Category Archives: Amazing Feats

Travancore royal’s 1955-model Benz to join business tycoon’s fleet of cars

KERALA / UAE :

When the businessman, Yusuff Ali, paid a visit to the palace in 2012 Marthanda Varma had expressed his wish to gift the car to him. A year later Varma died (December 16, 2013) and the transfer was delayed due to many reasons.

Earlier, the German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz came back to Marthanda Varma with an offer of two new high-end cars, but the royal entity refused to part with his favourite vehicle. (SOURCED.)
Earlier, the German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz came back to Marthanda Varma with an offer of two new high-end cars, but the royal entity refused to part with his favourite vehicle. (SOURCED.)

Marthanda Varma’s favourite car — a 1955-model Benz nicknamed “Mile a Minute,”– will soon join the fleet of well-known business tycoon MA Yusuff Ali. Varma was the patriarch of the erstwhile Travancore royal family.

The royal family and Uthradam Tirunal Marthanda Varma Foundation have said the late royal figure’s announcement in 2012 in this connection will soon be fulfilled. Many vintage car collectors and businessmen have eyed the vehicle for quite some time. Even the German luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz came back to him with an offer of two new high-end cars, but the royal entity refused to part with it.

What is amazing is that the old beauty had travelled 40 lakh miles, a rare achievement for a vehicle. People close to the royal family said he bought the car when he was 38, in 1955, and he drove a major portion of the miles it covered on his own and the rest as a passenger. Built in Stuttgart in Germany, Varma bought it for ₹12,000 and got it registered in Karnataka, CAN 42. It got its nickname “Mile a Minute” after it used to cover one mile in one minute.

When the businessman, Yusuff Ali, paid a visit to the palace in 2012 Marthanda Varma had expressed his wish to gift the car to him. A year later Varma died (December 16, 2013) and the transfer was delayed due to many reasons. Though delayed, the royal family members decided to fulfil his desire and informed the business magnate about it. He is yet to react to the royal offer.

The car is with his son Padmanabha Varma and in good road condition. Benz had presented many honours to the car and some of them are placed in front of the car and bonnet, said royal members. Palace old timers say even on his sick bed Varma used to watch his trusted companion. “He was so attached to it and looked after it as his progeny,” said one of them. A multinational businessman, Yusuff Ali, owns the Lulu group. He had a miraculous escape after his chopper crash-landed in Kochi last April.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Top News> India News / by HT Correspondent / April 04th, 2022

Chikkamagaluru girl Umme Sarah bags 16 gold medals

Sattihalli Village, Gullampete (Chikkamagaluru District) , KARNATAKA :

Proud Umme Sarah receives gold medals from Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Wednesday

Bengaluru :

A girl student from Chikkamagalur district, bagged 16 gold medals at the 11th convocation of the University of Horticulture Science at Bagalkot on Wednesday. As many as 34 students received 77 gold medals during the convocation.

Karnataka Governor Thwar Chand Gehlot gave away the medals to Umme Sarah, daughter of Asmat Ali, a farmer from Gullampete.

Hailing from an agriculture-based family, Umme Sarah came to the horticulture sector inspired by her father’s farming. She studied hard with a government scholarship. Her father grows coffee on four acres of land. He had taken a loan of Rs 1 lakh from the bank for his daughter’s education. Umme Sarah’s mother is a homemaker.

Congratulating the winners, governor Thawar Chand Gehlot said, ““Our country is still agriculture oriented and agriculture graduates have to look out for wall and terrace garden horticulture,” he said.

Umme Sarah said, “There was no compromise when it came to studies since my childhood. My parents always encouraged me.”

I obtained a seat in the university after passing the CET,’ Sarah said.

She also said that she aims to work towards the betterment of Indian farmers and wants to pursue MSc from the university of Padua in Italy for that.


A Master’s Degree will cost anywhere between Rs. 15 lakh and Rs. 20 lakh abroad. Umme Sarah and her parents are expecting a helping hand for loans through banks, government scholarships, and donors.

source: http://www.newstrailindia.com / News Trail / Home / May 27th, 2022

When the Chief Justice felicitated a homeguard

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

Chief Justice Satish Chandra  Sharma felicitating homeguard Mohammed Ashraf Ali in Hyderabad on Friday. | Photo Credit: Arrangement

Justice Satish Chandra Sharma was impressed by Ashraf Ali’s commitment to duty

‘Arey maine ye kya kardiya?’ (What wrong have I done?) was relentlessly ringing in the mind of homeguard Mohammed Ashraf Ali (43) when the convoy of Chief Justice of Telangana High Court Satish Chandra Sharma started to approach him at a slow pace and stopped on Friday morning.

Mr. Ali, who works at Abid Road Traffic police station, was performing his duty at Babu Jagjivan Ram statue near Nizam College when he had a shock of his life as Justice Sharma himself got down from the vehicle and felicitated the officer with a bouquet.

Nonplussed by this development, the homeguard couldn’t believe what was happening in front of his eyes. A visibly impressed Chief Justice, while patting Mr. Ali, said that he had been observing him every day on his way to High Court and was pleased by his commitment and sense of duty.

“I see you every day. You are a good police officer,” Justice Sharma told Ali.

Speaking to The Hindu about the ‘once in a lifetime’ moment, Mr. Ali said that he was still in a state of shock and couldn’t believe that the Chief Justice took time from his busy schedule, and stopped the entire convoy to felicitate him, a homeguard rank police officer.

“It is a rare opportunity and a lifetime memory which I will recollect every single day and share with near and dear ones at every opportune time,” he said.

Mr. Ali’s family members and friends circulated his photo with Justice Sharma to every possible person they know and soon he was flooded with phone calls.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by Abhinay Deshpande / Hyderabad – April 08th, 2022

Rare copies of Koran on display in Telangana

TELANGANA :

One such is a miniature version that can be worn as an amulet

Ramzan marks the revelation of Koran and families go into a huddle reading it through the night. The Abul Kalam Azad Oriental Research Institute in Public Gardens is now hosting an exhibition of copies of some rare Korans.

One of them has been created in Hyderabad with Persian and Urdu translation and explanatory passages on the side. Another Koran is a miniature version which could be worn as an amulet. “This is among the 5,000 Koran amulets commissioned by Hasan Nizami, a legatee of Nizamuddin Aulia of Delhi. It is a priceless object as very few are in circulation,” informs S.M. Ahmed Ali of the institute.

Then there is a Koran which is a gift of Reza Shah Pehlavi, first Shah of the House of Pahlavi of the Imperial State of Iran, when his wife visited the city in 1960. It has the Persian translation along with the Arabic original.

A few facsimile copies show how different writing styles have evolved. A 7 th century Koran in Kufic script is without the diacritical marks. “This is one of the earliest copies and unique. It will be difficult to read as we are used to seeing the sound markers,” adds Mr. Ahmed.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Telangana / by The Hindu Bureau / Hyderabad – April 14th, 2022

Dentist, collector of 15,000 extracted teeth, bags UAE Golden Visa

Kerala, INDIA / Abu Dhabi, UAE :

Abu Dhabi-based dentist couple Abdul Rahiman Nizar and Simi are the latest recipients of the 10-year UAE Golden Visa.

Abu Dhabi :

Abdul Rahiman Nizar gained popularity for amassing a rare collection of all the teeth extracted so far in his career.

Abu Dhabi-based dentist couple Abdul Rahiman Nizar and Simi are the latest recipients of the 10-year UAE Golden Visa.

Dr Nizar has served in Abu Dhabi for 20 years, including 18 years at Ahalia Group. However, the Indian doctor gained popularity for amassing a rare collection of all the teeth extracted so far in his career.

“Teeth are the strongest part of your body. I have always liked teeth. And once into my job, I started collecting it. Soon, it became a hobby. And I began to have a varied collection, which has been helping students in their dental studies,” said Dr Nizar, who is from Kerala, India.

“Over the years, I have collected nearly 15,000 teeth. I clean each tooth with antimicrobial hydrogen peroxide and then treat it with disinfectant. Once dried, I preserve them in a box. I am aiming to see my name in record books,” said the general practitioner dentist.

Dr Nizar urges people to take care of their teeth and visit a dentist every six months.

“Early detection of any tooth decay will help to avert a situation of tooth extraction. I always try to save a tooth and opt for extraction only as a last resort,” he said.

Dr Simi, who works at Al Mafraq Medical Centre in Baniyas, has also been collecting teeth.

“We are very excited to have bagged the Golden Visa. During this pandemic, both of us served the community, sacrificing our off days,” Dr Simi said.

The couple have four daughters: Grade 12 student Neha, Naila in Grade 8, Naima in Grade 3 and Naira is eight months old.

Dr Nizar, who also holds a 10-year US visa, added: “We plan to spend the rest of our lives in the service of Abu Dhabi. I thank the leadership for this honour and our hospital for the support in building our careers.”

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home / by Ashwani Kumar / September 29th, 2021

Karnataka: After 28 years, father clears Class X exam, along with son who tutored him

Mysuru, KARNATAKA :

42-year-old Rahmathulla passes exam in fourth attempt, says it is one of the happiest moments of his life.

Rahmathulla with his son Mohammed Faraan (Express Photo)

After 28 years and three failed attempts, 42-year-old Rahmathulla finally achieved his lifelong dream of clearing his Class X exams when the results were declared in Karnataka and he learnt that he had passed with 333 marks. What made the accomplishment sweeter was that he shared the achievement with his son Mohammed Faraan, who scored 98 per cent.

“My father always insisted that I study and pass the 10th standard…which I did not do. But now, after nearly 30 years, I have achieved this only because of my son,” said a teary-eyed Rahmathulla, crediting son Faraan for his success.

A Mysuru resident who works in a cloth merchant’s shop, Rahmathulla said that clearing his Class X exams was one of the happiest moments of his life. “I come from a poor family but despite this, my father always asked me to study and at least pass 10th standard. However, I did not pay any heed to his words and started working as our family was not in a position to afford to feed us,” he said.

After his first attempt in 1994, Rahmathulla decided to give the exams another shot in 2004. “I felt I should give it a try but I only ended up securing 82 marks. Then, last year when the state government announced that they would pass all candidates, my son forced me to appear again. I did, but again I failed as I was able to score only 316 marks,” he said.

After his first attempt in 1994, Rahmathulla decided to give the exams another shot in 2004. (Express photo)

It was then that Faraan stepped up and refused to let his father give up his dream. “I had given up and thought I would not appear for the examination again, but my son did not leave me. He said he would train me to at least pass by attending a few questions and writing less. He used to teach me after I returned home after work. I managed to secure 333 marks to pass the examination. This was really one of the biggest moments of my life,” said Rahmathulla.

Faraan, who secured 613 marks (100 marks in Mathematics, Hindi and Social Science), dreams of becoming a software engineer or scientist. “I have got admission to CPC Polytechnic College in Mysuru where I will pursue Diploma in Computer Sciences,” he said.

Speaking about Rahmathulla, Faraan said, “Today, passing 10th standard is the minimum criteria for anything. My father may have wanted to but did not get the guidance he needed. I made him enroll for the examination and when the examination neared, after his working hours, I used to teach him a bit. Along with that, I also studied. I am really happy that he was able to clear the exam.”

Asked if he now wants to pursue education, Rahmathulla said, “I am glad I completed 10th standard. Now, let my son decide.”

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Kiran Parashar, Bengaluru / May 25th, 2022

Mysuru health sciences students bag RGUHS ranks

Mysuru, KARNATAKA :

Students of Cauvery Institute of Health Sciences, Mysuru, affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS), have bagged a gold medal and 23 ranks in the recent 24th annual convocation of RGUHS.

Rohith, a student of Cardiac Care Technology, has secured first rank and a gold medal.

Sandra Sabu and Sandra Shibu, students of Operation Theatre Technology, have bagged 2nd and 5th ranks respectively.  Ashley, a student of course in respiratory technology, has secured 7th rank. Adil Mubarak, Laveena Jose, Anagha, Anju David, Shalu Reji, Amulya Celestina, Bharathan R., Anjana Rajan, Santuna Saji, Mariya Linet, and Shilpa are the other students whose names figure in the list of rank holders, a press release from the institute said.

Principal Aravind R.M. congratulated the students and faculty for their efforts in bringing accolades to the institution. Chandrashekar G.R., Chairman, Cauvery Group of Institutions, called upon the students to consider the healthcare field as a career option which has huge demand and potential for growth in India and abroad.

He said in the release that the Cauvery College of Nursing has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with NHS, United Kingdom, for training and recruitment in various hospitals in the United Kingdom.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – April 14th, 2022

UAE: Indian autistic student gets Golden Visa for exceptional academic performance

Kerala, INDIA / Dubai, UAE :

A student with high functioning autism and has been breaking academic records since his high school days.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education student Aman Maqbool has been breaking academic records since his high school days. Supplied photos

Indian student of determination Aman Maqbool is the latest recipient of the UAE Golden Visa.

A 20-year-old student of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Aman is a student with high functioning autism and has been breaking academic records since his high school days. 

Aman first made headlines , including a report in Khaleej Times, after scoring an impressive 94.2 per cent in his Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Grade 10 examinations.

A former student of Delhi Private School, Sharjah, Aman has found immense support from his family, teachers, and counsellors at school and university.

Aman Maqbool with former Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

“He scored 95 per cent in his Grade 12 CBSE examinations,” his father Maqbool Ahmed told Khaleej Times. Aman is a BSc information science and technology student at MAHE Manipal, Dubai campus.

“After Grade 10, he chose commerce. He decided to pursue a BSc in computer science since computers are his passion,” added Ahmed, a Kerala native.

The family, including Aman’s most significant pillar of support – his mother Anitha and younger brother Ayaan, have been UAE residents for over two decades. “Aman is very passionate about studies. He loves going to campus and loves learning and studying,” said his mother.

“We did not think he would get the golden visa. I applied on behalf of Aman because it was a token of appreciation for all the hard work he has put into his studies,” said his father. While Aman is brilliant and has a photographic memory, he struggles to communicate in a manner that is considered “socially acceptable”.

Aman Maqbool with his mother

Aman was diagnosed with high-functioning autism aged three to four years old, said Anitha. “He studied in Delhi Private School all his life before moving to MAHE for higher education. Our aim now is to help Aman become a lot more independent,” she added.

He underwent several speech and functional therapies as a child, including brain gym. “For children with autism, every action and word is a form of therapy. Aman is also active in sports, cycling, swimming, and exceptional musical skills. He plays the keyboard very well,” said Ahmed.

“What’s important for Aman is that he has a never-give-up attitude and is extremely hard working. We are sure he will reach much greater heights,” said his parents.

Aman receives an award.

Commenting on Aman’s impressive achievements, Nasreen Bahar, the inclusion champion at DPS, Sharjah, told Khaleej Times, “Aman has been a student with DPS since KG1. I worked with him after he reached Grade 6. He has a lot of potentials. He is academically gifted and well-versed in music. He can recall any day of the calendar day and date from the 1970s to 2030.” While his social skills are not indicative of his intelligence, Nasreen remembers Aman getting along well with his peers at school.

Similarly, Kritika Mathur, the deputy manager at the office of student affairs (student engagement and inclusion), said, “I’ve been working with schools for ten years now, and I’ve come across multiple stories of children who have family support and students who do not have family support. Aman has several major challenges, but his family efforts are solid, and his parents are determined.”

She added, “They are not victimising themselves in any way. They work with Aman to achieve his dreams. At present, Aman is going through several changes as he grows older. However, his parents are so forthcoming with these changes.”

Mathur said her message to all families with children of different abilities is that the issue is ‘not what’s happening with their child. “Parents need to educate themselves on how to grow with their child of determination,” she added.

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> UAE> Education / by Dhanusha Gokulam / March 12th, 2022

The future of the Ajmer dargah

Ajmer, RAJASTHAN :

A view of the dargah of Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer

Ajmer’s dargah of Moinuddin Chishti is undergoing massive restoration work

The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti, fondly remembered as Khwaja Garib Nawaz, or the benefactor of the poor, in Ajmer, will, in two years’ time see a restoration and an incorporation of modern facilities. Considered a holy place of hope, where people from different denominations believe their prayers will be answered, the dargah was built in the 13th century. The tomb was constructed in wood, later covered with a stone canopy. In 1579, Akbar reconstructed the sanctum sanctorum and built the dome. It was renovated in later years by Jahangir, Shah Jahan, and Jahanara.

The project, a part of the CSR wing of Hindustan Zinc Limited, is headed by architect Surbhi Gupta, a heritage management consultant. At present, the dargah that was organically built with various materials, ranging from brick and marble to sandstone, is seeing restoration and redevelopment of the interiors of the Mehfil Khana, widening of gates, structural consolidation, facade work in the courtyards, cleaning of stone surfaces, and new terracing in lime concrete.

“There is no single language of design or material as the dargah was never planned systematically,” says Surbhi, working on one of the most important pilgrimage sites of South Asia with members of her studio Rasika that specialises in heritage management.

The square structure of the royal darbar (Mehfil Khana),was built in 1888 AD. She says it “has been painted over as a part of living tradition. The idea is to bring out its character as a space meant for performances. The architectural character needs to be revived to bring back the original identity of the structure. The patterned ceiling will be designed on the lines of Kashmiri Khatambandh (a woodwork ceiling with a carved geometric pattern), and Mughal stone inlay flooring,” says Surbhi.

Work is also going on at the famous Shahjahani Gate, built by the Mughal emperor Shahjahan to mark the expansion of the dargah complex beyond the Buland Darwaza.

The project — under the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan — also revolves around sanitation, cleanliness, and waste management within the dargah’s periphery. The work entails providing clean drinking water for pilgrims, building toilets, and kiosk management.

“Every day, seven tonnes of rose petals are wasted. For the flower-waste disposal, a compost waste converter has been installed.” As the Khwaja was known far and wide for his large-heartedness and hospitality, the dargah distributes degh ka khana (food from a cauldron) comprising rice, almonds, cashew nuts, raisins and ghee. “The food is prepared in two big deghs , which were made during Mughal emperor Akbar’s reign. A retort packaging machine (sterile packaging of plastic and foil) has been installed to increase the shelf life of food from three hours to three months.”

Feeding into the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan, Surbhi says that her team is working on the revival of wudu (Islamic ritual purification) points so that pilgrims can wash their hands, face and feet before offering namaz. Right now, the overflow leads to a cesspool of water. “We are also building newer ones that are aesthetic as well as functional,” says Surbhi, who from her days in college at CEPT, Ahmedabad, has been interested in heritage structures.

She chose Chunnamal ki haveli in Old Delhi, as a research project. “On the ground floor were shops, first and second floors were residential spaces. It had five chowks (internal courtyards). And it was built as an organic edifice over many decades during the 18th century,” she says.

Meanwhile, she hopes to look at the parts around the dargah. “The approach street is famous for food, craft and gota work done on the chadar laid at the dargah by devotees. We have proposed a facilitating centre that includes a large shopping space, kiosk, and toilets inside the complex,” she says.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> History & Culture / by Madhur Tankha / Septemeber 03rd, 2019

How U.P. police tried to keep Azam Khan in jail till the last minute

UTTAR PRADESH :

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan is greeted by supporters after his release from jail in Sitapur on May 20, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI

Supreme Court had invoked Article 142 to grant him interim bail 

The Uttar Pradesh police’s efforts to keep Samajwadi Party stalwart Mohd Azam Khan in custody were interrupted as the SP leader walked out of the Sitapur Jail on Friday after more than two years in custody.

While invoking its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India to grant him the relief, the Supreme Court had outlined the circumstances under which Khan was implicated in the 88th FIR against him.

To begin with, the court noted that even though this FIR was registered in March 2020 and a charge sheet filed, the U.P. police did not consider implicating Khan in the said case until the Supreme Court started hearing his case this year.

Moreover, the court also noted that while opposing interim bail to Khan in this case, the police had alleged that he had threatened the investigating officer of the case. However, it also pointed out the “sheer coincidence” in the timing of this threat, which was registered by the police as a General Diary entry at 3:04 a.m. on May 17, only hours before the top court was to hear the matter.

Noting that Khan was implicated in this case 1 year and 7 months after a charge sheet had been filed, the court said, “It is not as if that the allegations which are now sought to be made against the petitioner (Khan) could not have been made at that point of time.”

When Khan had approached the Supreme Court earlier this year, there were 87 criminal cases pending against him, of which he had secured bail in 84. As the top court started hearing his plea regarding the delay in bail being granted in the remaining three cases, he was further granted bail in two of them, leaving just one more case for him to get relief in as of the beginning of May.

It was at this point that the U.P. police acted to implicate Khan in the 88th case, where he was not an accused or suspect till May 5, when the police first requested to summon him in the case. As the Supreme Court was told on May 6 that the Allahabad High Court would soon deliver its judgement in the last remaining case, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Rampur) on the same day passed an order remanding Khan in custody in the 88th case.

While hearing Khan’s case last week, the Supreme Court had also noted a pattern in the police action against him, orally pointing out that the 9-time SP MLA was being arrested in a fresh case every time he was granted bail in a previous one to prolong his incarceration.

Khan, once among the most powerful ministers in the SP-led U.P. government, faced a barrage of FIRs soon after the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2017, the first of which came on allegations of forging his son’s birth documents. The bulk of the FIRs (81 out of a total 88) then came in 2019, immediately before and after the Lok Sabha elections that year, all in quick succession.

As per the most recent election filing in 2022, charges have been framed against Khan in just 14 of the 88 cases.

Therefore, considering that he had been granted bail in 87 cases and the circumstances under which he was implicated in the 88th case, the Supreme Court invoked its power under Article 142 for the second time in two days to grant interim bail to him.

The top court had just a day before invoked the same powers to free Rajiv Gandhi-assassination convict A.G. Perarivalan.

Article 142 gives the Supreme Court sweeping powers to pass any such orders or decrees as it may deem fit in the interest of ensuring that “complete justice” is done in any cause or matter pending before it.

These powers are rarely invoked by the court and it has done so notably in its Ayodhya-Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute judgement in 2019, in 1989 while asking Union Carbide to pay $470 million in compensation to Bhopal gas tragedy victims, and in 2016 while banning the sale of liquor within 500 metres of state and national highways in a bid to curb driving accidents.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Other States / by Abhinay Lakshman / New Delhi – May 20th, 2022