Category Archives: Amazing Feats

‘Phool-Patti embroidery of Aligarh needs upgradation to survive’

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Uncategorized, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , ,

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :

Rubina Rashid Ali with artisans (Source: Instagram)

Phool Patti embroidery or applique work has been the forte of women of Aligarh and Rampur regions of Uttar Pradesh since the Mughal period.

Rubina Rashid Ali from Aligarh told Awaz-the Voice that after she realised that women who are preserving this art were not getting due remuneration, she took up the cause of popularising this art form.

Rubina Rashid Ali works in the administrative department of Aligarh Muslim University. She lives on the AMU campus with her three children and husband. She did her Masters in Advertising and Communication from the National Institute of Advertising, Delhi.   

Rubina Rashid Ali told Awaz-The Voice that she has been interested in ‘Phool-patti’ work and embroidery since 2003. However, only after becoming stable in her studies, job, and family life, did she dedicate her time and energy to promote it in 2019. She got connected to women who are into applique style. Now they take orders online and deliver them with their team on a contract basis.

Rubina Rashid Ali told Awaz-The Voice that women are mainly engaged in making articles with embroidery, while men take orders. This drained the earnings as a big part of the profit went to the middlemen.

“This craft suffers from a lack of design intervention and diversification and has to catch up with the contemporary aesthetics,” she said.

 Rubina Rashid Ali said that the book Phool-Patti Ka Kaam is the first publication on this unique embroidery form. Phool-Patti Ka Kaam is the story of embroidery told through glimpses of Saleha Khan’s work with artisan women and girls during the 1970s and 1980s.

A beautifully illustrated book, it traces its background and scope. it takes us through the array of different floral patterns, designs, and materials. It covers experiments with ornamentation and innovations, including its use on various garments and home décor. And most importantly, it provides a glimpse of the artisans of Aligarh

This book is for art connoisseurs and those who appreciate, learn, promote, explore, and experiment with this unique applique style. 

Apart from being a useful resource for craft lovers, the book aims to generate interest among designers, entrepreneurs, and policy planners to further the scope, popularity, and prospects of Phool-Patti, while ensuring a fair share of economic benefits and recognition for its artisans. 

Rubina Rashid Ali told Awaz-the Voice that the suitable combination of flower leaf work with other crafts like Chinkara, Gota Patti work, hand-painting, tie and dye, Mukesh work, etc. needs to be widely explored in different colour palettes.

Product diversification not only in clothing and fashion accessories but also in home decor, lifestyle-based products, corporate gifts, souvenirs, etc. ensures its wide reach and penetration in various segments.

In the era of easy availability of fabrics, many people are interested in spending extra money for handmade applique work. 

Rubina Rashid said that the original cotton, cambric cotton, Kota cotton, etc. are used for embroidery. However, these days it is also being done on Chanderi silk which is a unique silk from Madhya Pradesh. To promote the flower-leaf embroidery, she does new experiments every day in which sometimes she does the flower-leaf work using crochet, and sometimes other types of embroidery so that she can make that piece even better. 

Rubina Rashid Ali and her artisans make articles like ladies’ kurtas, saree, dupatta, etc. for sale. She says this work involves designing it on fine fabric, cutting and skilfully folding these before shaping each piece into small petals and leaves by embroidering on the cloth.

This special applique work finds limited mention in the collection of Indian and global embroidery forms. 

Rubina Rashid Ali prepares all her designs and also takes full care of the welfare of the artisans working with her. Rubina Rashid Ali told Awaz-The Voice that she exhibited her works at Delhi Haat, Kolkata Bazaar, Bangalore, Rajasthan, Kota, etc. She found people appreciated her work.

Rubina Rashid Ali told Awaz-The Voice that over time, crafts have become an integral part of the socio-cultural aspect of the country. Unfortunately, in the last few years, many crafts have reached the verge of extinction as fast fashion brands are dominating the market with their easily available cheap clothing options.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Onika Maheshwari, New Delhi / January 12th 2025

Muslim Mirror unveils 100 Most Influential Indian Muslims of 2024

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Inventions, Innovations (wef. Nov 30th, 2021), Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Science & Technology, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, ,

INDIA :

New Delhi :

Muslim Mirror, in collaboration with the Minority Media Foundation, has released its highly anticipated list of the “100 Most Influential Indian Muslims of 2024.” This initiative, celebrated as a benchmark of excellence, acknowledges the remarkable contributions of Indian Muslims across various fields, showcasing their leadership and societal impact on a national scale.

A Mission to Shift Narratives

The project aims to counter the negative portrayal of Muslims often propagated by corporate-funded media serving political agendas. By curating this list, Muslim Mirror presents a positive narrative, celebrating the vibrant and diverse contributions of Indian Muslims to the nation’s development and society.

Comprehensive and Inclusive Representation

The selection process emphasizes inclusivity and diversity, representing achievers from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Assam to Gujarat. The list spans a wide array of sectors, including politics, religion, activism, literature, entrepreneurship, academia, sports, and entertainment.

In an effort to reflect the broad spectrum of the Muslim community, individuals from all sects—Barelvis, Deobandis, Ahle Hadith, Shias, Bohras, and others—have been recognized. The selection underscores the community’s rich cultural and social diversity.

Spotlighting Leadership and Impact

The list features leaders from prominent Muslim organizations and unsung heroes who have made unparalleled contributions in their respective domains. Special attention was given to young achievers, whose recognition aims to inspire future generations of leaders.

Notably, the initiative also includes individuals facing legal challenges and imprisonment, underscoring the principle that they are accused, not convicted. This approach highlights their contributions despite the adversities they face, reaffirming the importance of justice and fairness.

A Rigorous and Ethical Selection Process

Selecting 100 individuals from a community of over 200 million posed significant challenges. Extensive consultations with grassroots representatives across India informed the process. A team of experts finalized the list, which is presented in alphabetical order due to the absence of a ranking mechanism.

While the team strived for accuracy and fairness, they acknowledged the possibility of unintentional exclusions. Readers and stakeholders are encouraged to provide suggestions for deserving individuals to be included in the 2025 list. To maintain ethical standards, members of the Muslim Mirror team and the Minority Media Foundation were not considered for the list.

The Muslim Mirror 100 serves as a testament to the exceptional contributions of Indian Muslims in shaping the nation. By shining a light on their achievements, the initiative not only celebrates their successes but also fosters a sense of pride and inspiration within the community.

As the list continues to evolve, it stands as a powerful reminder of the resilience, talent, and leadership within the Indian Muslim community, setting the stage for even greater accomplishments in the years to come.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Big Story> Indian Muslim> Positive Story / by Muslim Mirror / January 03rd, 2025

Indians Dr. Shamim Butt and CEO Faraz Khalid conferred with Saudi citizenship

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, , , , , , , , ,

JAMMU & KASHMIR / NEW DELHI / SAUDI ARABIA :

Dr Shamim Ahmad Butt and Faraz Khalid

New Delhi :

To retain talented expatriates working in the Kinddom, Saudi Arabi has granted citizenship to two Indians – Dr Shamim Ahmad Butt and Faraz Khalid. The two are in the first batch of outsiders who have been given this privilege. Others include young professionals from France, Singapore and Lebanon.

This comes in the wake of a royal decree issued on July 4 that aims to grant Saudi citizenship to individuals with exceptional talents in various fields and is also in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 which aims to foster an environment that attracts, invests in, and retains exceptional creative minds, the local media reported.

Dr Shamim Ahmad Butt is the Deputy Head of the Emergency Department at King Saud Medical City, Riyadh.

Dr Butt is accredited by the Saudi Commission as a resident of the Saudi Council of Emergency Medicine.

He is also the winner of the 2007-2008 Zonn Perkin Gold Medal for Emergency Research.

Faraz Khalid, CEO of Noon holds an MBA in entrepreneurial project management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

He serves as the CEO of Noon, co-founded Namshi, and has been instrumental in the creation, launch, and expansion of the e-commerce platform.

According to Saudi Gazette Newspaper as per a Royal decree, Saudi citizenship can be granted to scientists, medical doctors, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and distinguished talents with unique expertise and specializations.

The announcement aligns with the Kingdom’s initiative to attract experts and exceptional global talents in religious, medical, scientific, cultural, sports, and technological fields.

This move supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goal of creating an attractive environment that fosters retention and investment in exceptional creative minds.

This decree is an extension of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to attract prominent talents whose expertise contributes significantly to economic development, health, culture, sports, and innovation.

Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported on several notable individuals who have been granted Saudi citizenship by the recent royal decree. Among them is Mehmood Khan, an American and the CEO of the Hevolution Foundation, recognized for his contributions to the health sciences.

Jackie Yi-Ru Ying, an American scientist of Singaporean origin, has also been granted Saudi citizenship. Ying was the founding Executive Director of the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology in Singapore and currently leads the NanoBio Lab.

Lebanese scientist Niveen Khashab has been honored with Saudi citizenship for her advanced scientific expertise and contributions to bioengineering and nanomaterials. Khashab is a founding member of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and has been an Associate Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering there since 2009.

Noreddine Ghaffour, a French scientist, has been recognized for his expertise in environmental science and engineering, particularly in desalination technologies. Holding a PhD in membrane separation techniques from the University of Montpellier, Ghaffour is a Professor at KAUST.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / posted by Aasha Khosa, ATV / July 11th, 2024

She was the first woman builder in Mughal rule and gave Delhi Humayun’s Tomb

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Royal Families, PreIndependence -Descendants (wef. Jan 02nd,2022), Uniquely Indian Muslim HISTORICAL RECORDS - Sufi Shrines, Dargahs, Tombs, Mughal Mausoleums (wef. December 07th, 2024), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

DELHI :

Humayun’s Tomb introduced India to the Persian style of a domed mausoleum set in the centre of a landscaped char-bagh garden.

Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi | Photo: Commons

Humayun’s first wife was a Persian from Khorasan and a daughter of Humayun’s maternal uncle. She was also called Haji Begum, probably because she had gone on the Haj to Mecca. During Humayun’s reign, she appears in history at the Battle of Chausa, where the harem was captured by Sher Khan. In all the chaos of battle, a boat carrying women capsized and her young daughter, Aqiqa Begum, was drowned. Bega Begum did not have any more children. Today she is remembered for the tomb of Humayun that she built in Delhi. After the death of her husband, when she decided to build the mausoleum, she was encouraged in her endeavour by her stepson Akbar, who was very fond of her.

Among all Humayun’s wives, Bega Begum lived a life of surprising independence. She went off to the Haj and came back with Arab craftsmen who worked at the tomb. This was much before Gulbadan Begum and Hamida Banu Begum went to Mecca during the reign of Akbar, their trip getting much more coverage in contemporary writing. Bega Begum did not join the harem in Agra but remained in Delhi, supervising the building work. An episode described by Gulbadan shows that she was a spirited woman who even spoke sharply to her husband when he did not visit her.

Among all Humayun’s wives, Bega Begum lived a life of surprising independence. She went off to the Haj and came back with Arab craftsmen who worked at the tomb. This was much before Gulbadan Begum and Hamida Banu Begum went to Mecca during the reign of Akbar, their trip getting much more coverage in contemporary writing. Bega Begum did not join the harem in Agra but remained in Delhi, supervising the building work. An episode described by Gulbadan shows that she was a spirited woman who even spoke sharply to her husband when he did not visit her.

Then Humayun replied, ‘It is a necessity laid on me to make them happy. Nevertheless, I am ashamed before them because I see them so rarely… I am an opium-eater. If there should be any delay in my comings and goings, do not be angry with me.’ However, Bega Begum was not reassured and said, ‘Your Majesty has carried matters to this point! What remedy have we? You are emperor. The excuse looked worse than the fault.’ Gulbadan ends her tale saying, ‘He made it up with her also.’

The contemporary historian Badauni writes that Akbar and Bega Begum were very close and he describes her as a ‘second mother to Akbar’. Once when the boy Akbar had a toothache, Bega Begum brought some medicine but Hamida was reluctant to give it to him. This was understandable since, in a harem that was often full of politics and jealousy, the mothers feared that their children could be poisoned. Abul Fazl quotes Akbar as saying, ‘As she knew what the state of feeling was, she [Bega Begum] in her love to me swallowed some of it without there being any order to that effect, and then rubbed the medicine on my teeth.’

Bega Begum would often travel to Agra to meet Akbar and she spent her allowance doing charity. The Jesuit Antoine de Monserrate wrote, with reluctant approval, of her good works, ‘Throughout her widowhood she devoted herself to prayer and to alms-giving. Indeed, she maintained five hundred poor people by her alms. Had she only been a Christian, hers would have been the life of a heroine.’

Bega Begum was the first of the Mughal women to become a builder, and many would follow to build mausoleums, mosques, madrasas, seminaries, bazaars and gardens. Humayun’s Tomb introduced India to the Persian style of a domed mausoleum set in the centre of a landscaped char-bagh garden, which would reach its peak with the Taj Mahal. Built near the dargah (mausoleum) of the Sufi saint Sheikh Nizamuddin Auliya, the mausoleum complex became the graveyard for many members of the dynasty. Bega Begum is buried in the mausoleum near her husband, and somewhere nearby is the grave of one of the most unfortunate princes of the dynasty – Dara Shukoh.

___________________________

This excerpt from Mahal: Power and Pageantry in the Mughal Harem by Subhadra Sen Gupta has been published with permission from Hachette India. Hardback Rs 599.

_______________

source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> Page Turner> Book Excerpts / by Subhadra Sen Gupta / November 30th, 2019

Syed Ahmad Khan’s book on Delhi and its ruins would ‘numb’ other writers, said Mirza Ghalib

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Leaders, , , , , , , , ,

DELHI :

Asar-us-Sanadid was published in 1847. Yet, Syed Ahmad Khan distresses over the ‘recent’ increase in Delhi’s population.

Ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi | Commons

Delhi is introduced, interpreted, and celebrated all the time through walks, performances, talks and articles. But not many realise that the person who began telling the stories of Delhi was a young man in his 20s named Syed Ahmad Khan. Two centuries after he was born, his work Asar-us-Sanadid can now enjoy a wider readership because of its translation into English by Rana Safvi in 2018.

Syed Ahmad Khan was not the first writer to describe Delhi, but when he compiled his notes on the ‘remains of the great’ (asar-us-sanadid) into a book, he chose to write not in Farsi but in the accessible Urdu — making him a pioneer. Another first was that it appeared as a book rather than as a manuscript because his brother had just installed a new Urdu printing press in Delhi. Khan’s qualifications to write were not that of a narrow specialist. In those happy days, when education was not one fixed menu, he had studied science, mathematics, Farsi and Urdu. In his 20s, living in his family home in Shahjahanabad (present-day Old Delhi), Khan was a junior official in the East India Company, helping his brother publish an Urdu newspaper, and translating Farsi manuscripts.

Asar-us-Sanadid was published in 1847, and had a quality of eagerness explained by Khan learning the subject as he went along. Khan went to great lengths to transcribe inscriptions (‘He is climbing up with such enthusiasm/That people think he has some work in the sky’ was an affectionate comment about his swinging round the Qutub Minar in an improvised basket-and-poles contraption to read the inscriptions on the higher storeys). The artists’ drawings for the book were based on his own sketches.

There are very few extant copies of the original edition. The better-known second edition, published in 1854, bears the blue pencil marks of the Collector A.A. Roberts, who did a hatchet-job, reducing it by a half, adhering to chronology, giving British scientists a role in the Jantar Mantar project, removing all the poets and artists, and making it an altogether dull book.

Sights, sounds and silences

To Khan, historic architecture was not just patrons, materials, form and function. It was part of a continuous culture, nourished by new infusions. Political history, the overlapping cities and forts, the increasingly sophisticated elements in architecture – these became four-dimensional by reading mosques, dargahs and mazhars as sacred spaces, calm with the presence of mystics and scholars long departed. They were to be experienced in silence, reading the inscriptions, not listening to the patter of a guide. He delineates the complementarity of a vibrant urban culture —music, poetry, dance — and animated bazaars, the tranquil atmosphere of the countryside, fields and hills dotted with ruins. “The charm of the Delhi scene,” as historian Percival Spear would describe it a century later.

In a sentence that sounds startlingly contemporary, Syed Ahmad Khan is distressed by the “recent” increase in the city’s population, making it — and also the bracing hills of Mehrauli — unpleasantly congested. But he insists that “in spite of all these factors, the climate of Delhi is still a thousand times better than that of other cities.” The magnificent Mughal fort (remember that he was writing well before 1857) is described in the second chapter; Shahjahanabad in the third; the artists, poets and musicians in the fourth (the section captioned, charmingly, ‘The nightingale-like sweetly-singing people of Shahjahanabad on the outskirts of Paradise’).

Shining light on Delhi for other historians 

It was a challenging task. Delhi’s landscape was not easy to read in the complete absence of any older accounts or images. There was overlap, modification (particularly in the Qutub Minar area), vandalism (of poet Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana’s tomb by the ruler of Awadh). As a teenager, Syed Ahmad Khan was interested in astronomy, so his distress over the neglect of Jantar Mantar is understandable. He would have liked to spend more time studying it: “I will need a separate book to describe the workmanship, use and effectiveness of these instruments.”

Mirza Ghalib, in the ‘Foreword’, describes his friend’s book as one that would “numb the hands of other writers.” Khan’s meticulous account of buildings, even those in ruins, became the template for later books in English. “He who undertakes to write the archaeology of Delhi must constantly seek for light in the pages of Syed Ahmed Khan’s interesting work on that subject,” wrote Carr Stephen in The Archaeology and Monumental Remains of Delhi (1876).

More than 20 years lapsed between Asar-us-Sanadid’s second edition and Stephen’s book. A world separated the two publications. Khan, posted in Bijnor (in present-day Uttar Pradesh), was not caught in the trauma of 1857 (the Great Revolt). Some of the poets he had listed in Asar-us-Sanadid — like Ghalib — sought relief by writing laments to their ravaged city. His own reaction was different. With a sense of grief at seeing an efficient machine derailed, Khan would write Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind (The Causes of the Indian Rebellion) to understand what had gone wrong. His bond with Delhi was severed. He went on to become a distinguished public figure in north India, remembered today for the institution he founded, the Aligarh Muslim University.

Hopefully, reading Asar-us-Sanadid now will return the young Syed Ahmad Khan to us. The past is in many ways a foreign country, and to walk with a guide through towns of the past is an invigorating exercise.

This article is the first of an eight-part series on Reading A City with Saha Sutra on www.sahapedia.org, an open online resource on the arts, cultures and heritage of India. Read the series here.

Dr Narayani Gupta writes on urban history, particularly that of Delhi. Views are personal.

source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> Opinion> Sahapedia / by Narayani Gupta / December 01st, 2019

Mirza Ismail, the ‘serial Diwan’ who made industrial Bangalore beautiful, painted Jaipur

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, , , , , , , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Mirza Ismail, who was born to Persian parents, wrought a civic revolution in four Indian cities during the 1940s.

Prime Minister Sir Mirza Ismail (centre) of Hyderabad state, 1948 | Commons


Between 1926 and 1948, Mysore, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Jaipur enjoyed the attention of ‘serial Diwan’ Mirza Ismail. Born in 1883 to Persian parents, Ismail grew up in Bangalore, where he would return in his final years, passing away in 1959.

From the age of 43, Mirza Ismail was appointed as diwan successively by the Maharaja of Mysore (1926–41), the Nizam of Hyderabad (1942–46) and the Maharaja of Jaipur (1946–47). These rulers, like the Mughal badshahs, respected and honoured their engineers and townscapists. Mirza Ismail was to them what Ali Mardan Khan, the brilliant Persian engineer who laid out the plans for the Lahore and Delhi canals, had been to Shah Jahan.

In Jaipur, the ruler commemorated him by naming a road after him, just like architect Edwin Lutyens’ engineers Hugh Keeling and Alexander Rouse had two major roads in New Delhi to their names (later changed to Tolstoy Marg and Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, respectively), even though Edwin Lutyens and architect Herbert Baker themselves were apportioned obscure lanes.

There were some princes, in whose states aesthetic values meshed with their eagerness to adopt innovations to improve urban and rural areas. But Mirza Ismail never felt it was enough. In My Public Life: Recollections and Reflections (published in 1954), he wrote: “Administrations in India, with hardly any exception, have taken little or no interest in the improvement of their cities and towns; the villages, of course, need hardly be mentioned. Look at the great open spaces in crowded London – or in Paris. How many cities in India can boast of such parks? The municipalities are apt to spend their income, not on sanitation and the necessary amenities of life, but on educational institutions which it is the duty of the States’ Governments to provide. Public parks and private gardens may not be the most important amenities, but they are necessary to a full and happy life. The beautification of our towns and cities must be a continuous process… Unfortunately, just as nature abhors a vacuum, so do our municipalities abhor open spaces. They are not satisfied until all are built upon…It is to my mind obligatory for the administration to provide for the recreation and enjoyment of the people, especially the poorer classes, and enable them to enjoy themselves without expense. I have tried to do this wherever I could — in Mysore, Jaipur and Hyderabad.”

Making Bangalore beautiful

If M. Visvesvaraya, as Diwan of Mysore (1912–19), made Bangalore (now Bengaluru) an industrial city, then Mirza Ismail made it a beautiful one, with the Lalbagh and the streets lit by chandelier lamp posts. An interesting story about him goes that he did not simply glance around to check if things were in good condition – he would lift the corner of a carpet to see if the floor had been swept. Mysore still proudly flaunts the label of ‘The Garden City of India’.

His brief spell in Jaipur wrought a civic revolution. An article in the New York Times in 1942 remarked that Jaipur had been a picture of neglect, but after two years of Mirza Ismail’s sojourn, it was “more thoroughly transformed and improved than New York after Robert Moses got through with it.’ (Robert Moses, a contemporary of Mirza Ismail, was himself compared to Baron Haussmann, who transformed Paris in the 1860s). “Reconstruction, new parks, new buildings, restorations and improvements of all kinds are now going on at an amazing pace for India. The city swarms with workers as busy as bees,” Ismail wrote in his book.

He continued, “Money is meant to be spent reproductively, not to be hoarded. If I had not constructed the new offices and new bungalows and made many other improvements in Jaipur, it would probably not have been chosen under the new dispensation as the capital of Rajasthan.”

The illustrious photographer Cecil Beaton, after visiting Jaipur, spoke highly of Ismail in his praise for the city: “Nowhere else in the world have I seen such brilliant and robust colours used to produce an effect so refined and subtle. Sir Mirza is the arch-enemy of corrugated iron sheets, brass bands (Indian) and of almost everything else that is crude and vulgar. The money he spends is put into circulation and is used as a means of getting rid of unhygienic conditions and sources of disease. Already the metamorphoses he has achieved in a short time are incredible, but his plans are as countless as his inspirations.”

But Mirza Ismail was too astute a person not to see the writing on the wall. “Governments in the East,” he reflected, “do not enjoy the confidence and respect of the public they serve. Our countries so easily become the paradise of the professional politician.”

This article is the sixth of an eight-part series on ‘Reading A City’ with Saha Sutra on www.sahapedia.org, an open online resource on the arts, cultures and heritage of India. 

Dr Narayani Gupta writes on urban history, particularly that of Delhi. Views are personal.

Read the series here.

source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> Opinion> Sahapedia / by Narayani Gupta / January 05th, 2024

The Indian Contingent: The Forgotten Muslim Soldiers of Dunkirk

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Indian Muslims in World War I and II (wef. July 09th, 2022),

INDIA :

May 28, 1940: Major Akbar Khan of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps marches at the head of 299 soldiers along the beach at Dunkirk—the only Indians in the BEF in France and the only ones at Dunkirk.

These men of the Indian Army, carrying their disabled imam, find their way to the East Mole and embark for England in the dead of night. On reaching Dover, they borrowed brass trays and started playing Punjabi folk music, upon which even “many British spectators joined in the dance.”

Where had they come from and why were they in France?

And what happened to them after that?

Ghee Bowman reveals in full, for the first time, the story of these soldiers, from their arrival in France on December 26, 1939 to their return at war’s end to an India on the verge of partition.

It is one of the war’s hidden stories that casts fresh light on Britain and its empire.

source: http;//www.goodreads.com / GoodReads / by Ghee Bowman / 1st published May 21st, 2020

Men of the Horse

Amazing Feats, Indian Muslims in World War I and II (wef. July 09th, 2022), Karnataka (under research project), Martyrs of the Nation, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , ,

Mysuru (Mysore), KARNATAKA :

There are many miles that separate Bengaluru from Haifa. But our city’s connection to this distant Mediterranean port town goes beyond geography to that of the spirit. It is where Mysorean cavalrymen earned honours and distinguished themselves during World War I. The town also became a final resting place for many who never returned home.

These men on horseback were the inheritors of an older legacy.  Both Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, the 18th century rulers of Mysore, were known for their famous cavalry, the `Savar’ that had fought on home territory in the Anglo-Mysore Wars almost 150 years ago.

The Mysore Lancers (says a commemorative souvenir) were raised from what remained of this cavalry following the 4th Anglo-Mysore War in 1799.

The regimental insignia and Mysore’s royal emblem, the two headed Ganda Berunda eagle

Bengaluru’s equestrian legacies also extended beyond the military; the Bangalore Turf Club is a heritage institution and the Race Course that was initially located near Domlur was as old as the Cantonment, Horse riding in Cubbon Park was `de rigeur‘ till the early 1900’s, many large houses had private stables and British Commissioner Sir Mark Cubbon even built a new home beyond Cubbon Park  to accommodate his beloved horses!

Military forces in India’s princely states were maintained purely as a formality for a very long time following 1857.

But Viceroy Lord Dufferin’s landmark speech in Patalia (1888) signalled a change.

The Mysore (Mysuru) Maharaja Chamarajendra Wodeyar X was one of the first to raise a military force (including an Infantry and Transport Corps) capable of fighting alongside Imperial troops anywhere in the world. Major Mellis arrived here in 1890 to rearrange the two existing Silledar regiments into the Mysore Horse based in Mysore, and the Bangalore based Mysore Imperial Service Lancers (Mysore Lancers).

The Investiture Ceremony: “On the arrival of the Viceroy at the Imperial Service Lines, he was received by Dewan Krishna Murthi and conducted to a position near the saluting flag. After the horses of the entire regiment had lain down on the word of command so as to form covers for their riders in action, the regiment formed mass and the men dismounted and left their horses entirely alone with the rein passed through the girths. Rockets, carbine discharges and other noises were then made to test the training of the horses and except one or two horses which broke away, the remainder kept perfectly steady and unconcerned. After galloping past and advancing in review order, the Lancers cheered His Excellency. The Viceroy remarked that the display he had seen proved the excellence of the training of the horses and the special attention paid to the matter by Colonel Desaraj Urs… The manoeuvres subsequent to special show in connection with the horses reflected great credit, said His Excellency, on the regiment.” –M Shama Rao, Modern Mysore

The Mysorean, with his “superior physique” was also “specially noted for his endurance and hard work in distant countries and under the most trying conditions of climate and fatigue.”* And so, as part of the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade (this included the Patiala, Jodhpur and Hyderabad Horse) the men left Bangalore on 13th October, 1914 under the field command of Lt.Col. Chamaraj Urs Bahadur.

They were accompanied by Special Officers Major MH Henderson and Lt. K Evans-Gordon and Colonel J. Desraj Urs (Commander-in Chief of the Mysore State Forces and brother-in-law to Maharaja Sir Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV).

The men in the distinctive black head collar rope, black and white lance pennant, crossed lance badges on the chain mail epaulettes and the royal Ganda Bherunda insignia of Mysore disembarked to defend the Sweet Water Canal and undertake reconnaissance duties to the east of the Suez Canal. 

Many of us in the city can proudly trace family who in 1914, were a part of the largest volunteer army in the world!

Fans of a sun tanned Peter O’ Toole in the film `Lawrence of Arabia’ will know that our Mysorean men and the legendary TE Lawrence were both part of a WWI force commanded by Field Marshall Sir Edmund Allenby. But off screen conditions were very tough. Water sources were scarce. Thousands of cavalry horses and Transport Corps animals perished at various stages-en route, during combat and post-war.The emaciated and weak were left by the road to be picked up and (hopefully) rehabilitated by the Remount and Veterinary Corps.Most were not so lucky.

Much has been written about the Battle of Haifa where Mysorean cavalrymen braved German and Austrian guns as they charged alongside the Jodhpur Lancers to route an artillery battery located on a hill above the town.

Mysore’s two headed eagle also altered history at Gaza, Jordan Valley, Sharon, Megiddo, Damascus and Palestine. Their roles in these decisive battles saw the officers, including Captain B. P. Krishne Urs, 29 year old Mir Turab Ali and Risaldar Subbaraja Urs, and their loyal horses receive a hero’s welcome in 1920.

Sirdar Bahadur Lt.Col. Chamaraj Urs succeeded the distinguished Col.J Desraj Urs to the post of Commandant-in-Chief in 1919.

The horsemen were then reconstituted into the New Horsed Cavalry Regiment, raised in Jaipur on January 1st, 1953 under the special dispensation of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.It was named the 61st Cavalry a year later. It is the only horse cavalry regiment in the world and is equally well-known for its indomitable equestrian sportsmen.

My grand aunt, Mrs. Syeda Mirza tells me that her husband, my grand uncle the late Major Mohammad Mirza, a Bengalurean 61st cavalryman, dashing polo player and nephew of Sir Mirza Ismail, Diwan of Mysore (1926-1941) commanded the elite President’s Bodyguard for Dr.Rajendra Prasad and Dr. S Radhakrishnan in the 1960’s. He was also in the Ganganagar Sector with the 61st Cavalry during the 1971 War.

Standing second from right: Major Mohammad Mirza. Photo Source: Sixty First Cavalry Diamond Jubilee Souvenir, courtesy: Mrs. Syeda Mirza

“I was returning to Jaipur with the children after visiting my parents in Hyderabad” she says “and hired a porter to help with the luggage. He deposited me near the army vehicle that had come to receive us, and refused to take any payment. He said he could not take money from someone whose husband was fighting for the country.” She adds, “those were very tough times for wives and families.With no mobile phones or connectivity like it is today, we had no way to stay in regular touch with our loved ones.We just had to manage as best as we could on our own.”

While a tribute to Indian cavalrymen is visibly embedded at Teen Murti Circle, New Delhi, a smaller Memorial Column on Col. Desraj Urs Road in Bengaluru’s Munireddy Palya stands overshadowed by the massive TV Tower nearby. The long forgotten structure lists all the brave men including officers Captain A.Lingaraj Urs (son-in-law to the Field Commander) and a Meer Ashroff Ali who lost their lives upholding the honour of Mysore state. Most city folks ride by without a second glance these days.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

On the Roll of Honour:

A Lingaraj Urs and Meer Ashroff Alli, Venkata Rao Maney, Annaji Dhummal, Rachunatha Rao Birjey, Mohammed Abdul Sattar, Nar Singh, Mohammed Peer Khan, Rahimon Khan, Ganapaty Rao Sindhey, Rama Rao Gaikwad, Manadeva Rao Bobdey, Sheik Ibrahim, Sham Singh, Roya Sundaram, Chithambara Rao Ithapay and Meer Abdul Latheef.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

This story was originally published in the Bangalore Mirror on April 11th 2016.Read it here.

* M Shama Rao, Modern Mysore, Page 104-106

source: http://www.aturquoisecloud.wordpress.com / A Turquoise Cloud / by Aliyeh Rizvi

Galaxy of stars descend at launch of Kirmani’s autobiography ‘Stumped: Life Behind And Beyond The Twenty-Two Yards’

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Karnataka (under research project), Sports, , , , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Syed Kirmani, an ODI World Cup winner with India in 1983, speaks during the launch of his autobiography, in Bengaluru. | Photo Credit: PTI

The cricket universe was represented by Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Anil Kumble, Brijesh Patel, E.A.S. Prasanna, B.S. Chandrasekhar and many of Kirmani’s State teammates.

A galaxy of stars descended at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday for the launch of ‘Stumped: Life Behind And Beyond The Twenty-Two Yards’ by Syed Kirmani, the autobiography of one of India’s finest wicketkeepers.

The cricket universe was represented by Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Anil Kumble, Brijesh Patel, E.A.S. Prasanna, B.S. Chandrasekhar and many of Kirmani’s State teammates.

Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar were also in attendance.

Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar during the launch of  ‘Stumped, Life Behind And Beyond The Twenty-Two Yards ‘ with Krimani (right). | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, badminton stalwart Prakash Padukone and actor Jackie Shroff sent their well wishes through video messages. The book is co-authored by Debashish Sengupta and Dakshesh Pathak.

Kirmani’s famous partnership with Kapil Dev against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup, where the duo rescued India from a precarious 17 for five, was a favourite memory among speakers on the stage.

Kapil spoke about the first time he met Kirmani, who incidentally celebrated his 75th birthday on Sunday.

Kirmani’s famous partnership with Kapil Dev (right) against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup, where the duo rescued India from a precarious 17 for five, was a favourite memory among speakers on the stage.  | Photo Credit: PTI

“I was in an under-19 camp when Syed Kirmani, Bishan Singh Bedi and others returned to India after being bloodied and bruised on a tour to the West Indies. I worked up the courage to approach Kirmani. The first autograph I ever received in my life was from the great ‘Kiri bhai’ and G.R. Viswanath,” Kapil said.

“I remember what Kirmani wrote when signing the autograph. He wrote ‘Hope to see tons of runs and tons of wickets from you’. That was most kind of him. I also spent a few hours with him, where he taught me so much about the sport and beyond,” Kapil said.

source: http://www.sportstar.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Cricket / by Ashwin Achal / December 29th, 2024

World’s youngest Head Master(HM) Babar Ali feted

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, , ,

WEST BENGAL / Mysuru, KARNATAKA :

(From left) Lokaraj Urs (Founder, Madilu Seva Trust NGO), Veeresh, President, Suvarna Karnataka Chemists and Distributors Association, S. Manjunath, President, Mysore District Chemists and Distributors Association, C.K. Muralidharan, Ashok Kumar, Joint Secretary, Mysore District Chemists and Distributors Association and Nigin.

World’s youngest Head Master (HM) Babar Ali, who was in city recently, was felicitated by the office-bearers of Mysore District Chemists and Distributors Association.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Photo News / December 31st, 2024