Category Archives: Amazing Feats

When Lata Mangeshkar, Mohammad Rafi enabled liberation of Dadra, Nagar Haveli

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

Uprising’ says it all started when music director and freedom fighter Sudhir Phadke decided to seek Mangeshkar’s assistance to raise funds for an armed revolt.

In this Thursday, October 26, 2017, singer Lata Mangeshkar attends a function at Dadar in Mumbai. PTI Photo

New Delhi :

Legendary singers Lata Mangeshkar and Mohammad Rafi played an instrumental role in the liberation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, says a new book as it narrates in detail the little-known 1954 concert by the two icons to raise funds for the movement.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli, now a Union Territory, were occupied by the Portuguese in 1783 and 1785, respectively. They continued to be ruled by the Portuguese till an armed revolution liberated them, and the Tricolour was unfurled at Silvassa on August 2, 1954.

The two enclaves were formally recognised as an integral part of India in 1961 along with Goa and Daman and Diu but unlike Goa’s liberation, there was no direct intervention by the Indian armed forces here.

Recounting what led to the singers’ participation in the liberation of the territory, ‘Uprising’, written by Neelesh Kulkarni, says it all started when music director and freedom fighter Sudhir Phadke decided to seek Mangeshkar’s assistance to raise funds for an armed revolt.

According to the book, Mangeshkar, who first seemed reluctant, agreed after Phadke and his friends mentioned that the liberation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli was only a ‘prelude to the freedom of Goa’.

Mangeshkar had an emotional connection with Goa and the Portuguese were harassing devotees coming to the temple of her family’s presiding deity, Lord Mangesh, at Mangeshi village in north Goa.

“Her eyes suddenly welled up… The family derived their surname from the village’s name. The Portuguese had been regularly harassing devotees who came to the temple, and the frustration of not being able to do anything about that brought her over to their side in an instant. ‘You will allow me to serve my Lord Mangesh,’ she said tearfully. ‘I wish I could come and fight by your side, but since I cannot, I will help you raise resources. You tell me the date and I will be there, ’” reads the book, quoting Mangeshkar.

The jubilation at securing her presence doubled when Mangeshkar suggested they should invite Mohammed Rafi to sing with her.

And Rafi, who met Phadke and team at the then newly-inaugurated Mehboob Studios in Bandra, said ‘yes’ readily.

The meeting, which was supposed to last for 10 minutes, went on for an hour as Rafi asked question after question about how the group was planning to execute their plans, says the book.

“He was so impressed that he held up a hand when Nana Kajrekar, a freedom fighter, told him he would arrange his railway tickets to and from Pune. ‘This country is also mine,’ Rafi said, ‘and if all of you are preparing to put your lives on the line for it, the least I can do is buy my tickets.’”

Unfortunately, the concert didn’t go as planned for Mangeshkar met with a road accident in April, 1954, the day she was supposed to perform. The singer tried to reach despite the accident, but it was cancelled by then.

“Lata and Rafi finally arrived at the venue at 11.30 pm and saw it was dark and deserted… She stayed with the Phadkes that night, and before leaving promised that she would cancel whatever she was doing to perform on whichever date they scheduled the concert next,” reads the book.

The concert was finally held on May 2 at the same venue. The programme was a hit, and though the venue was not as jam-packed as the first time, the revenue, according to the author, was still substantial.

“From the proceeds of the concert, the freedom fighters planned the whole project and were able to buy five rifles and three pistols from the black market in Hyderabad. And using these weapons, 29 of them attacked more than 300 fully armed Portuguese and threw them out of the Dadra and Nagar Haveli,” said Kulkarni during the recent launch of the book at India International Centre (IIC).

‘Uprising: The Liberation of Dadra and Nagar Haveli’, published by Westland Books, uses interviews with descendants of the participants, and a handful of participants themselves, newspapers, archival records, letters and diary entries, to put together the pieces of this little-known history.

source: http://www.tribuneindia.com / The Tribune / Home> India / by PTI / September 02nd, 2024

Remembering Maulana who hoisted Tricolour in front of 300 British cops

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, First War of Independence 1857 / Naval Mutiny 1946 / Others PreIndependece (wef. July 27th, 2022), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, Martyrs of the Nation, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ludhiana, PUNJAB:

Prayers being offered at Jama Masjid in memory of Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi. Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan

Ludhiana :

A prayer was organised at the local Jama Masjid in remembrance of Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi, the man who stood up and raised his voice against the Divide and Rule policy of the British. Today, was his 68th death anniversary.

Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi

Ludhianvi was one of the founders of Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam and was the direct descendant of Shah Abdul Qadir Ludhianvi, who fought against the British colonial rule during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. In British records, he has been described as a fiery speaker who exercised considerable influence on people in the region.

In 1929, to oppose the idea of partition, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the Tricolour on the banks of Ravi for the first time and at the same time, Ludhianvi hoisted the same flag at Jama Masjid in Ludhiana in the presence of over 300 British policemen and was arrested.

“When the entire nation was suffering under the Divide and Rule policy of the British, it was he who stood up and raised his voice,” said Mohammad Usman Rehmani Ludhianvi, the Shahi Imam of Punjab, remembering his great grandfather.

Voices calling out “Hindu paani lelo, Muslim paani lelo” were common at the railway stations as there were separate pitchers of water for the Hindus and the Muslims. But in 1929, Maulana Habib-ur-Rehman Ludhianvi raised his voice against this and protested at Ghaas Mandi Chowk, Ludhiana and, with the help of his volunteers, broke earthen pots.

As a result, the British government was forced to install one common pitcher at all railway stations across the country giving the message “sabka paani ek hai”. In this activity, nearly 50 volunteers were arrested and sent to jail, he shared.

“My great grandfather decided to stay back in this part of Punjab although many of their relatives migrated to Pakistan. He was deeply pained by the Partition and later in order to help women to get back to their respective families, he had set up a ‘Phir Basau’ committee. Thousands of women returned to their parents under this exchange programme,” he said. Maulana, though not a poet, was well-versed in poetry and used to host poetic evening once a month, he shared.

Subhash Chandra Bose took refuge for three days at his home while on his way to Japan. Similarly, Bhagat Singh’s mother, brother and sister also stayed at his place during the freedom struggle.

Habib-ur-Rehman had to spend 14 years in prison in various places including Shimla, Mianwali, Multan, Ludhiana and Dharamsala.

He was confined in cold places during winters and hot ones in summer. He contracted a serious infection in jail due to which he died on September 2, 1956.

source: http://www.tribuneindia.com / The Tribune / Home> Ludhiana / by Manav Mander / Tribune News Service / September 03rd, 2024

Wins Viswakarma Award

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Karnataka (under research project), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mysuru, KARNATAKA :

City-based Rose Wood Inlay artiste Luqman Khan was presented with the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay Viswakarma Award during an event organised by the Crafts Council of Karnataka at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in Bengaluru recently.

Crafts Council of Karnataka Chairperson Mangala Narasimhan, former Additional Chief Secretary Chiranjeev Singh and Crafts Council of Karnataka Treasurer Mir Shafi Farooq were present on the occasion.

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

The birth of a bank

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chennai, TAMIL NADU:

A view of the Indian Bank headquarters on Rajaji Salai / Photo : R. RAGU

The Indian Bank recently launched its commemoration of its 100th year of business. But this month’s centenary is that of the collapse of Arbuthnot & Co., out of whose ruins there arose the Indian Bank.

The story of Arbuthnot’s and the bank that it ran has been narrated in this column before. Late last year, as the centenary year began, one part of it – the legal proceedings that followed – were narrated in detail in “the first full-length book on this spectacular financial catastrophe”, The Fall of Arbuthnot & Co., by Dr. Rangaswamy Srinivasan (EastWest Books). Today, I recall some of the key dates involved in the death of one bank and the birth of a new one.

It was on October 20, 1906, that P. Macfadyen, Arbuthnot’s correspondent and associate in Britain, committed suicide. On October 22, Arbuthnot’s petitioned the court to be declared insolvent and The Hindu reported that “a regular panic had taken hold of (the disappointed Creditors) and a rush was made to the High Court… “

V. Krishnaswami Aiyer, a young vakil at the time, taking his cue from a letter that had appeared in The Hindu, got together eight other like-minded persons and on November 2, 1906, they sent out a circular inviting the public’s views on the possibility of starting “a Native Bank in Madras”. Encouraged by the response they got, they called a public meeting on December 2 that was attended by 28 of the leading citizens of Madras. Out of these and subsequent deliberations emerged The Indian Bank Limited, registered on March 5, 1907 and opening its doors in Parry’s building on August 15th that year.

That Indian Bank was the second Indian bank to be established in Madras.

The first, the Madras Central Urban Cooperative Bank, was established on September 16, 1905. Other Indian banks, however, had been founded in the Madras Presidency before these two. They included the Tanjore Permanent Fund, now the Thanjavur Bank, started in 1901; the South Indian Bank, started in Tirunelveli in 1903; and the predecessor of the present City Union Bank, Kumbakonam, in 1904. Also predating the Indian Bank were the Canara Banking Corporation, Udipi, now the Corporation Bank, and the Canara Hindu Permanent Fund, now the Canara Bank, both started in 1906.

The eight who signed the circular Krishnaswami Aiyer drafted were :

H. Mohamed Abdul Azeez Badshah Saheb, Senior Partner of the firm with the same name and Hony. Consul for Turkey; Muraleedoss; T. Seetharama Chetty, Senior Partner of Moses & Co.; M.A. Kuddus Badshah Saheb; M. Jamal Mohideen and Co.; V. Bashyam Iyengar, High Court vakil and a former Judge of the Court; and P.R. Sundara Iyer, High Court vakil.

When the Bank was floated, its first Directors included four of these signatories – Seetharama Chetty, Azeez Badshah, Muraleedoss (Ramdoss) and Krishnaswami Aiyer.

Their fellow Directors were Lodd Govindoss, C.P. Ramaswami Aiyar, a High Court vakil at the time; Dewan Bahadur M. Adinarayanan Iyer, retired Deputy Settlement Commissioner; and two Nattukottai Chettiars, Rm.M.St. Chidambaram Chettiar and Dewan Bahadur S.Rm.M. Ramaswamy Chettiar, representing the community which substantially funded the Bank.

Ramaswamy Chettiar was the elder brother of Annamalai Chettiar who was to receive the title Rajah and who was to play a major role in the bank in his later years.

Of the 74 Directors of Bank up to nationalisation in 1969, thirty were Nattukottai Chettiars.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu – The Metro Plus Chennai, Online edition / October 09th, 2006

Dr. Hafeez Rahman to Receive Prestigious 15th Manappuram Multibillionaire Business Achiever Award

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Events, Exhibitions, Conferences (wef. Nov 18th, 2021), Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

KERALA :

Dr. Hafeez Rahman, Chairman of Sunrise Hospitals, will be honored with the prestigious 15th Manappuram Multibillionaire Business Achiever (MBA) Award. The award ceremony is set to take place at the Le Meridien Hotel in Kochi on June 9th. With this accolade, Dr. Hafeez Rahman will join the exclusive Federal International Chamber Forum (FICF), the world’s richest club, where members have a minimum asset threshold of 1000 crores (Indian Rupees).

The FICF is a distinguished guild of MBA awardees, celebrating exceptional business minds. It aims to leverage their ideas for societal betterment, standing as an inspiration for entrepreneurs by representing outstanding business achievements and excellence, while actively contributing to social causes.

A globally renowned laparoscopic surgeon, Dr. Hafeez Rahman began his career in 1992. He founded the Sunrise Group of Hospitals in 2005, which now operates branches in both the UAE and India. Sunrise Hospital, a tertiary care multi-speciality hospital and prominent laparoscopic center in Kochi, is well-known for its community outreach programs in schools, villages, and civilian bodies, promoting preventive medicine and healthy lifestyles.

Previous recipients of the MBA Award include notable figures such as Shri V P Nandakumar, Shri Joy Alukkas, M A Yusuf Ali, Shri T S Kalyanaraman, Shri P. N. C. Menon, Mr. Gokulam Gopalan, Dr. Ravi Pillai, Mr. M P Ramachandran, Kochouseph Chittilappilly, Sabu M Jacob, Dr. Viju Jacob, Dr. A V Anoop, Dr. Varghese Kurian, and Adv. Dr. P Krishnadas.

Pic Courtesy: google/ images are subject to copyright

source: http://www.uniquetimes.org / Unique Times / Home> Business> Featured> Latest News / May 21st, 2024

Business Badshas

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chennai, TAMIL NADU :

The trade, commerce, politics, and history of south India have been shaped by several powerful individuals and families.

The proprietor of the mica mines examines the accounts at the Kuddusabad camp

Chennai :

The trade, commerce, politics, and history of south India have been shaped by several powerful individuals and families. Among the names that made it to the list, the Badsha family — members of the Urdu Muslim mercantile elite — were one of the leaders in extending business relationships to places like Arabia, Egypt and Japan.

In a tete-a-tete with the fourth-generation descendants, Faiz Badsha Sayeed and Faud Badsha Sayeed, we find out more about perhaps one of the oldest families to establish a strong base in Triplicane, their life in the Madras Presidency and their omnipresence in south Indian history.

Hand-drawn carts were taken up hills and through jungles to reach the mica mines

 By 1819, Haji Mohammed Badsha Sahib established their family firm — a textile company, Messrs H Mohammed Badsha Sahib & Co.

By the early 20th century, the family also became leading importers of Manchester cotton goods and exported indigo, tamarind, mica and Madras cotton piece goods to Britain. “He was one of the richest businessmen in South…he was also giving and god fearing. If we, his great-grandchildren are doing well in life, I believe it is because of all the good deeds our ancestors did,” he said, adding that his great-grandfather, was also known as ‘Mallikutujar’, the head of merchants.

He hands us a picture of a man clad in a tunic and turban, and says, “That’s our grandfather, MA Khuddus Badsha Sahib, the seventh son of Haji Mohammed Badsha. My grandfather and his brother Abdul Azeez Badsha Sahib, were born in the building located in Vallabha Agraharam Street — the Broadlands lodging house which was previously the Turkish Consulate in Madras. Our great grandfather built it in the 1800s,” shares Faiz with a child-like enthusiasm.

After H Mohammed Badsha Sahib’s retirement in the early 1870s, his sons took over his business. The duo, Abdul Azeez Badsha and Khuddus Badsha, served as the Consul and Vice-Consul at the Turkish Consulate in Madras and were popularly known as the ‘Badsha brothers’ and epitomised leadership. “My grandfather purchased the area constituting Triplicane-Wallajah Road, Khas Mahal – ‘The Old palaces of Nawabs’ while Abdul Azeez Badsha Sahib purchased the entire Gemini complex. Some of the fourth-generation descendants still live in and around the area,” he says.

Faiz shares that Khuddus Badhsa owned a piece of land in Mecca. “Unlike Azeez Badsha, my grandfather never performed the Haj but, he sent my grandmother along with my father to perform the Haj. After they returned, she fell ill and requested my grandfather to build a tap in the zamzam well in Mecca. After a lot of back and forth through telegrams, the tap was finally built and shortly after that, my grandmother passed away. That was probably her last wish,” he says.

He hands us a sheet which reads, ‘No more loyal subject of the King-Emperor or more respected Member of the Mohammadan Community will be the guest of the Madras government at Delhi for the Imperial Coronation Durbar’. “Our grandfather was invited to the Imperial Durbar between the late 19th century and early 20th century. He, along with his brother, actively took part in several organisations and they were philanthropists,” he says. The Government of India even conferred Azeez Badsha Sahib with the title of ‘Khan Bahadur’ in recognition of his public services.

From being the trustee of the Madras Port Trust, vice-president of the South Indian Chamber of Commerce to the vice-president of the South Indian Athletics Association, Khuddus Badsha wore many hats. “He was also one of the founders of the Indian bank,” shares Faud.

Khuddus Badsha bought thousands of acres of land across the south. While some were turned to cultivation lands or passed on to the next generation, most are under court litigation. “After land reforms and the abolition of zamindari system, a huge portion of the land was taken by the government,” he says.


Over the years, the descendants have shown little evidence of their past glory, living a simple and unassuming life. “My father and his siblings took to other professions.

He was a doctor and one of his siblings was a barrister, who was tutored by Dr Radhakrishnan!

We have our daily jobs and live a normal yet happy life. We have learned to work hard and be giving, especially towards those who are less privileged,” shares Faiz.

Mica business
Khuddus Badsha possessed several ‘Shrotriems’, ‘Jaghris’, diamond mines and was a pioneer in the mica industry. He owned mines in Pinnamitta, Chennur and Khuddusabad, a village in Nellore district named after him. “Mica exhibitions were curated, and he also ran a Mica showroom in Triplicane. The Wallajah Mosque compound is where the factory/mica workshop manufactured mica daily basis. We even found bits of Mica in the house’s well,” shares Faiz.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Chennai / by Roshne Balasubramanian / September 27th, 2013

A legacy left behind

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chennai, TAMIL NADU :

Step into a time capsule as we walk you through the four-generation history of Triplicane’s Broadlands hotel, which was once the Turkish Consulate in Madras.

Chennai :

On an evening rush hour, I am standing amid the choked Triplicane high road — a concrete jungle with nothing but chaos, that’s often romanticised as ‘glorious traffic’. Trying to find my way to a famous heritage hotel, a haven for weary travellers from across the globe, I walk across the ‘burqa’ shops and hotels and a few minutes later, I reach ‘Broadlands’ lodging house, located in the quaint Vallabha Agraharam street. Standing in front of the facade of the unassuming building erected in the 19th century, we are welcomed by a board mounted on the wall right above the sit out, which reads: ‘Welcome, Namaste! Traveller!’.

As soon as we enter the building, it seems like we have stepped inside a time capsule — multiple courtyards, shutter windows and doors, stained glasses from a bygone era, antique furniture, crumbling lime plaster walls and a comforting blue, green and pink paint give us a welcoming taste of its old world charm. An enthusiastic staff member welcomes us and while we wait to meet its owner, the friendly banter of the guests keeps us engaged.

Clad in a red t-shirt and jeans, Krishna Rao, the third generation owner of the lodge welcomes us in. “My grandfather was from Andhra but had strong business ties here,” he says. According to Krishna, the building came into the family’s possession as part of a business deal or a bank auction. “Unfortunately, most Indian families have neglected to educate the next generations about their origins and history. So, what I know of this building’s history is very limited,” he explains.

Krishna Rao’s family came into possession of the building in 1951 from the ‘Badsha’ family, post which it was converted into a hostel and later into a lodge. “Law college students used to stay here when it was a hostel. Many even went on to become Supreme Court judges in the 90s and 2000s. This building is now a part of our family’s legacy and we haven’t changed anything here. Everything is intact, just like how we got it. With occasional maintenance and renovation work, the building is in great condition,” he beams as he walks us through the building.

Paintings and photographs from travellers are mounted on walls and as we progress from one courtyard to another (of a total three), it’s evident that the house gets bigger as we go further. “The current entrance of the building used to be the back or servant entrance before we took over the building. The main entrance opens to the big mosque but, we have always kept that closed. That’s why this part of the building is bigger,” he explains as we go up the labyrinth staircase.

“We really don’t know what the original history of the building is. Perhaps the previous owners could shed light on that,” he says, as we stand on the terrace of the building, watching the sunset, with a view of the big mosque, LIC building, Secretariat and Raheja Towers.

As questions of the larger part of the origin of the building shroud us, Krishna Rao offers us the number of a 66-year-old Faiz Badsha Sayeed, a fourth generation descendant of the Badsha family.A couple of phone calls later, along with Krishna, we land at the house of Faiz, in Triplicane.

Seated in the hall with a stack of old photographs, a trade book about the family’s Mica business, Faiz along with his elder brother Faud walk us through the history of the building, which once was a link between Madras and Turkey. The now Broadlands was once the ‘Le Consulat de Turquie a Madras’ or the Turkish Consulate in Madras! Faiz narrates, “Our great grandfather Haji Mohammed Badsha Sahib is where the family root began. He was a very ‘normal man’ but, he got lucky when a piece of cloth, possibly indigo dyed, fetched him a fortune from Britain.”

The history of the building which once opened its gates to foreign dignitaries is lost somewhere in time. “We are old and there’s only so much we can recollect about its history. We hope that the next generation takes it up and tries to document more about the heritage of the building and the family,” says Faiz, as he shows us a vintage picture of the consulate in all its glory, taken from the main entrance. “It’s funny that we have never been inside the building. We would like to visit Broadlands someday,” smiles Faiz looking at Krishna as he gives an affirming nod.

Trivia

Haji Mohammed Badsha went on to become one the richest businessman in South India and founded the Messrs H Mohammed Badsha Sahib & Co, a leading textile firm. “He was the one who built this building back in the 1800s. It was also his personal residence and my grandfather MA Khuddus Badsha Sahib and his brother Abdul Azeez Badsha Sahib were born in that building,” shares Faiz about his grandfather Khuddus, who was the seventh son of Mohammed Badsha. “He was also one of the founders of the Indian Bank and served as the Vice-Consul at the Turkish Consulate in Madras. This is just the tip of the iceberg Berg, he wore several hats,” beams Faiz.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Travel / by Roshne Balasubramanian / March 24th, 2018

M.A. Khalid Bags Prestigious Bronze Wolf Award

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Bengaluru :

Mr. Mohammed Ali Khalid, a retired Karnataka Administrative Service officer, has been awarded the prestigious Bronze Wolf, the highest international accolade in the field of Scouts and Guides.

This honour, established in 1935, has been conferred upon only 395 individuals worldwide, with Mr. Khalid, Vice-chairperson of the Asia-Pacific Scout Committee, being the fifth Indian recipient.

The Bronze Wolf is awarded for exceptional services to world Scouting, recognising Mr. Khalid’s extraordinary contributions to regional and global task forces aimed at strengthening the scout movement. His dedication to the Scouts and Guides has earned him numerous national and international awards, with the Bronze Wolf being his crowning achievement.

Previous Indian recipients of the award include Smt. Lakshmi Mazumdar (1969), Sardar Lakshman Singh (1986), Ranga Rao (1994), and L.M. Jain (2008). Mr. Khalid’s recognition adds another feather to India’s cap in the global Scouting community.

The award was presented to Mr. Khalid at the World Scout Conference in Cairo, August 23, 2024. His lifelong commitment and professional excellence continue to inspire young people, embodying the values of discipline and service central to the Scout movement.

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation> Awards> Focus / by Radiance News Bureau / August 30th, 2024

A.G. Noorani (1930-2024): Eminent constitutional expert and prolific writer is no more

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Leaders, , , ,

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

A long-term contributor to Frontline, Noorani was widely respected for his insightful analysis on constitutional and human rights issues.

A.G. Noorani is remembered as an intellectual who upheld the principles of democracy and constitutionalism throughout his long and distinguished career. | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives

Renowned lawyer, constitutional expert, and prolific author who made significant contributions to legal scholarship and political discourse in India for over six decades, A.G. Noorani is no more. A long-term contributor to Frontline, Noorani was widely respected for his insightful analysis on constitutional and human rights issues.

Born in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1930, Abdul Ghafoor Abdul Majeed Noorani began his career as a lawyer in the Bombay High Court in 1953. Though he practised law, Noorani devoted much of his time to writing on legal, political, and historical topics. His sharp intellect and deep knowledge of constitutional matters made him a sought-after commentator on Indian politics and jurisprudence.

Noorani was a regular contributor to leading publications like Economic & Political Weekly, The Hindustan Times, and The Statesman. However, it was his association with Frontline magazine, which began in the 1980s, that brought his incisive writing to a wide audience. His column “Constitutional Questions” ran for over three decades and was known for its meticulous research and balanced analysis of complex legal issues.

As an author, Noorani penned over a dozen books on various aspects of Indian constitutional law, politics, and history. Some of his notable works include The Kashmir Question (1964), Ministers’ Misconduct (1973), Constitutional Questions and Citizens’ Rights (2006), and The RSS: A Menace to India (2019). His writings often took a critical look at government overreach and erosion of democratic norms.

Noorani was known for his strong advocacy of civil liberties and secularism. He was a vocal critic of laws that he believed infringed on fundamental rights, such as preventive detention laws and restrictions on freedom of expression. His legal expertise made him a respected voice in debates on judicial reforms and accountability.

Though he never held any official position, Noorani’s opinions carried weight in legal and political circles. He was often consulted on constitutional matters and his writings were cited in academic works and even Supreme Court judgments.

Noorani leaves behind a rich legacy of constitutional scholarship and political commentary. He is remembered as an intellectual who upheld the principles of democracy and constitutionalism throughout his long and distinguished career.

While revered in progressive and liberal circles, Noorani was not without his critics. Some felt his views were too idealistic or out of step with changing political realities. Nonetheless, his commitment to constitutional values and rigorous analysis earned him respect across the political spectrum.

Here’s a curated list of articles Noorani wrote for Frontline. We have kept them outside the paywall to honour the genius that he was.

Please read them and share your comments.

https://frontline.thehindu.com/other/obituary/ag-noorani-1930-2024-tribute-eminent-constitutional-expert-prolific-writer-human-rights-kashmir-rss-hindutva/article68581034.ece

source: http://www.frontline.thehindu.com / Frontline / Home> Obituary> Tribute / by Team Frontline / August 29th, 2024

Hijab-wearing daughters of auto-rickshaw driver become proud IITians

Amazing Feats, Education, Education - Gold Medallists, Toppers, Merits, Achievers (wef. June 12th, 2023), Women/Girls(since May26-2021)

Trikarpur (Kasargode Distrtict), KERALA :

Ramsina and Rissana

Kozhikode :

The twin sisters – Ramsina Rasheed and Rissana Rasheed – hailing from the small town of Trikarupur of Kasargode district in Kerala have brought laurels to their auto-rickshaw-driving father.

One of them graduated in engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology at Roorki, the other from Kharagpur. Both are on the job and working in Bengaluru.

The educational journey of the twin sisters is a source of inspiration for the girls of the country and abroad.

At a time when a particular section is targeting the Hijab and Hijab-wearing girls are not allowed entry into schools and colleges, Ramsina Rasheed and Rissana Rasheed have set a record by graduating from IIT while attending classes in Hijab.

Ramsina and Rissana completed their JEE Advanced examination in 2017. While Ramsina did an   M.Tech from IIT Kharagpur in Aerospace Technology, Rissana did a B.Tech. from IIT Roorkee in electrical engineering. Both the sisters are in jobs now.

Ramsina and Rissana’s father is not an ordinary auto-rickshaw driver.  Despite his modest income, he made sure his daughters received higher education despite taunts by the people in his group.

The twin sisters come from an area of Kerala where girls are married off at a tender age.

Interestingly, the father of the twin sisters was also suggested by people in his circle to save money, like other parents do in the area to buy gold for the daughter’s marriage. But Rasheed ignored them and gave priority to the education of his daughters.

The mother of the twin sisters also helped them in their studies. Their mother did not budge against the taunts of people about her daughters. Rather, she ensured that her daughters were not burdened by the household work as they required more time to study.

Ramsina and Rissana are the first IIT pass out from their village. Both are working in a top firm in Bengaluru. They have become ideal for their area.

In a country where girl children face discrimination on economic, social, religious, and gender bases, Ramsina and Rissana overcame difficulties with grit and set a record by graduating from the top IITs.

As their father is an auto-rickshaw driver, they had to face economic challenges in addition to the social barriers of Indian society.

It can be easily understood that for a father of limited income, it is beyond the reach to get an education for talented children according to their strengths.

One can understand the role of a father through the success of Ramsina and Rissana. Their father dared to get his daughters educated while driving an auto-rickshaw. He dedicated his life to the education of his daughters.

Ramsina and Risssana faced religious discrimination which Ramsina has discussed in her Instagram post.

It will be appropriate to discuss that.

Ramsina discusses discrimination because of wearing a Hijab while replying to a comment of a user to her post.

Ramsina writes, “I was treated differently in the lab while doing practicals due to my Hijab.” She says, “However, my colleagues at Airbus do not judge me on my clothes, instead they see me through my abilities.”

On the other hand, Rissana says that one professor had asked her to remove her Hija in the electrical machine lab.

It is clear from their accounts that talented girls like Ramsina and Rissaana face administrative hurdles due to the Hijab in India.

If there is no discrimination against Muslim girls due to their Hijab, there would be many girls like Ramsina and Rissana progressing in different fields and making the country proud.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by Huma Masih / August 19th, 2024