Category Archives: Amazing Feats

Indian doctor helped a ‘critical’ Rizwan recover in time for semi-final

Amazing Feats, NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, Sports, World Opinion, , , , , , ,

Thiruvananthapuram, KERALA / Dubai, UAE :

Dr Saheer Sainalabdeen posing with Mohammad Rizwan’s jersey. (Special Arrangement, Twitter/ShoaibAkhtar)

The attending pulmonologist, Dr Saheer Sainalabdeen, originally from Thiruvananthapuram, said Mohammad Rizwan was critical at the time he was admitted in Dubai’s Medeor Hospital.

It was a race against time. Two days before his team’s T20 World Cup semifinal against Australia, Pakistan’s wicket-keeper opener Mohammad Rizwan, after complaining of severe chest pain, was in the ICU unit of Medeor Hospital near Burjuman in Dubai.

The attending pulmonologist, Dr Saheer Sainalabdeen, originally from Thiruvananthapuram, says Rizwan was critical at the time he was admitted. Under the Indian doctor’s care, Pakistan’s key player recovered in time for the game.

He didn’t just make it to the playing XI, he also made a gritty 67, helping his team post a formidable score in the match that Australia narrowly won. Despite the heartbreaking loss, Rizwan, 29, remembered to acknowledge the efforts put in by the good doctor. As a token of gratitude, he sent across a team shirt, autographed by the Pakistan players.

Speaking to The Sunday Express at his chambers, Dr Saheer credited the quick recovery to Rizwan’s “willpower”.

In ICU for 35 hours

“He was in the ICU for 35 hours. He had a fever for three-four days, but he was Covid negative. Then (two days before the match), he had severe chest pain, enough to make him gasp,” Dr Saheer said.

The 40-year-old doctor said he initially suspected a heart problem, but tests ruled that out. “Actually, due to infection, spasms had blocked Rizwan’s esophagus (food pipe) and trachea (windpipe), resulting in chest pain. His condition was critical.”

Going into the match, Rizwan was not 100%, but managed to score 67 in 52 balls, getting out only in the 18th over of the Pakistan innings. He returned to keep the wickets and took a sharp catch of the in-form Australian opener David Warner, who seemed to be running away with the game.

During a break in the game, Pakistan’s batting coach, former Aussie batsman Mathew Hayden, had revealed to the host broadcaster that Rizwan had been in hospital a day earlier.

“I am a big fan of this batting line-up, they have performed superbly right through with the bat all along, and tonight is no exception. Rizwan was in hospital a night ago, suffering from a bronchitis condition, but this is a warrior… He has great courage, so has Babar (Azam), fantastic to see them combine so well,” Hayden said.

Among those who applauded Rizwan’s drive and commitment was Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin . “Can you imagine this guy played for his country today & gave his best. He was in the hospital last two days. Massive respect @iMRizwanPak. Hero,” posted Pakistan great Shoaib Akhtar.

Dr Saheer recalled Rizwan was desperate to play. “Whenever we spoke, he told me, ‘Play I must, I have to be with the team’. He was given an injection before leaving the hospital (a day before the game) and then, two hours before the start of the match, he took medicines. I allowed him to play only because he was medically fit to play,” the doctor said.

Dr Saheer said, Rizwan and his Pakistani teammates wanted to visit him personally to thank him, but biosecurity protocol didn’t allow them to do so. “He said, ‘Ek shirt bhej rahe hain aapko (Sending you an autographed team shirt)’.”

While happy at the gift, Dr Saheer said he was happier at Rizwan’s recovery. “It was down to his willpower. I have never seen a person with such strong willpower. He was weak but his willpower trumped the illness.”

Recalling the challenge, he added: “An illness that usually takes about a week to heal was taken care of inside two days… He had a big game coming up, so it was my duty to walk the extra mile, leave no stone unturned and then see how it goes. When he was admitted to the ICU, I never thought it would be possible. But he responded very well to the treatment, followed our advice in toto and pulled off something unreal.”

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Sports> Cricket / by Shamik Chakrabarty, Dubai / November 14th, 2021

Aster Hospitals to offer free surgery for 100 underprivileged children

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, FREE : Healthcare / Assistance, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, Useful / HEALTHCARE, World Opinion, , , , , , , ,

Dubai, UAE / Kerala / Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

The ‘Second Life – Because Little Lives Matter’ initiative was launched in Bengaluru on November 15 by Dr. Nitish Shetty, Regional Director, Karnataka and Maharashtra Cluster; Farhan Yasin, Regional Director, Kerala and Oman Cluster; and Devanand K.T., Regional CEO, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Cluster

A 24X7 multi-lingual helpline has been set up to manage enquiries

To mark Children’s Day, Aster Hospitals in India launched the ‘Second Life – Because Little Lives Matter’ initiative.

The year-long initiative is aimed at supporting the medical treatment of disadvantaged children. The aim is to facilitate free paediatric surgery for at least 100 children below the age of 12 years.

Throught this initiative of Aster Volunteers Global CSR, the company wants to extend help to deserving children who are being treated across Aster Hospitals based in five States in India. This includes common childhood illnesses, such as appendicitis, intussusception, empyema and paediatric urology surgery, as well as complex clinical surgeries, including bone marrow transplant, liver transplant and heart surgery.

The initiative was launched in Bengaluru on November 15 by Dr. Nitish Shetty, Regional Director, Karnataka and Maharashtra Cluster; Farhan Yasin, Regional Director, Kerala and Oman Cluster; and Devanand K.T., Regional CEO, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Cluster.

The treatment will be funded either by Aster DM Foundation, philanthropists or NGOs.

The foundation has established the criteria to identify eligible cases for the program. Applications will be assessed on the socio-economic status, BPL category, medical outcome of the child prior to commencement of selection and subsequent treatment.

A 24X7 multi-lingual helpline (+91 9633620660) has been set up in Kozhikode in Kerala to manage enquiries.

Meet Rafiq, once a tea vendor, now professor at Kannur University

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Education, ,

Echome Village (Panamaram Panchayat), KERALA :

Rafiq Ibrahim has beaten heavy odds to earn a doctorate, spurred by a love of reading, reports M A Rajeev Kumar

Rafiq Ibrahim

Wayanad :

Rafiq Ibrahim used to call Echome, in Panamaram panchayat, a dead village. “During my childhood, I watched with amazement how time stood still there, almost oblivious of the world outside,” says the 34-year-old. 

The son of a tea-shop owner, Rafiq had a difficult childhood, and at times stared at poverty too. But he persevered to get better at life. He sold tea, went as a cleaner in jeeps and worked in a hotel. At one point, he even had to discontinue his studies. Through all that, he kept reading books, and managed to earn a doctorate. On November 6, Rafiq joined the Nileshwar campus of the Kannur University as an assistant professor in the Malayalam department.

“I am not a hero,” Rafiq says. “But the reality should not go unaddressed, as there are thousands of underprivileged people like me.”  Like his father, Ibrahim, his mother, Nabeesa, too did not attend school. Though the conditions at home were not too conducive for studies, both Rafiq and his older sister, Bushara, passed the SSLC examinations. “Though I had a first class, my first thought was to try some manual jobs in the area. Once out of school, boys would work in a jeep as a driver or a cleaner, and girls would be married off. That was how it was in Echome,” he says.

Caught in debt, however, his father had to sell the tea shop and the income of the family dried up. So he went to a friend in Mysuru, at 19, and became a tea vendor. He had joined a BSc course then, and completed the first-year examinations. But he was pulled down by typhoid and had to return home. “As the condition at home remained the same, I went to Wandoor in Malappuram district where I got a job in a hotel at the bus stand,” he recalls. 

Rafiq started reading books and magazines at the book shops there during his free time. “I found that reading keeps me happy, and took a liking to the ideas expressed by great writers,” he says. However, Rafiq lost his job yet again as the hotel eventually had to be closed down after the authorities decided to renovate the bus stand. “During my journey back home, I read an article by Sunil P Ilayidom about politics of identity and class. That instilled a spark in me,”  he says.

Rafiq then worked as a salesman at a footwear shop in Kalpetta. He worked there for two years, and the situation improved as his sister got a teaching job in a parallel college. Encouraged by his friends, he joined the BA Economics course under Calicut University. “During that period, I read plenty of books at the district library in Kalpetta,” he says.

Later, he attempted the entrance examination for the MA Malayalam course at the Sree Sankara Sanskrit University in Kalady with the sole aim of meeting his idol, Sunil P Ilayidom, who was the head of the Malayalam department. “I enjoyed every moment there, and the atmosphere helped me change my outlook as a student and human being,” he says. 

From there, things became a lot easier for Rafiq, going on to complete his MPhil, and earning a doctorate in ‘literary form and cultural history’ under the guidance of Ilayidom. Rafiq says his life is an example of generosity changing fortunes. “All that people require to come up in life is a helping hand at the right time.”

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by M A Rajeev Kumar, Express News Service / November 14th, 2021

Poverty couldn’t rob of their dream to become doctors, thanks to Al- Ameen Mission

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

Khalpur (Topsia) / and Bojdahara (Bankura) / Howrah, WEST BENGAL:

Md Hossain  studied under street light once; he will be a doctor via Al-Ameen.

Md Hossain has proved that to be successful, poverty or any other hindrance do not matter. Overcoming all difficulties in the way, he has cracked the medical entrance examination (NEET) this year; merit being the only arsenal he has. His mother, Akhtari Begam, on hearing the news, bursts into tears. So did his mentor Uma Chakraborty. The General Secretary of Al-Ameen Mission, M. Nurul Islam has expressed great satisfaction.

Hossain comes from Khalpar slum, adjacent to G.J Khan Road, Topsia. The lackluster slum lies at the backyard of the posh Science City. Dire poverty engulfs every family of the neighbourhood. Almost all the families earn livlihood from leather industry; even children are not spared. They are anemic, lacking vitality. Md Hossain, grew up in this sort of circumstance. His family is big; seven brothers and sisters, parents. Mohammad Sahabuddin, his father, cannot work as he is old now. A tiny rented space adjacent to a Club Room in the G.J Khan Road; the nine souls huddle inside. The income of his eldest brother, Mohammad Aftab cannot meet the expense of the family. The minimum rent curtails usage of electricity. Hossain had to study under the street light. A volunteer of a non governmental organisation, Uma Chakraborty saw this. She understood that this talented boy would go a long way.

She contacted M. Nurul Islam and convinced him about this meritorious student. He admitted Hossain in the Paikpari campus in class V with minimum monthly fees. Hossain, at that time, vowed to become a doctor and serve the society. So began his journey. In the Madhyamik examination, he scored 94.70% marks. Then he moved to Khalisani branch and secured 84.20% marks in the Higher Secondary examination. He took coaching for the NEET from Uluberia campus. His All India Rank is 22,227 and the score sheet is 592 out of 720 marks. Hossain’s dream to become a doctor is taking shape now. Reacting to his successful journey, tears ran down from his mother’s cheeks. She expressed her gratitude to M. Nurul Islam and Uma Chakraborty. But for these two persons, this would have been impossible to achieve, she said.

Mohammad Hossain too did not forget his past. The architects for his achievement are M.Nurul Islam, Uma Chakraborty and Piyali Chowdhury, one of the organisers of the NGO. He also said, he is very satisfied with the result and want to serve the poorer section of the society. Naturally, Nurul Islam too is very happy. He said, Al-Ameen Mission was established mainly to nurture the minority Muslim community and bring them into the mainstream education system. Many boys and girls from remote parts of Bengal have become doctors and engineers through the Mission. Mohammad is one of them. He has cracked the Medical Entrance examination. We are overwhelmed by his success.

Asmatara Mondal lives in Bogdahara, Bankura. According to her, with Al-Ameen’s constant support, her mission has been accomplished. Her NEET score is 569 with rank 34384 (AIR).

Her mother, Manwara Mondal is no more. Her father, Rahamat Ali Mondal, a small farmer, with much difficulty raised nine of his children- six daughters and three sons. Asmatara dreamt of being a doctor while she was studying in her village school. The concrete step towards fulfilling her goal came in 2017, when she was admitted to Al-Ameen Mission and passed out H.S from the Medinipur campus. She came to the Khalatpur campus to take coaching for NEET preparation. Last year, when a lockdown was imposed, she had to leave the campus. But the preparation continued. For NEET 2020, Asmatara got her examination centre in a school located in Howrah- a long distance from where she lived. While she started for the destination at the dead of night, her car had a breakdown in Tarakeswar. To cut the long story short, the Mission took the initiative to take her to the exam centre by a car. Her NEET score was 457. Again she came to the Mission for preparation during the lockdown in November last year. With a couple of other students she started the preparation. But again there was a lockdown and she was compelled to return to her home. Through the Zoom meeting, she remained in contact with Mission authorities. Now that the dream has been fulfilled, Asmatara says categorically, without Al-Ameen Mission this would have been impossible to achieve. Minimum fees, maximum care- that is what one gets here.

My brother Robial Mondal had also helped me. Presently, he too is preparing to take NEET from the Mission. Hard work is the key to success. Indeed, all out effort and the blessings of Allah makes all the difference.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror Network / November 08th, 2021

Kozhikode boy shortlisted for International Children’s Peace Prize

Amazing Feats, Education, World Opinion, , , ,

Kozhikode, KERALA :

Aasim was born without both hands

Kozhikode : 

Muhammad Aasim , a 15-year-old disabled boy who had been waging a battle to get his village school at Velimanna upgraded to a high school, has been shortlisted as one of the three finalists for this year’s International Children’s Peace Prize awarded by Kids-Rights Foundation, an international children’s right organisation based in Amsterdam.

The other two finalists are teen brothers from Delhi Vihaan and Nav Agarwal who had been working towards tackling the waste menace in the national capital through their NGO One Step Greener and Christina Adane, an 18-year-old girl born in the Netherlands and now living in the UK, who had led a campaign for free school meal provision to be extended through the holidays.

The finalists were announced by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who is a patron of the prize. In his message, Tutu said the finalists show, through their values and determination, just what children can achieve in campaigning to improve the rights of others worldwide.

The International Children’s Peace Prize is annually awarded to a child who has made a special effort to promote children’s rights and better the situation of vulnerable children.

The three finalists were selected from 169 nominations received from 39 countries.

Aasim was born without both hands

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi will award the prize to this year’s winner on November 13 during a hybrid ceremony to be held at The Hague.

Aasim, who was born without both hands and has 90% disability, has been spearheading the campaign to upgrade the Government Mappila UP School at Velimanna to a high school.

Acting on a letter written by Aasim, then chief minister Oommen Chandy had issued an order to upgrade his school to a UP school in 2014.

But after he reached seventh standard in 2018, wheelchairbound Aasim took up the fight to upgrade the school, which is just 250 metres away from his house, to a high school as it was difficult for him to travel to faraway schools. After his repeated pleas and even protests failed to evoke a positive  response, Aasim filed a petition in the Kerala high court which directed the education department to upgrade the UP school to a high school.

But the state government challenged the order and now his petition is before the consideration of the Supreme Court.

“Aasim has been continuing his studies privately at home for the last two years and has not enrolled in any other school. He hopes that his fight to uphold the basic right of education will succeed and will help and inspire all other children,” his father Mohammed Saeed said.

Aasim, who writes with his leg, is a recipient of the Ujjwala Balvam award initiated by the state women and child development department.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Kozhikode News / TNN / November 06th, 2021

Junior doctor takes healthcare to the doorsteps of poor people in West Bengal’s Burdwan

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, FREE : Healthcare / Assistance, Science & Technology, Useful / HEALTHCARE, , , , , , , , , ,

Mohabbatpur Village (Malda), WEST BENGAL :

The young doctor arranges transport for those living in remote areas, holds regular health camps, reports Pranab Mondal.pix

West Bengal : 

As a junior doctor at Burdwan Medical College and Hospital, Dr Golam Ahmed Kibria became overwhelmed by the heart-wrenching ordeals of the underprivileged patients admitted here. “After joining the service, I saw how the poor had to suffer after a nationwide lockdown was announced last year to reach the state-run hospital in Burdwan. Many failed to turn up at the hospital because they couldn’t arrange for vehicles,” said Dr Kibria.

Witnessing these unfortunate circumstances reminded him of a line from the customary oath that medical students take: “I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of humanity.” So Dr Kibria decided to start doorstep healthcare services for the marginalised. After his duty hours, he would organise free health camps in remote pockets of the district and even distribute free medicines.

“In a camp at Memari held on last October 4, I saw a three-and-a-half-year-old child suffering from frequent convulsions and his illiterate parents were helpless. I immediately made all arrangements to get the child admitted to Burdwan Medical College and Hospital where it was detected that he was suffering from Sturge-Weber Syndrome, a rare congenital neurological and skin disorder.” The child was discharged after he recovered.

Dr Golam Ahmed Kibria (in white tee) with underprivileged patients.

In another camp, a woman in her early 60s turned up. “She was not in a position to move because of severe orthopaedic disease. Her family said they had gone door-to-door of rural hospitals but none could cure her. The orthopaedic surgeons at our hospitals identified the exact problem and gave her proper treatment,” he said.

Dr Kibria hails from Mohabbatpur village, Malda, which means a ‘hamlet/town of love’. His act of serving the poor reflects the meaning of his ancestral village’s name. He is the first male in his village to have cracked the medical entrance examination. “Treating patients with different ailments is not possible as a junior doctor. But I ensure their transport to the district hospital with the help of my colleagues, so that needy patients get speedy treatment and necessary pathological tests done,” said Dr Kibria, who organises two free health camps every month.

Realising he needs more man-power to serve the poor, Dr Kibria recently set up a welfare organisation called Prayas. It has 163 members and over 160 doctors. “We also provide rations and financial support to get daughters of poor families married off. Helping every poor person is beyond our capacity. But we try to reach the families who are in deep distress. We have already spent over `11 lakh for this purpose,” he said.

The 26-year-old doctor and his team even reached the areas ravaged by Cyclone Yash in West Bengal. “We held many camps in the affected areas and distributed free medicines. I do it all for the people of my country as my duty,” Dr Kibria signs off.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Pranab Mondal, Express News Service / November 07th, 2021

Bihar’s NEET topper Zeya Bilal credits success to Rahmani 30

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

Pandaul Village (Madhubani District), BIHAR :

Belal’s All-India Category Rank (OBC) is 3rd. He will turn 18 on November 28 and is a product of renowned Rahmani 30 of Patna, Bihar. | Picture by arrangement

Mohammad Zeya Belal from a remote village in Bihar has topped the list of successful candidates from Bihar in this year’s NEET. A Rahmani 30 alumni, Belal credited his success to the positive environment at the institute founded by late Maulana Wali Rahmani.

Bihar :

Mohmmad Zeya Belal is a brilliant student. He has topped the list of successful candidates from Bihar in this year’s NEET – the top medical entrance test of India held by the National Testing Agency (NTA). His All India Rank (AIR) is 19th with a score of 715 out of a total of 720. He answered just one question incorrectly out of 180 questions.

His All-India Category Rank (OBC) is 3rd. Belal will turn 18 on November 28. He is a product of renowned Rahmani 30 of Patna.

Belal hails from Pandaul, a remote village in the Madhubani district of Bihar, some 180 kilometres north of the capital Patna. Interestingly, he has cracked the toughest engineering entrance test JEE (Advanced) meant for the IITs. Even more importantly, he got admitted to the top-ranked Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore after clearing the Kishore Vaigyanik Protsahan Yojna – a test meant to tap the young scientists.

Belal told TwoCircles.net that he is interested in medical studies and is raring to get admission at AIIMS, New Delhi, India’s top medical studies college.

Belal is the youngest of three brothers. One of his brothers Abdullah Ansari works in Guwahati and the eldest one is a teacher.

Belal said his elder brother is like a mentor for him as “our father Mohammad Masud Alam Ansari, who was a Physics teacher, died in 2010.” Belal was 7-years-old at that time. His mother Ruhi Khatoon is a housemaker.

Belal passed his 10th from S.K. High School, Pandaul with 90% marks and 86.2% in his 12th. He got to know about Rahmani 30 from his senior Nafe Faiz. His studies at Rahmani 30 was a mix of offline and online education amid the Covid-19 lockdown.

Belal is all praise for his teachers at Rahmani 30. He aspires to be a cardiologist after completing his MBBS. “I want to thank Atul sir for his continuous support. He is an academic chief there and keeps away from any limelight,” he said.

Belal cites two things as U.S.P. of Rahmani 30. “The environment for self-study and group discussions are its hallmark. The group discussion is a big help in doubt clearing,” he said.

Belal believes in focused and disciplined studies. He was focused to succeed in NEET though he cleared JEE (Advanced).

He said that that he had to study Mathematics for his Physics preparation which helped him crack the engineering test too.

His mother Ruhi Khatoon told TwoCircles.net said that she didn’t have to tell Belal to study. Her only complaint with Belal is that he doesn’t eat well. She is ecstatic about her son’s success and distributed sweets in the village.

Bilal with his mother Ruhi Khatoon at their home. | Picture by arrangement

Belal’s brother Abdullah said that it was Amir-e-Shariat late Hazrat Maulana Wali Rahmani’s efforts that brought success for all the students of Rahmani 30. “Belal was helped immensely by Atul sir there,” he said,” he said, adding, “The environment at Rahmani 30 is quite helpful for organized studies.”

“Despite the absence of our father, I didn’t have to force Bilal to study. He would always do it on his own,” he said.

Belal said that he follows sports but cites a lack of time for not pursuing it fully. His scores at NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) give a picture of what he has achieved. His percentile obtained in Physics is 99.9969565. He obtained 99.9942368 percentile in Chemistry and Biology he got 99.9987049 percentile. The cut-off marks for qualifying as per Medical Council of India is 50th for unreserved and EWS (Economically Weaker Section) category which falls between 720-138 number. For OBC (Other Backward Castes) it is 40th percentile which falls 137-108 marks.

Tausif Alam has studied with Belal for quite some time and himself has been allotted a seat in IIT, Delhi. Talking about Bilal’s success, he said, “Belal has a completely different mind. He is both a hard worker and a smart working boy. We all knew that he would do better. We all are happy that he achieved such a feat.”

On the night when the NEET results were announced, discussions went on till 3 o’clock. In 2020, fifty students of Rahmani 30 qualified NEET and got admission in different government medical colleges for MBBS. This year the number is expected to be better.

Sami Ahmad is a journalist based in Patna, Bihar. He tweets at @samipkb. 

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Lead Story / by Sami Ahmad , TwoCircles.net / November 04th, 2021

Bidi-rolling part of Sohail Anwar’s NEET journey

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

WEST BENGAL :

The 20-year-old scored an all-India 12,550 rank in the just-declared NEET medical results, scoring 616 out of the possible 720.

Sohail Anwar / Telegraph picture

Successful NEET aspirant Sohail Anwar, 20, knows the fundamentals of biology and bidis. 

A few months ago, Sohail would spend afternoons helping his mother Keshbanu Biwi, 44, roll bidis for a local manufacturer in Jadavnagar, Murshidabad. His father Bani Israel, 48, was a hawker of bedsheets in villages but lockdown dampened sales. His family’s income did not exceed Rs 10,000 a month, so everyone had to pitch in.

Sohail scored an all-India 12,550 rank in the just-declared NEET medical results, scoring 616 out of the possible 720.

“My brother Saeed, who is two years elder to me, has always been my inspiration,”  Sohail said on Tuesday, when asked by this paper about his success, which places him  among candidates eligible for top medical colleges in Bengal.

Two years ago, Saeed secured admission to Murshidabad Medical College. Besides studies, Saeed tutors medical aspirants in Behrampore town.

“Saeed and my uncle Samirul, a WBCS officer, have been a huge support and inspiration,” added Sohail, adding he misses his brother. 

How did he manage to crack NEET while rolling out bidis? ‘I could not prioritise on one thing, both were equally important,” says Sohail, who helped his mother in the afternoons and studying on his own in the evenings and nights.

Sohail’s father Bani Israel said he was “fortunate and grateful to god” for his sons.

“I have not been able to do more for my boys than give them two rooms, four brick walls and a tiled roof. I cannot ask for more than what they have already done,” Bani said softly. 

The head of an eight-member family, Bani feels academic success of this scale in his home “is like a dream”

Sohail passed his higher secondary with 83 per cent from a high madrasa in Malda and got coached for NEET from Al-Ameen Mission,  Howrah. He devoted two years to NEET coaching. “That paid off,” he said. 

He added that  he will continue helping his family in their chores till the next phase of his academic career becomes clearer.

source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> West Bengal / by Alamgir Hossain, Behrampore / November 03rd, 2021

Kashmiri teen brings gold for India in World Kickboxing Championship

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

Tarkpora (Bandipora District), JAMMU & KASHMIR / Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

My next aim is to win gold medal for my country in Olympics, Tajamul Islam said.

Tajamul Islam, 13, from Tarkpora in Bandipora defeated Argentina’s Lalina in the under-14 finals. Credit: Tajamul Islam

A teenage girl from a remote village in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district recently scripted history by winning a second gold medal in World Kickboxing Championship held in Egypt’s Cairo on October 22.

Tajamul Islam, 13, from Tarkpora in Bandipora defeated Argentina’s Lalina in the under-14 finals. “I had represented India in Italy in 2016 too, in the under-9 category in which players from 90 other countries had participated. I won gold in that event also,” she told DH.

A class 7 student of Army Goodwill School in Bandipora, Tajamul won national recognition when she bagged the gold medal in the sub-junior category at the 2015 National Kickboxing Championship in New Delhi. Her achievement at the national level got her an entry to the World events.

A six-year-old Tajamul started her kickboxing journey in 2014 from a local martial arts academy for young boys and girls. “I was watching kickboxing on TV and decided that one day I too will do something big in this sport. And when I saw young boys and girls training, punching, I told my father that I want to join them,” she said.

But the initial journey was not so easy for the little girl. “I faced a lot of taunts from my relatives and neighbors initially when I started practicing the game. But my mom supported me and somehow persuaded my dad to allow me to continue my practice. Martial art was also the passion of my elder siblings and their support was crucial,” she said.

Daughter of a businessman based in Mumbai, the gold-medalist has a word of advice for parents and children. “Parents should understand that sports keep children away from negativity like drug addiction and other activities and allow them to participate. Kids should also not hide anything from parents and take their consent before choosing any game,” she said.

Asked how difficult her journey was being a girl, she replied, “Girls can do better than boys if they are given equal opportunities.  My next aim is to win a gold medal for my country in the World Olympics.”

Tajamul is also a brand ambassador of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme. She also concentrates on her studies and wants to become an orthopedic surgeon. “I want to break as well as join the bones by becoming an orthopedic surgeon,” she said laughingly.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> National> North and Central / by Zulfikar Majid, DHNS / November 01st, 2021

G Santha Teacher Memorial Journalism Award 2021 for Kashmir-based journalist Mudassir Kuloo

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, , , , , , ,

JAMMU & KASHMIR :

The award has been instituted in the memory of G Shantha, an English teacher hailing from Thalavadi in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. 

Rekha Satheesh from The New Indian Express was the first winner.

The specially-crafted stone memento made by noted mural artist MS Chandramouli that will be awarded to Mudassir Ahmad (right). (Photos | Special Arrangement)

Bengaluru :

Mudassir Ahmad Kuloo (33), an independent journalist from Kashmir, has been awarded the 5th G Santha Teacher Memorial Journalism Award instituted by the Inspired Indian Foundation (IIF), Bengaluru.

The award will be presented on November 6 in Bengaluru, during the 5th Guru Kalam Memorial Lecture, an annual national event being organised by the IIF to commemorate the birth anniversary of former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The IIF spearheads several missions of Dr Kalam in association with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation, Rameswaram.

This year the award carries a specially-crafted stone memento made by noted mural artist MS Chandramouli from Karnataka in addition to Rs 25,000 as a cash component.

The 2021 jury included aerospace and defence scientists, writers, teachers and activists in addition to the trustees of IIF. Mudassir was chosen from a list of three shortlisted Indian journalists.

Mudassir pursued his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from University of Kashmir and has been a Senior Correspondent with The Kashmir Monitor for six years. 

His reports have also featured in The Third Pole, TRT World, First Post, The Tehelka, HuffPost, CNBC TV and Dainik Bhaskar among others.

Ashfaq ul Hassan, Editor of The Kashmir Monitor, termed Mudassir as a dependable journalist who covers all possible angles of a story. “His honest, enthusiastic and realistic approach is highly commendable,” Ashfaq noted.

Ishtiyaq Ahmad, Editor of Kashmir Indepth, also hailed Mudassir terming him an extremely intelligent journalist who has always strived to highlight issues of human rights, gender, social justice, environment and health. “A perfect team man who has his ear to the ground” was how Ishtiyaq summed him up.

The award has been instituted in the memory of G Shantha, an English teacher hailing from Thalavadi in Kerala’s Alappuzha district. Born in 1942, she dedicated her career to instilling in her young wards an unshakeable determination to chase their dreams wherever she taught, including at Seethalakshmi Ramaswami College, Trichy, Tamil Nadu, and Devasvom Board College, Thalayolaparambu, Kerala, and Mahatma High School for Girls, Chennithala, Kerala. 

G Shanta passed away in 2007 at the age of 65. She worked selflessly to promote the English language among rural kids. She also found time to write short stories and poetry.

Rekha Satheesh, a Senior Chief Sub-Editor with The New Indian Express, Kochi, was the first recipient of the award in 2016, while Rajeev Kumar Mishra, a Chief Sub-Editor with the Bengaluru edition of Rajasthan Patrika, won the honour in 2017. 

The award went to Jugal Purohit, a Senior Broadcast Journalist with BBC India, in 2018 and in 2019 M Nanjundaswamy a Mysuru -based stringer of Kannada daily Vijay Karnataka, was the recipient.

(Mudassir can be reached at: mudasirkuloo00@gmail.com | Twitter: @MudasirKuloo)

If you have any queries w.r.t. this release, please contact the following: Madhusoodanan A: 9731065269 / Snigdha Jha: 7899778888

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by Press Release – Madhusoodanan / November 01st, 2021