettes with due respects. Also, when the Parliament passed a resolution for the construction of a Memorial of similar shape everywhere in the country and to put the names of the martyrs on them, a Memorial was also built in Malegaon.
However in Malegaon, unlike other places in the country, the names of the martyrs have not been put on the Memorial till now. Interestingly the civic body, despite passing many resolutions in its general meeting for putting the names of these martyrs on the Memorial, has also not cared for doing so.
And as if it is not enough to dishonor these martyrs, every year on Kranti Diwas when officials gather everywhere near these Memorials for offering their tributes, in Malegaon, no one cares to honor these martyrs.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home / by Aleem Faizee (headline edited)
President William Ruto awards the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community Syedena Mufaddal Saifuddin on Monday.[PCS]
His Holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, the leader of the worldwide Dawoodi Bohra community, was among 460 people who were feted by President William Ruto on Jamhuri Day.
Saifuddin received the most prestigious award of the Order of the Golden Heart for his philanthropic contributions across the world, including in Kenya.
He was among the leaders invited by President Ruto to this year’s celebrations on Monday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxGgOs4EnTE&t=2s
Speaking during the ceremony at the State House, the president thanked Saifuddin for supporting the government’s low-cost housing initiative as well as the ongoing drought relief efforts.
“We are collaborating with the Dawoodi Bohra community to build low-cost houses to address challenges facing low-income earners, especially in the informal settlements,” said Ruto.
Bohra community has established affordable houses in Athi River and Rongai.
The President acknowledged the role of Saifuddin in philanthropy across the world and his leadership role in fostering inter-faith dialogue.
Saifuddin joined the list of eminent personalities who have previously received the highest award in Kenya for their exemplary work.
Others include Uganda President Yoweri Museveni, former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and the Aga Khan Shah Karim al-Husayni.
Saifuddin was previously presented with the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart award during the inauguration of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah’s Nairobi campus in 2017, the third campus of the Dawoodi Bohra community’s educational institute.
The award was in recognition of his efforts for the cause of education and literacy. The campus, inaugurated by former President Uhuru Kenyatta, offers higher secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate studies to more than 900 students from 24 countries in various disciplines.
In efforts to restore indigenous tree species, the Bohra community’s spiritual leader donated 76,000 seed balls to Kenya in 2019, which were planted near the Amboseli National Park to mark his 76th birthday.
The East Africa region has more than 10,000 community members and Kenya is home to about 5,500, mostly concentrated in Nairobi and Mombasa and a smaller population in Nakuru, Malindi, Lamu, Kisumu, Eldoret and Kitui.
Saifuddin is expected to meet the community members and deliver sermons in the course of his visit.
source: http://www.standardmedia.co.ke / The Standard, Kenya / Home> National / by Jacinta Mutura / December 16th, 2022
The United Arab Emirates-based entrepreneur/ philanthropist who hails from Kerala donated Rs 11 crore to help relocate the victims of the earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria last week, killing tens of thousands.
An earthquake ravaged Turkey
Indian-origin businessman Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, who is the founder and chairman of Burjeel Holdings, has donated Rs 11 crore as an aid for the victims of the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, killing tens of thousands last week.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based entrepreneur/ philanthropist who hails from Kerala donated Rs 11 crore to help relocate the quake victims. The fund will be used to relocate those who have lost their homes and rehabilitate victims and families, the VPS Group, owned by Shamsheer Vayalil, informed.
Vayalil has said that the amount has already been handed over to the Emirates Red Crescent, which is carrying out relief efforts in the region.
“The fund will be used to support rescue efforts by providing medicine and other supplies, relocating those who have lost their homes, and rehabilitating victims and their families,” the VPS group, which owns the super-speciality VPS Lakeshore Hospital in Kochi, said in a release.
“This donation is part of our ongoing efforts to provide assistance to the relief work. My heart goes out to all affected by the devastating earthquake, and I hope this contribution will support their needs,” Vayalil said.
Thousands were displaced after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region on February 6, killing more than 34,000 people.
(With inputs from agencies)
source: http://www.moneycontrol.com / Money Control / Home> News> World (headline edited) / February 14th, 2023
The elections were being keenly watched by political observers because of BJP’s decision to back the Congress–Sena alliance, which has 42 corporators in the Malegaon civic body while
Nashik:
Tahira Shaikh of Congress was elected Malegaon Mayor while Nilesh Aher of Shiv Sena her deputy with comfortable leads over the candidates fielded by the NCP, MIM and Janata Dal combine on Thursday.
The elections were being keenly watched by political observers because of BJP’s decision to back the Congress-Sena alliance, which has 42 corporators in the Malegaon civic body while.
All the nine corporators of the BJP toed the party line during the election, thus enabling the Congress-Sena candidates bag 51 votes each. The NCP, MIM and Janata Dal alliance candidates got 32 votes.
The Congress-Sena candidates’ victories were a foregone conclusion as the NCP, MIM and Janata Dal combine have 32 corporators in the Malegaon Municipal Corporation, which has a total strength of 84 elected members.
A Congress office-bearer said that Shaikh is the only Muslim mayor of any city in the state at present. “This is her second stint as Malegaon mayor, the previous one being around seven years ago. She took over the reins from her husband and Congress corporator Shaikh Rashid, who has completed his two-and-a-half-year term.”
“The voting took place by show of hands in the presence of the returning officer and acting Nashik district collector, Bhuvaneswari S,” the Congress worker said.
“Cleanliness and improving the condition of roads will be my priority,” the new mayor said, adding that she would also strive to beautify the city.
The deputy mayor thanked his party for choosing him for the post and vowed that the civic body would work in cohesion with the state government to develop the powerloom town.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City News> Nashik News / by TNN / December 13th, 2019
The new Governor of Andhra Pradesh has once said ‘he has lived a dream’
File photo of retired Supreme Court judge Justice Abdul Nazeer. | Photo Credit: Sandeep Saxena
Justice S. Abdul Nazeer, retired Supreme Court judge and the new Governor of Andhra Pradesh, once said “he has lived a dream”.
The man whose face, Supreme Court lawyers say, breaks into a “million dollar smile” before dismissing their cases, started his life’s journey in singularly tough circumstances in Karnataka’s Beluvai and later in Mangaluru.
Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud narrated how a young Nazeer worked in his uncle’s farms to make ends meet. During those bleak early years, he would scavenge for fish which washed up ashore at the Panambur beach to supplement his family’s income.
Justice Nazeer was born in 1958 into a family of several brothers and a sister. His father died early. He has often spoken about the sacrifices of his mother for the family. Justice Nazeer completed his graduation in Commerce and obtained a law degree from SDM Law College in Mangaluru. He was the family’s first lawyer. He moved to Bengaluru, overcame his natural shyness and “difficulty with the English language” to set up a substantial practice in tax and civil laws.
‘Duck syndrome’
He compared his early years as a lawyer to the “duck syndrome”. “I was like a duck who is seen gliding smoothly on the water, but is actually paddling furiously under the water just to keep itself afloat,” Justice Nazeer said at his farewell from the Supreme Court.
Justice Nazeer was elevated to the Karnataka High Court Bench at the early age of 45, largely owing to the recommendation of Justice R.V. Raveendran, the senior-most local judge of the High Court at the time. He spent 14 years at the High Court before his appointment as a Supreme Court judge on the proposal of a Collegium led by then Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar in 2017.
Justice Nazeer was not even a Chief Justice of a High Court when he was elevated to the Supreme Court. He was in fact the fourth senior-most among minority community judges of the High Courts.
His tenure gave him opportunities, one after other, to be in the thick of almost every momentous decision of the apex court.
He supported Chief Justice Khehar’s minority view to uphold triple talaq while the majority on the Constitution Bench struck it down. He was part of the nine-judge Bench which upheld privacy as a fundamental right.
Then came his role as the sole minority judge on the Ayodhya Bench, which gave the title of the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi to the Hindus. Senior advocate Vikas Singh said the unanimous Ayodhya judgment showed Justice Nazeer had “placed the nation first, him as a judge second and him as an individual last”.
On Justice Nazeer’s last working day, Chief Justice Chandrachud, who was also part of the Ayodhya Bench, said “Justice Nazeer was not the one who would be neutral between right and wrong but he stood for what is right. We shared the Ayodhya Bench and we worked together and delivered a decision together”.
His last few days as apex court judge saw a Constitution Bench presided by Justice Nazeer uphold the government’s 2016 demonetisation policy as flawless.
Justice Nazeer is also remembered for his speech at the National Council meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad in Hyderabad in December 2021, highlighting the need to chuck the colonial legal system detrimental to national interest and embrace the “great legal traditions as per Manu, Kautilya, Katyayana, Brihaspati, Narada, Parashara, Yajnavalkya and other legal giants of ancient India”.
Justice Nazeer is known for his fondness for theatre. He writes dialogues and composes songs for his dramas. He is also well known for his Tulu songs. Justice Nazeer has learnt Sanskrit. Chief Justice Chandrachud credits this endeavour to his “diversity, inclusion and openness of mind”.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India / by Krishnadas Rajagopal / February 13th, 2023
The Pune rapper and producer hails the national spotlight from the reality show as a win for the Indian hip-hop community.
MC Stan with actor and host Salman Khan after winning ‘Bigg Boss’ Season 16. Photo: Courtesy of Endemol Shine India
After four months in the Bigg Boss house, Pune rapper and producer MC Stan aka Altaf Tadavi Shaikh emerged as the winner of Season 16 of the reality show, taking home the trophy and a reported cash prize of ₹31.80 lakhs following public voting. With this, Stan is the first Indian rapper and musician to win the long-running reality show, which has generally been dominated by actors and film industry celebrities.
“The journey has been very powerful. I got a lot of experience,” Stan said in a post-win press conference in Mumbai. After actor and host Salman Khan held up Stan’s hand to judge him the winner, the first photos from his win came with the rapper holding the Bigg Boss horse trophy with Khan.
In an Instagram post celebrating the win, Stan wrote, “We created history, stayed real throughout, repped hip-hop on national T.V. Ammi ka Sapna poora hogaya [My mother’s dream came true]. Trophy P-town aagayi [The trophy has come to Pune].”
Seated amongst press in a black leather jacket, with all his chains and rings in place, Stan was reflecting where Indian hip-hop can reach in terms of public consciousness. “If you go to see, this is a win for a lot of people; the rap community — whoever’s here from the gullies and [those] areas — I don’t know honestly what people saw and liked in me, but I’m grateful for their love,” he said at one point.
Winning and surviving 133 days in the Bigg Boss house through public voting, Stan acknowledged the role that the public played in keeping him in the competition. He adds, “I saw a lot of housemates talk about how they want to win, but I didn’t think I could make that claim, because it’s not in my hands. Woh Hindustan ka haath mein tha [It was in India’s hands].”
By January, it was clear that MC Stan was a top contender to win Bigg Boss Season 16, owing to how he often kept his head down and just went with the flow, although he was occasionally involved in a few fights with other housemates. In addition to his in-house concert with hip-hop acts like Seedhe Maut and Ikka, MC Stan was at first adamant to get done and go home, but eventually stuck it out to win.
source:http://www.rollingstoneindia.com / Rolling Stone India / Home> HomeFlashbox> News & Updates / by Anurag Tagat / February 13th, 2023
With an intent to highlight the role of Islamic leaders in the pre-independence freedom struggle, a group of Muslim youths have decided to organise a function on the occasion of Republic Day, during which sacrifices of unsung heroes from their community would be highlighted.
Besides organising an elaborate programme after unfurling the Tricolour at the Dehliz Chowk on January 26, the enthusiasts will also install banners displaying portraits of more than 20 prominent Muslim freedom fighters at various locations.
The organisers say the gesture will motivate Muslim youths of the region to come forward and play active in nation building, irrespective of their political, social or religious allegiances.
Zeshan Haidar, the convener of the scheduled event, said youths from various Muslim organisations of the area had been roped in to work in tandem for restoring the lost glory of leaders from their community, who had made supreme sacrifices in struggle against the British Government and played a major role in getting freedom for the country.
“Unfortunately, successive governments have failed to recognise the contributions of Muslim leaders in the freedom struggle and a majority of Muslim freedom fighters and martyrs have remained unsung during functions held to celebrate national events such as Republic Day and Independence Day,” Zeshan Haidar said, adding that these names were also missing from history books.
The enthusiasts have shortlisted names of about 100 Muslim leaders of pre-Independence era and portraits of 20 from them will be displayed in the region.
Maulana Shah Abdul Qadir Ludhianvi (grandfather of Shahi Imam Punjab Maulana Usman Ludhianvi), Zakir Husain, Begum Hazrat Mehal, Maulvi Ahmadullah, Abadi Bano Begam, Ashfaqulla Khan and Husain Ahmed Madni were cited among more prominent Muslim freedom fighters whose portraits figure on the proposed banners.
source: http://www.tribuneindia.com / The Tribune / Home> Ludhiana / by the Correspondent, The Tribune / January 24th, 2023
