Jamia Millia’s Prof. Imran Ali adjudged India’s number 1 scientist by University of Stanford
The list has been published in the globally renowned journal PLOS Biology. Prof. Ali is at 24th rank in the world while number one in the country. PLOS Biology has published the list of 68,80,389 (Sixty Eight Lakh Eighty Thousand Three Hundred Eighty Nine) scientists excelling in different scientific fields in the research paper entitled “Updated science-wide author databases of standardized citation indicators” authored by John P A Ioannidis et al, an India Today report added.
Apart from Prof. Ali many elite researchers from Jamia Millia Islamia secured top 2% position in the list of 60 lakh plus Global Scientists. Prof. Faizan Ahmad, INSA Senior Scientist at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences has been adjudged as 4th top scientist in the country in the field of Biophysics. Other elite scientists from the university who secured their names in the coveted 2% top scientists list are as follows:
Prof. Mohammad Sami, Centre for Theoretical Physics: All India Rank: 10 in Nuclear & Particle Physics
Prof. Anjan Ananda Sen, Centre for Theoretical Physics: All India Rank: 31 in Nuclear & Particle Physics
Prof. Sharif Ahmad, Department of Chemistry: All India Rank: 1048 in Polymers
Prof. Haseeb Ahsan, Faculty of Dentistry, All India Rank: 377 in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Prof. Sushant Ghosh, Centre for Theoretical Physics; All India Rank: 782 in Nuclear & Particle Physics
Prof. Tabrez A. Khan, Department of Chemistry; All India Rank: 831 in Environmental Sciences
Dr. Rafiq Ahmad, Ramalingaswami Fellow, Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology; All India Rank: 1182 in Analytical Chemistry
Dr. Atiqur Rahman, Department of Geography, All India Rank: 1219 in Geological & Geomatics Engineering
Dr. Abid Haleem, Department of Mechanical Engineering, All India Rank: 1422 in Business & Management
Dr. Arun Kumar, Department of Physics, All India Rank: 1540 in Energy
Prof. Tokeer Ahmad, Department of Chemistry: All India Rank: 1687 in Materials
Dr. Md. Imtaiyaz Hassan, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences; All India Rank: 1746 in Biophysics
Professor Najma Akhtar, Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Millia Islamia expressed her happiness and congratulated all the scientists as they brought laurels to the University exactly when it was celebrating 100th years of its foundation. This array of scientists once again proved that JMI is excelling well in both high-quality research and teaching, she said.
source: http://www.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home>India / by Vartha Bharati / November 06th, 2020
Khushboo Mirza was part of the dedicated teams of Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 missions.
Khushboo has reached such heights that schools and colleges in Uttar Pradesh invite her to give talks. Photos: By special arrangement
Chaugori Mohalla is a small Muslim neighbourhood in Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha town, about 200 km from Delhi. To reach the place, one needs to get off NH-24 from Itarsi, about 40 km before Moradabad, and a bumpy 10-km drive on a rough and dusty road would lead to the destination.
The narrow lane has old concrete houses with Urdu nameplates. Men wearing skull caps and women clad in burqas still give the locality a traditional look. Amroha, which is inhabited by both Hindus and Muslims, is called Aman Ki Nagri (town of peace). It has never witnessed a communal riot.
Hailing from this nondescript peaceful town is a young woman, Khushboo Mirza who is locally known as the woman who went to moon. Not for nothing, she has now reached the position of a director-level grade of Scientist F at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was part of the teams of Chandrayaan 1 and Chandrayaan 2 missions.
Khushboo is thrilled over her recent promotion which means she is just two levels below that of the position held by Abdul Kalam and the incumbent ISRO chairperson, Dr K Sivan.
But her life was not without troubles. Born on July 24, 1985, Khushboo lost her father Sikandar Mirza when she was just seven years old. In an unusual move, her mother Farhat broke religious norms to run her husband’s petrol pump to send her children to school. Khushboo studied in a Hindi-medium school till Class 10. She applied for B.Tech at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and bagged the seat under the sports quota as she was a volleyball player.
Khushboo at work at an ISRO lab
When Khushboo graduated in 2006, she was offered a software engineer job by American multinational company Adobe. But she applied to ISRO as she wanted to serve “Indian Science”. After joining the space agency, she was first drafted into the dedicated team for the Chandrayaan 1 mission in 2008. Khushboo received the ISRO Team Excellence Award in April 2015. She was also a part of the Chandrayaan 2 mission in 2019.
Even when she was accomplishing achievements in the space, her mother had to face criticism from some of the villagers. But Farhat ignored them and travelled with her daughter to ISRO training programmes across the country.
Khushboo then sought Farhat’s permission to shed the burqa and wear jeans to work. “She wanted to wear jeans, and I allowed her,” Farhat said. “In the absence of her father, and given the fact that she had to travel miles, many people said a lot of unkind things. But I told my daughter to work hard,” added Farhat.
Khushboo maintained the orthodoxy and tradition, and followed religious norms, but they had no impact on her work.
“I do follow our religion and do Namaz five times a day, besides observing fast during the fasting period. But I also wear western clothes. We belong to a progressive family, where modernity can exist along with tradition,” said Khushboo, who once celebrated Eid with her colleagues in an ISRO lab.
She has reached such heights that schools and colleges in Uttar Pradesh invite her to give talks. She keeps telling children, particularly girls, to concentrate on education which alone can provide them with a good future. She has also impressed many Muslim girls to consider education seriously. Khushboo feels that the necessary facilities for primary and high school education in the villages must be stepped up.
Khushboo with her mother Farhat Mirza
Many people in Uttar Pradesh think that she had made a journey to the moon and congratulate her and this why she is called the Moon Girl. Khushboo has emerged as a Muslim icon and a woman icon in Uttar Pradesh. Neither Khushboo nor her family members stereotype women, especially Muslim women. They believe that anyone in the country can fare well if they are provided with a good education.
With education and hard work, success is bound to come. There is no need to bring in religion or orthodoxy here, she said. “Times have changed and the attitude of people towards Muslim girls also needs to change. Our families do educate us.”
The success story of Khushboo Mirza is expected to inspire girls across the country and persuade families to educate their children, raising hopes of a better future not just for these families but the whole country.
source: http://www.thefederal.com / The Federal / Home> Features / by R. Rangaraj / July 19th, 2020
Asman Khan, a 21-year-old female Congress candidate from Jaipur, recently became one of the city’s youngest councillors. Contesting from ward number 81 in Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation elections 2020, Khan won the seat in her first attempt .
Here are some things you must know about Asman Khan:
• Coming from a middle-class family, Asman Khan is the middle child among six brothers and sisters. She says she has received immense support from her family. ” I was scared initially but my family supported me “
• Her father Salim Khan has been associated with the Congress party as a party worker for quite some time now. He even had plans to contest the municipal elections himself. However, their ward became reserved for women. Consequently, he convinced his daughter to contest elections.
•Khan is currently an undergraduate student a Muslim Girls Degree College, Jaipur, and will take her final year exams soon . She will devote her entire attention to her ward’s welfare only after taking her final exams.
• Asman Khan became one of the youngest councillors in her first attempt. Describing her decision to contest elections as a “sudden” one, she told Times of India , “I always wanted to serve the public and this election has given me an opportunity to do so.”
• Talking to News18, Khan said that although there were a lot of contenders for the post, she emerged as a favourite because she is a young student.
• Khan has mentioned that she received a lot of love from her ward’s members during her campaigning. She also ensured that the public voiced their plight to her.
• As per Asma Khan, the major everyday problems being faced by her ward include mismanagement of garbage, sewerage, and dysfunctional street lights. She also wants to ensure that Muslim girls in her ward receive adequate training and opportunities. Khan hopes to work extensively for the development of her council in the next five years.
• Asman Khan has plans to pursue a post-graduation degree in humanities. She also aims to further her political career and ambitions in the future. Picture Credits: Times of India
Tarini Gandhiok is an intern with SheThePeople.TV.
source: http://www.shethepeople.tv / She The People / Home / by Tarini Gandhok / November 04th, 2020
Twenty police officers of the state police will be awarded President Medal for their exemplary work in police department. Awards will be given in two categories: Vishishit Sewa and Sarahaniya Sewa categories.
The DGP announced the awards and congratulated the awardees for their achievements.
The Vishishit award will be given to the ADG training and the director of the MP Police academy Bhori Anuradha Shankar, inspector and Liberian DrFarid Vazmi, inspector and steno in PHQ Rakesh Mohan Dixit and Bharat Kumar Bhawsar.
The Sarahaniya Sewa Award will be given to AIG RRS Parihar posted at PHQ, deputy commandant of 23rd SAF Shanu Aftab Ali, SP radio training schoolIndore Santosh Kori, ASP narcotics Indore Dilip Kumar Soni, inspector Deepak Kadam, head constable posted in 7th SAF Bhopal Seetaram Tiwari, head constable posted in Pawai of Panna district Pyare Garg, head constable crime branch Bhopal Rajkumar Goutam, constable Mangal Singh Yadav posted in 7th SAF Bhopal, constable Rajesh Kumar Pandey posted in 25th SAF Bhopal, constable posted at in administration section at PHQ Ravi Naresh Mishra, Subedar Sunil Kumar Tiwari and Balram Singh Rajput posted at PHQ, inspector Ramraja Gupta of Hosangabad, inspector posted in EOW Bhopal Rajiv Choudhary and sub inspector Anil Kumar Nigam.
source: http://www.freepressjournal.in / The Free Press Journal / Home> Bhopal / by Staff Reporter / August 14th, 2020
Her research group’s interest in the malaria parasite is driven by the desire to understand (a) the molecular workings and functions of the relict plastid (apicoplast) of Plasmodium, (b) mechanisms of protein translation employed by Plasmodium organelles and (c) human genetic factors and susceptibility to severe P. falciparum malaria in endemic and non-endemic regions of India.
Dr. Saman Habib, Chief Scientist and Professor (AcSIR) in Molecular Biology Division, CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow brought the laurels to the Institute again through her outstanding work for understanding the malaria parasite.
She is elected as fellow of Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi.
Her research group’s interest in the malaria parasite is driven by the desire to understand (a) the molecular workings and functions of the relict plastid (apicoplast) of Plasmodium, (b) mechanisms of protein translation employed by Plasmodium organelles and (c) human genetic factors and susceptibility to severe P. falciparum malaria in endemic and non-endemic regions of India.
Other important honours and awards in her credit:
Fellow of Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore (2016)
Fellow of The National Academy of Sciences India, Allahabad (2015)
National Women Bio-scientist Award, Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India (2012)
Prof. BK Bachhawat Memorial Lecture Award, National Academy of Sciences, India (2008)
CSIR Young Scientist Award, CSIR (2001)
source: http://www.smestreet.com / SME Street / Home> News> Covid-19 / by SME Street Edit Desk / October 22nd, 2020
Yusufpur- Mohammadabad (Ghazipur) , UTTAR PRADESH / NEW DELHI :
As Jamia celebrates 100 years of its foundation, we extend our gratitude to Dr Mukhtar Ansari for his contribution
Dr M A Ansari’s bust during a photo-exhibition at M.F. Husain Art Gallery, JMI on 24 Dec. 2014. (Photo Courtesy: Aniket Dikshit)
The three most important persons who, undoubtedly, not only played the most significant role in the foundation of Jamia Millia Islamia, but also shifted it from the makeshift arrangement of Aligarh to Delhi’s Karol Bagh on 7 July, 1925, are Hakim Ajmal Khan, Abdul Majeed Khwaja and Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari.
In view of upheavals faced in Aligarh, Jamia was shifted but problems existed. The problems that made many think that Jamia will not survive long. However, the trio’s efforts were no way trivial. They set the future course of Jamia as ‘an institution with a difference.’
Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari’s consistent efforts bore fruits. Not only did Jamia get its first house in Karol Bagh in 1931, it was also shifted to a much bigger plot of land of its own in 1936 in its present location in South Delhi’s Okhla, then a ‘non-descript village’ where now it has a panoramic sprawling campus.
However, the journey was not as simple as it might look to a casual viewer. Within those ten years, much sweat and blood went in to nurse the tender sapling whose seed was sown in Aligarh on 29 October, 1920. Dr Ansari’s contribution through all these years is one of the most unforgettable and astonishingly stout chapters in the history of Jamia Millia Islamia.
Born on 25 December, 1880 in Yusufpur-Mohammadabad, Ghazipur in eastern Uttar Pradesh, son of Haji Abdur Rahman and Ilahan Bibi, Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, received primary and secondary education at Ghazipur and Allahabad, then studied medicine and graduated from Madras Medical College. He went to England from where he achieved M.D. and M.S. degrees. He earned the Master of Surgery degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1910. Being a top-class student and a pioneering surgeon he worked in some well-known hospitals of England where “he had a successful medical career”.
Dr Ansari had everything – money, fame, fortune, and life that could be lived luxuriously. This brief background is provided to underscore the significance of his passion, devotion and commitment not just for Jamia but for the country’s struggle for freedom as those were the years of heightened activism for independence during which Dr Ansari – through his active involvement in and unwavering support for freedom, emerged as a committed nationalist leader.
From England, Dr Ansari returned to India in 1910 and started medical practice at Delhi. His contact with leaders like Motilal Nehru, Hakim Ajmal Khan and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru rekindled in him the desire to take part in the country’s political developments.
Dr M A Ansari Health Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. (Photo: Manzar Imam)
During the Balkan Wars of 1912-13, he led a Medical Mission to Turkey to provide medical aid to the Turkish army. “The mission”, according to Dr. Burak Akçapar, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey to India, “not only established two field hospitals, but also did other humanitarian and political work.”
This was among his first political works which won the hearts and minds of the Turkish public and leaders which created a deep bond between Turkey and Jamia. Many Turkish leaders and prominent literary figures visited Jamia. The series of ‘Extension Lectures’ that began was his brainchild. It was on his invitation that famous Turkish scholars Dr Husein Raouf Bey (1933) and Ms Halide Edib (1936) and Dr Behadjet Wahbi of Cairo (1934) then delivered their lectures at Jamia.
His role in the Khilafat Movement was pivotal and his presence both in the Congress and Muslim League was equally felt. His Delhi house ‘Darus-Salam’ was a meeting point for leading Congressmen. For many years he was General Secretary of Congress and remained a member of the Congress Working Committee all through his life.
Dr M A Ansari Auditorium, Jamia Millia Islamia. (Photo: Manzar Imam)
Dr Ansari was the leader of the Khilafat delegation of 1920 which went to meet the Viceroy. He was also a member of the second delegation of Khilafat which went to England and other countries of Europe under the leadership of Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar. He was also president of the Delhi Khilafat Committee. During his presidential address at the Nagpur session of Muslim League in 1920 he demanded Swaraj.
When his name was proposed for the Secretary of the Foundation Committee of Jamia during its foundation, he requested not to appoint him for the post as it would require regular visits to Aligarh. Nevertheless, his interest in the activities of Jamia persisted.
Dr Ansari was among the front leaders of the Congress and was made its president in 1927. According to Prof Zafar Ahmad Nizami his name for the president of Congress was proposed at the instance of Mahatma Gandhi in 1924 who believed that “only he could make the efforts of Hindu-Muslim unity successful.”
Although Dr Ansari could not live long to see Jamia blossom into a beautiful university or see India breathing in freedom from the strangulating slavish life under the colonial rule, he had played his gigantic role both as a freedom seeker and as a founder of Jamia. He was a prominent member of the sixteen-member Foundation Committee formed on 29 October, 1920 to establish Jamia which would become a historic institution and the first one to be set up in response to call for boycott of the British Indian government-run, aided and supported academic institutions.
According to The British Medical Journal:
“As leader of the Congress movement, though at first opposed to the teaching of Gandhi on civil disobedience, he actively associated himself later with the various non-cooperative movements, and served at least one term of imprisonment.”
When it comes to Jamia as also to some other movements that were the currency of the 1920’s and 1930’s, it is very difficult to dissociate the trio of Hakim Ajmal Khan, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar and Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, the “great Muslim trio of Indian politics”, as they were quite befittingly called so. However, each person has certain unique and individual personality traits and characteristics which separate him from others.
According to Dr Hamida Riaz (1988, p.119), Dr Ansari had a great passion for education. Initially, he highly appreciated Western education and culture and would keep himself completely away from what did not interest him. However, on the call of Mohammad Ali Jauhar, he participated in the medical delegation that went to Turkey and did a tremendous service. In a way, the beginning of international politics in India was made by Dr Ansari’s delegation.
Together with Hakim Ajmal Khan, Motilal Nehru and Maulana Azad, Dr Ansari formed a non-sectarian “Indian National Union.” He had opposed the Rowlatt Bill and participated in Home Rule and Non-Cooperation movements. In 1929, Dr Ansari formed the All India Muslim Nationalist Party. Besides Jamia, he was also associated with the foundation of Kashi Vidyapith, Benaras.
Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia. (Photo: Manzar Imam)
Riaz (p.121) writes that all through his life he [Dr Ansari] “stayed away from sectarian groups” and continued his efforts to forge “Hindu-Muslim unity”. His wife Shamsun Nisa Begum too, was committed to the cause of women uplift.
Dr Ansari actively participated in the Jamia’s establishment, nurtured it, and, following the demise of Hakim Ajmal Khan in December 1927, served as its second Chancellor from 1928 to 1936. The financial needs that Hakim Sahab used to carry had fallen on his shoulder which he discharged diligently.
The “Ajmal Khan Fund”, set up exclusively for the purpose, was a result of his efforts. At a critical juncture when Jamia faced great financial crisis a Board of Trustees was created. Dr Ansari was appointed its chairman. It was at Gandhiji’s indication that industrialist Jamnalal Bajaj (1889-1942) was made its treasurer. Other bodies were also formed in which he was there.
As Chancellor of Jamia, Dr Ansari could not be an employee and Life Member of the ‘Anjuman Talim-e-Milli’. However, he extended all his support to all the bodies and continued to serve Jamia all his life. Remembering the services of Hakim Ajmal Khan and Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari during a lecture in Jamia on 26 August 2014, former VC and renowned historian Prof Mushirul Hasan (d. 10 December 2018), terming the duo as the “real founders” of Jamia, had said, “Ansari raised money for Jamia and Hakim Ajmal Khan provided nobility and support.”
As mentioned earlier, Dr Ansari did not live long after Jamia was shifted to its present place in the national capital. He passed away on 10 May, 1936 and buried in the Jamia graveyard.
A radio speech which Dr Zakir Hussain had prepared for the 1936 Foundation Day of Jamia, which Dr Ansari could not hear as he passed away before it, sheds enough light both on the impact Dr Ansari had on Dr Zakir Husain and on his character and sphere of activity. It read:
[Dr Ansari] set out for a journey from which no one looks back…Dr Sahab’s personality was a fountain of blessings…a mainstay for anyone in times of need. His heart was a refuge where many would seek solace for their heartfelt grief.
As in life, in death too, he did not part ways from Jamia, writes Ghulam Haider, as he became the first among the founders of Jamia, to find his resting abode in Jamia Nagar where he was laid to rest three months before the primary madrasa of Jamia moved in.
Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, who died near Delhi on May 10th, at the age of 56, had been a member of the British Medical Association since 1909, and had gained distinction in India as a medical practitioner as well as in politics. In view of his services and to keep his memory as a prominent physician, Jamia has named its health centre and a big auditorium after him.
It was his sincerity for the national cause and his passionate commitment for Jamia that whenever Gandhiji would come to Jamia, he would definitely pay a visit to his grave. As Jamia celebrates 100 years of its foundation, we extend our gratitude to its architect for nurturing it with his consistent remedial care, unflinching commitment and great sacrifices!
[Sources: Celebrating India : Reflections on Eminent Indian Muslims 1857-2007, Meher Fatima Hussain (2009, Manak Publications, New Delhi), “Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari”, The British Medical Journal (Vol. 1, No. 3933 (May 23, 1936) p.1082, Mohammad Ali Jauhar, authored and published by Hamida Riaz (1988, Nagpur), Nuqoosh-e-Jamia (Jamia ki Kahani Jamia Walon ki Zabani or the Story of Jamia from Jamiites) by Ghulam Haider (2012, Maktaba Jamia Limited in collaboration with National Council for Promotion of Urdu Langue, New Delhi), www.jmi.ac.in.
Manzar Imam is a Ph.D. Candidate at Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia. He can be reached at manzarimam@rediffmail.com. The above article is ummid.com special series titled ‘Founders of Jamia Millia Islamia’. Read the first part here. To read the second article of the series click here. To read the 3rd article of the series, click here.]
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India / by Manzar Imam, ummid.com / October 28th, 2020
With only one computer, four students, and just Rs 85 in his pocket in February 2001, Hoque has now emerged as one of the most influential edupreneurs of India. — IANS.
Guwahati :
Mahbubul Hoque, who has set up eight mega educational institutions and a university in 19 years, has turned out to be a guiding light for scores of people in northeast India.
With only one computer, four students, and just Rs 85 in his pocket in February 2001, Hoque has now emerged as one of the most influential edupreneurs of India. He is the founding Chancellor of the University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), the first private university on science and technology in the entire northeast.
The university with a student strength of over 5,000 from all the eight northeastern states is empowered by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to award degrees as specified by the UGC.
Besides the USTM, Hoque, being the founding Chairman of the Education Research and Development Foundation (ERDF), has set up nine other educational institutions in the region with a total student strength of 7,500.
These institutions include two CBSE affiliated schools, one AICTE approved engineering college, one law school, one B.Ed. college, one AICTE approved business school, one women’s college, two PCI approved pharmacy colleges in addition to one centre for coaching and guidance centre, and one educational rehabilitation centre.
Distinguished personalities including former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, former ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar and former UGC Chairman Ved Prakash had visited the University of Science & Technology, Meghalaya (USTM) and gave speeches in a number of events and convocations.
Speaking to IANS, Hoque said: “My institutions provide quality education from KG to PG to Ph.D levels. Out of the total number of students, more than 20 per cent belong to underprivileged backward classes who avail free education in each of the institutions where around 750 people work under the ERDF in different positions.”
“After securing the second rank in Master of Computer Applications (MCA) from the Aligarh Muslim University in 2000, I got lucrative job offers from multinational companies, both within the country and abroad. But I returned to my region and started my career as an educational entrepreneur with a strong determination to change the educational scenario of northeast India,” the 47-year-old edupreneur told IANS.
“The key focus of my vision is to provide apt teaching to poor and meritorious students of the northeast region. Of the over 5,000 students currently enrolled in USTM, over 1,200 students are availing free education. Nearly 90 per cent of USTM’s students belong to rural areas, over 38 per cent are tribals and 57 per cent are girls. The university and the other eight institutions run only on the contributions of the students,” Hoque added.
He said that more than 15 vice chancellors from different universities across the country are directly associated with the USTM, while many top personalities, including former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, former ISRO Chairman A.S. Kiran Kumar and former UGC Chairman Ved Prakash had visited the varsity and gave speeches in a number of events and convocations.
Terming the USTM as a people’s university, Hoque said it has hundreds of collaborative projects with a large number of reputed educational institutions and universities in India and abroad, including the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, IIT Guwahati, National Institute Rural Development, North East Space Application Centre, University Grant Commission in Bangladesh, Dhaka University and several institutions in Turkey.
5th Convocaion 2019 of USTM.
Over the years, the USTM has turned into a higher education hub of northeast India.
The annual three-day flagship programme — North-East Graduate Congress — sees the participation of more than 10,000 students from over 300 colleges in eight states. More than 30 ethnic communities and languages across the region come together to gain knowledge about the various new career options, enhance their inherent skills.
“This amalgamation of cultural diversity not only creates awareness, but also a sense of inclusiveness and brotherhood thereby paving the way of nation building,” he said.
For his contributions to the field of education, Hoque has received many awards, including the prestigious Shikshacharya Award 2019 bestowed by the Asom Sahitya Sabha.
He said that the USTM, located along the Assam-Meghalaya border in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya, has a strong determination to continue its mission of spreading education to every nook and corner of the region.
The annual three-day flagship programme — North-East Graduate Congress — sees the participation of more than 10,000 students from over 300 colleges in eight states.
“The USTM has charted out a roadmap for its way ahead, ‘Mission Bronze’ – to make it a top university in the east by 2020, ‘Mission Silver’ – to become one of the top universities in the country by 2025, and ‘Mission Gold’ – to become a world class university by 2030,” he said.
Hoque said that ERDF has a plan of establishing a number of institutions for the betterment of education, especially in the rural areas.
He said that some of the upcoming projects include 10 more CBSE affiliated schools in rural and backward places of the northeast region, five B.Ed colleges, a medical college and hospital with allied healthcare institutions, one educational TV channel, and one newspaper each in English and Bangla emphasising on education. — IANS
Source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion / Home> Big Story> Featured> India>Indian Muslims> Spotlight / by Sujit Chakroborty / October 23rd, 2020
Former Indian Administrative Services officer Sabahat S Azim’s biggest challenge when he launched affordable healthcare chain Glocal Healthcare Systems was to prove that he could make the hospitals profitable.
Former Indian Administrative Services officer Sabahat S Azim’s biggest challenge when he launched affordable healthcare chain Glocal Healthcare Systems was to prove that he could make the hospitals profitable.
Within six months of launching the first Glocal hospital in July 2011 in Sonamukhi, a town 126km from Kolkata, the hospital had reached break-even. A model that the 37- yearold entrepreneur has now replicated in each of his other four hospitals. “They have proved that social good and profit can go hand in hand,” says Sandeep Farias, Founding Partner of Elevar Equity, which invested Rs 15 crore in the company along with Sequoia Capital India in January 2011. Most other hospitals that also offer affordable healthcare take up to two years to become profitable according to industry estimates.
Glocal is now expanding operations beyond West Bengal with plans to open 50 hospitals in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa by December 2014.
It was the untimely death of his father that led Azim, a trained medical doctor, to launch Glocal in July 2010. “My father died due to unnecessary treatments. I thought, if this can happen to me, a doctor and an IAS officer, what about others?” says Azim, who found an early supporter in M Damodaran, the former Chairman of Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), who became the Chairman of the venture. Azim has known Damodaran since his time as Secretary to the Chief Minister of Tripura, a position he held between 2004 and 2006.
“He is my first sounding board for any idea. When I think of introducing something new, my first thought is ‘how will Mr Damodaran react?’” he says. At Glocal, his team has come up with a protocol-driven model, where the computerised system will help the doctor automate diagnosis of 42 diseases, ranging from ischaemic heart disease to malaria, which they identified as affecting 95% of the patients.
Other affordable ventures are also attempting to cater to the semi-urban and rural market. Like Glocal, eight-yearold Vaatsalya also sets up hospitals (smaller than 100 beds) in small cities and towns with a focus on primary and secondary care. However, Vaatsalya leases out pre-existing hospitals and other buildings and upgrades them to high-quality hospitals. Azim, a fan of Fountainhead—Ayn Rand’s paean to individualism, wanted to design a hospital with just essential infrastructure.
Timely backing from investors helped convert the idea into a business. “I had a 30-minute meeting with Sabahat and he spoke about focusing on a limited set of diseases that constitutes 95% of healthcare issues in the country. I was hooked by this powerful idea,” says Elevar’s Farias.
Sequoia’s Managing Director GV Ravishankar says Glocal fit their requirement of backing good entrepreneurs in large and attractive markets. Glocal charges patients around onefifth of the fees a hospital with similar infrastructure would otherwise charge. It charges Rs 10,000 for a caesarean section, which costs about Rs 50,000 in other private hospitals.
Azim points out that he is able to charge lower fees due to lower cost of infrastructure and by eliminating unnecessary procedures. While a typical 100-bed hospital is about 70,000 square feet in size, Glocal has been able to restrict it to 30,000 square feet thus keeping cost of construction lower. At around Rs 8 crore for a 100-bed hospital, a Glocal hospital is built at about 50% of the cost of a private secondary hospital. The company aims to reach over Rs 28 crore in revenue in fiscal year 2014. As Azim begins Glocal’s expansion beyond West Bengal, he is not resting on his laurels. “It has been exciting so far but there is much more work to do,” he says.
source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> Business News> Rise> Entrepreneurship / by Radhika P Nair, ET Bureau / January 25th, 2013
“He ensured everyone got a farewell but his own family couldn’t give him that. They saw his body from afar for a few minutes,” said Jitender Kumar, adding that Khan would have ferried close to 200 bodies since March.
Khan (second from left) was on call 24X7. (Express Photo)
For over six months, Aarif Khan slept in an ambulance parking lot 28 km from his home in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur, staying in touch with his wife and four children on the phone. Khan was on call 24X7, ferrying patients of Covid-19 as well as carrying its victims to their last rites. On Saturday morning, the 48-year-old ambulance driver succumbed to the disease at Hindu Rao Hospital.
Employed with the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal, that provides free emergency services in NCR, Khan would often pitch in with money for the last rites if a family was in need, or help with the rituals if a deceased’s near ones were not around, his colleagues say.
“He ensured everyone got a farewell but his own family couldn’t give him that. They saw his body from afar for a few minutes,” said Jitender Kumar, adding that Khan would have ferried close to 200 bodies since March.
On October 3, Khan fell sick and got a Covid-19 test done, which came positive. He died within a day of getting admitted to hospital.
Khan’s son Aadil, 22, said they had seen him only during his brief visits home since March 21. “We met when he came over to pick up something, like clothes… I used to go to check on him sometimes. We were always worried about him. But he never bothered about Covid, he just wanted to do his job well,” said Aadil, the younger of Khan’s sons, adding that the last time Khan came home, he was already sick.
Khan’s other son, Asif, said, “I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him… How will we survive without him?”
Khan, who earned Rs 16,000 a month, was the sole earning member of the family. Their monthly house rent is Rs 9,000. Aadil said his brother and he did odd jobs once in a while, but work had petered out lately.
“Pariwaar ke liye dukh ka pahaad toot gaya hai (It is a huge blow for the family),” said Kumar, who was present at Khan’s funeral.
“These have been extraordinary times, and even though he was a driver, Khan often helped with the last rites too. Woh Muslim tha par Hinduon ke bhi daah-sanskaar karaata tha (He was a Muslim but he helped out even with cremations of Hindus)… He was very dedicated to his work,” said Jitender Singh Shunty, the founder of the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Sewa Dal, adding that Khan worked 12-14 hours a day, responding to calls even as late as 3 am.
Khan was also around when Shunty and his family tested positive for the virus. So, when Khan got infected and took a turn for the worse, he tried to return the kindness. However, the deterioration was sudden. “Aarif did not have any other health conditions but he was having trouble breathing for the last few days,” he said.
Anand Kumar, 32, a fellow driver with the Sewa Dal who also stays in the parking lot for fear of carrying the virus home, said when he joined a year ago, “Aarif was very helpful. He treated me like a brother and guided me.” Conversations between them often revolved around how much they missed their families, Kumar said.
Founded in 1995, the Sewa Dal provides free and accessible emergency services to the needy in the Capital and around, including ambulances and blood donation, and Khan had been working with them from almost the start.
Shunty said not just hospitals but also RWAs and police stations turn to them. Khan was one of their 12 employees. Last month, Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital had written an appreciation letter thanking the organisation for transporting over 300 bodies from the hospital of Covid patients, and helping in their last rites, including in cases where family members had not turned up. East Delhi District Magistrate Arun Kumar Mishra had also written a letter noting their contribution during the pandemic.
Giving an example of Khan’s dedication, Shunty said, “On September 30, a hospital refused to release a person’s body because his family couldn’t foot the bill… Khan chipped in. He was a man who genuinely cared for others.”
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Delhi / by Ashna Butani / New Delhi – October 14th, 2020
Corona pandemic began to spread across the heart of the city, Deira, here, one of the oldest districts and was categorized as a hotspot of infection. The Dubai government immediately decided to lockdown the whole area followed by a seal down for about two months to contain the spread of the virus (strict prohibitory orders were issued to restrict the residents from moving out of the area and non-residents from travelling to the area).
During this period the Dubai Health Authority along with Dubai police set up the required programme to contain the spread of the virus and Dubai Hemmeya UAE Kannadigaru (HUK) was exclusively chosen for the volunteering work. It included the supply of food, essentials, medicine and transport of people for COVID testing, isolation, transfer to the hospital (also reaching out to all Kannadigas who sought support). The works under the leadership of Rafeeqali Kodagu, HUK was acknowledged and well appreciated by the UAE rulers, Dubai government, Dubai police, Dubai health authorities, the general public and hailed as corona heroes. To date, the relief work continues.
The pandemic severely affected businesses. Hundreds of Kannadigas lost their jobs, their earnings. Job seekers who were on a visit visa to UAE were stuck indefinitely. The Dubai Hemmeya UAE Kannadigaru team flung into action when they started getting distress calls from bachelors and families seeking urgent help. Mohammad Mustafa, a businessman and philanthropist and other members of HUK opened their hearts and started contributing to the relief fund called Hemmeya UAE Kannadigaru Sahaya Hastha (helping hand). The needy were provided with a food kit lasting a month, medicine, household essentials, air tickets amounting to 16 lac Indian Rupees with the help and support of donors.
The team of Kannada doctors under the initiative of Kannadathi Dr Savitha Mohan treated several patients at this critical time free of cost, free clinic and online consultation. All corona related health tips and guidance were provided from time to time.
Several categories of people were looking for urgent repatriation to India which included pregnant women, patients with critical illness, senior citizens, job seekers, students, tourists, employees who lost their jobs and their families. Spending each day was an expensive affair and the financial and mental situations were worsening. The HUK team again extended their helping hand by associating with the organizers of Vande Bharat Mission by providing complete information to passengers, also arranging exclusive chartered flights and took care of the entire process from registration to take-off of the respective flights. They also enquired about their arrival and well being.
Kannadigas from all walks of life volunteered to help. They brought their own vehicles and their friends to distribute food and medicines to the needy at their places. Special mention goes to Nawaz Kundapura, Harish Kodagu, Cleevan Udupi, Abdul Hadi Bhatkal, Suhail Mangaluru, Noufal Dakshina Kannada, Nizar Kasaragodu Kannadiga, Fayaz Kundapura, AbrarShivamogga, Hadiya Mandya, Mamatha Sharjah, Senthil Bengaluru, Mohiyuddin Hubli, Sayyed Shivamogga, Vinod D’Souza Mangaluru, Rafeeqali Kodagu who worked relentlessly day and night across seven emirates (states) of UAE to ensure that the relief work goes in full scale wiping the tears of the people.
Hemmeya UAE Kannadigaru has always been the voice for Kannada and Kannadigas in UAE. Their heart also follows and responds to the issues and development related to Kannada and Karnataka.
They have conducted Dasara sports meet, Kannada Rajyotsava, multi-religious Ifthar programme, Sankranthi, Christmas, Republic Day talent show bringing together all the Kannadigas to celebrate the Kannada culture and heritage. They also honor national and international sportspersons, poets, philanthropists, cine and music artistes, Indian defense staff who have brought name and fame to Karnataka.
The job seekers from Karnataka are getting the essential information, guidance through job fairs, workshops, recruitment roadshows, and job groups. Kannadiga businessmen and the Kannadiga job seekers are provided a platform to interact and recruit the candidates. Also, Kannadiga business forum, an exclusive group for Kannadiga businessmen and entrepreneurs is setting new heights through active participation and flow of business.
HUK is on the forefront to extend help during natural calamities of flood, earthquake and also initiates blood donation camps. They also organize guided excursions and tours across UAE.
Team Hemmeya UAE Kannadigaru Sudeep Davanagere (president), Mamatha Raghavendra Mysuru (vice-president), Senthil Bengaluru (chief secretary ), Rafeeqali Kodagu, Mamatha Sharjah, Pallavi Basavaraj Davanagere, Dr Savitha Mohan Mysuru, Anitha Ram Bengaluru, Vishnu Murthy Mysuru, Hadiya Mandya, Shankar Belagavi, Mohiudeen Hubli, Vageesh Mysuru were supported by 50 other members.
