Much before I became an admirer of Ustad Zakir Hussain, I was a devoted fan of Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan. The reason was simple. Growing up in New Delhi, I had the chance to see the tabla maestro regularly when I was a teenager, often with luminaries like santoor monarch Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.
After moving to Mumbai, I continued to attend Khan’s shows, and interacted with him twice as a music journalist. It came as a huge shock when he passed away on July 24, 2005, at the untimely age of 51, after a bout of hepatitis. Among classical music lovers, memories of Khan’s music remains fresh. Coming Wednesday, on his 14th death anniversary, Pancham Nishad is organising a tribute concert at the Veer Savarkar auditorium, Shivaji Park. It will feature vocalist Sanjeev Chimmalgi and tabla maestro Swapan Choudhuri, whose performance was a highlight of the Ustad Allarakha birth centenary celebrations on April 29.
I first heard Khan perform in 1977 when I was 14, at the Shri Ram Centre, New Delhi. He was accompanying Shivkumar Sharma on Raag Bhoopali. It was the first time I heard the santoor and the experience was magical. I didn’t understand the technicalities, but was totally enraptured. Both Sharma and Khan became my heroes. The same show also featured violinist N. Rajam and vocalists Rajan and Sajan Mishra, with different tabla accompanists. So imagine my joy. I told my parents to take me to more concerts, and very often, Khan would perform.
Senior aficionados often talked about Khan representing the Delhi gharana, and Hussain being associated with the Punjab school. It made no difference to me, until I started writing about them. I also had the good fortune of seeing tabla players like Kishen Maharaj, Anindo Chatterjee and Suresh Talwalkar perform.
My first meeting with Khan took place in the early 2000s, when he was to perform at the Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan at Nehru Centre, Worli. While the interview was formal, he was delighted to see an ardent admirer like me. “People normally try to find fault in my technique. You are different,” he had joked. The second encounter was at Sharma’s birthday celebrations in 2004. It was a select gathering of about 25 people. This was where I discovered what a fantastic mimic Khan actually was.
He narrated hilarious incidents about musicians. One of them was about a senior instrumentalist who was yelled at by an elderly foreign lady at the Amsterdam airport because he was humming the notes of Raag Bageshri a tad loudly.
When Sharma pointed out that he was mimicking those not present at the party, prompt came the reply, “If I mimic you, you won’t let me play at your shows. My career will finish,” stated Khan clearly.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Music / by Narendra Kusnur / July 18th, 2019
Rais Ahmad is one of the earliest to open for business in Chawri Bazaar in Old Delhi.
Rais Ahmad, 53, Sufia Handicrafts, Chawri Bazaar
Rais Ahmad is one of the earliest to open for business in Chawri Bazaar in Old Delhi. His tiny shop called Sufia Handicrafts is home to a mind-boggling number of miniature to mid-sized antiques. But before you begin to admire any of those, 53-year-old Ahmad takes you by your hand and pulls you towards the corner of the shop where his most precious collectables lay scattered—a side of the shop that’s home to heaps of original old gramophones and records. “So, what do you think about them?” he asks us, adding, “Have you ever seen a collection like this anywhere in Delhi?” Not waiting for our reply, he pulls us towards another corner of the shop where he takes our attention to imitations of the ones we had seen 20 seconds back.
Least to say, he loves his music and listens to Mohammed Rafi on a daily basis, while repairing all the gramophones that have been left behind to be fixed. He proudly tells us that he can set right almost any kind of snag, whether pertaining to manual gramophones or the electric ones.
Besides that, Ahmadji—as he is fondly addressed—stores vinyls in various regional languages, especially Bengali. While an original gramophone can cost you anywhere between `4,000 and `6,000, the imitations start at `1,500. The records, on the other hand, will cost you `100 to `200, and any kind of repair anywhere between `100 and `600, depending on how much it needs to be fixed.
Address: 1775, Main Road, Lal Kuan, Chawri Bazaar. Phone: 9810125493
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> The Sunday Standard / by SS / April 12th, 2015
The Aligarh Muslim University Alumni Group formed by female community of this iconic citadel of modern education, known as Beauties of AMU held its Mumbai Meet towards the Sir Syed Day celebrations on 13th October at Hotel Marine Plaza, Mumbai.
Noted philanthropist, business giant and AMU alumni, Raees Ahmad, MD, Rassaz Group was the Guest of Honour at the event. Faridoon Shehryar, a well known Bollywood journalist was among the AMU stars which illuminated the galaxy of AMU achievers at the event. Faraz Haider, director of War Chhod Na Yaar fame attended the meet in capacity of another AMU stars while famous lyricist Arafat Mehmood stole the show with his magical spell of beautiful words in perfect sync with the event.
The event saw a huge turnout including personalities from all walks of life who build up the social circuit of Mumbai.
Sir Syed lived briefly in the city which now boasts of being the financial capital of India, hence it is imperative to take the message to this very city which had alumni association focussing on male alumni.
Since it couldn’t offer much space to the female alumni based in the city for the nostalgic networking over chai. Beauties of AMU took the plunge and brought them all on the same page, allowing them their own space for discussing and dealing with issues of societal concerns.
At the event Mrs Farrukh Sayyeda highlighted the importance of space for women. She said it’s good to be ‘Mrs Somebody’ but anything that gives you self identity is rather more important and brings self-satisfaction. This identity is not necessarily connected to financial income, added Mrs Farrukh (former principal).
Extending the thoughts, Mr Rais Ahmed (Guest of Honor) talked about the role of Sir Syed in Women Empowerment.
Mumbai is more popularly known for the Indian film industry which has considerable contribution from Aligarh, such as Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, Saeed Jafri, Javed Akhtar, Surekha Sikri, Naseeruddin Shah, Dilip Tahil and to name recent additions, there are Anubhav Sinha, Faraz Haider, Faridoon Sheheryaar and Arafat Mehmood.
Alumni of AMU are front runners in every industry in every corner of the country and the world as well, whether it is Frank Islam of USA, who was the member of Barack Obama’s contingent to deliberate with Muslim world, being a key figure in the economy of USA or the pharma giant Cipla’s founder Khalid Hameed, who has served humanity in Africa so well that nobody would ever find an example like it.
Aligarh has come out of its cocoon with the first and second generations and prepares its next generations following the footsteps of Ismat Chugtai and Qurratulain Haider.
Beauties of AMU is playing the catalyst in this inferno which would reassure the paying back to the great institution of Aligarh, which has contributed largely for the cause of nation building.
Felicitation for AMU Achievers in Bollywood
Faridoon Shahryar- An award winning journalist and known face as an anchor for popular chat show Talking Film, Mr Faridoon was felicitated for his achievements. He participated in event with exuded fervor reminiscing his AMU days with a mention of jumping walls and taste of fritters
Mehmood Arafat- Inspired by his father who is a well known trade unionist, political figure, writer and a popular poet of west Bengal, Mr Arafat is a popular Bollywood Lyricist. His famous work includes songs from Loveyatri, Half Girlfriend, Heartless, Housefull 3, Welcome Back, Sarabjit, Kis kis ko pyar Karen, Machine, Jalebi etc. Mehmood Arafat relived the AMU days by reciting a poem filled with complete nostalgia of AMU, Abdullah Hall, Shamshad Market , Kennedy Hall
Faraz Haider is a well known director of war na chod yaar and Nanu ki Jaanu movie fame attended the event and filled the vibes with laughter and fun by recalling an incident where he got a chance to visit Abdullah Hall
Beauties of AMU(BOA) is a social welfare organization formed by female alumni of Aligarh Muslim University that functions to spread awareness about education and empowerment of women of all sections of society.
Started off as a Facebook group in 2017, by Iram Raza, a graduate of Department of Mass Communication, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, this group has done meets in 3 cities (New Delhi, Lucknow, Aligarh) so far and the Mumbai Meet Up towards Sir Syed Day was a part of the reunion initiative of the group in the time span of 1 year.
The organization now plans to hold similar events in other parts of country for reuniting the female alumni of the university living in those cities, spreading out the message of goodness and universality.
BOA has been organizing meet-ups in different cities of India for the female alumni who haven’t been included in the old boys associations, providing them a platform to meet and greet and share happiness and nostalgia of their days at Aligarh furthering the reunions to social causes.
BOA has been instrumental in organising several events that contributed well to the cause of social welfare in general and AMU alumni in particular, that makes it stand apart from other alumni associations concerned with AMU.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Exclusive Reports> Indian Muslim / by Faisal Hasan / October 18th, 202
India’s media innovator Farhat Khan joins global film powerhouse IIFSA as fellow and Astar award council member. Here is the report:
As the global film industry increasingly embraces innovation at the intersection of art, science, and education, an Indian academic has been named to one of its most distinguished international institutions. Prof. Farhat Basir Khan has been elected a Fellow of the International Institute of Film Science and Art (IIFSA) and appointed to its Astar Award Council, becoming the first Indian to hold both positions.
The dual appointment represents a significant moment for India’s academic and cinematic communities. It signals the growing international recognition of India’s contributions to the evolving landscape of film theory, media education, and technological storytelling. As IIFSA prepares to host its inaugural Astar Awards in Bangkok on August 27, and expands its global academic alliances across Europe, North America, and Asia, Khan’s appointment places an Indian voice at the core of international decision-making on the future of screen culture.
The role is more than symbolic. The Astar Council will shape the vision and execution of one of the most anticipated new global awards in film and media innovation. The ceremony will convene leaders from across creative, academic, and technological fields, recognising those redefining what it means to tell stories in the digital age.
Based in New York City, IIFSA is a globally respected think tank advancing the integration of cinematic art with scientific and technological exploration. Its current roster of Fellows includes some of the most influential figures in the field: Demetri Terzopoulos, Oscar Technical Award winner and a pioneer in visual computing; Prof. Patricia Pisters, a leading theorist on neuro-cinema; and George Huang, the UCLA professor whose screenwriting work has shaped Hollywood’s narrative landscape. IIFSA’s initiatives range from academic research and policy reports to cross-continental educational reforms and interdisciplinary artistic collaborations.
Prof Farhat Khan’s journey to this global stage is built on decades of educational innovation. He was instrumental in developing the academic and technical foundation of the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre at Jamia Millia Islamia, now considered among the premier media schools in Asia. Farhat Khan portfolio includes the creation or restructuring of over 24 academic programmes, the establishment of 12 media production labs across Indian institutions, and the launch of the Department of Design and Innovation in 2021 , an interdisciplinary space focused on storytelling, technology, and civic engagement.
Currently heading the Centre for Media and Mass Communication Studies at Jamia Hamdard, Farhat Khan continues to influence media education with an emphasis on accessibility, innovation, and purpose-driven communication. His work extends far beyond the classroom: initiatives like Photos4Peace, ChitthiAayi Hai, and Votography have used visual storytelling as tools for public awareness, democratic participation, and social change.
Farhat Khan also led the Indian student team that won the country’s first Sony World Photography Award (Student Focus category) at Cannes in 2009, competing against teams from around the globe, a milestone still regarded as a turning point in India’s international visual arts recognition.
Farhat Khan election to IIFSA’s Fellowship and Council reflects the organisation’s emphasis on inclusive, global, and interdisciplinary leadership. As IIFSA seeks to shape the next era of cinematic practice and education, perspectives from emerging and underrepresented regions are being brought to the centre of the conversation ,and Khan’s presence plays a key role in that realignment.
Far from being a personal accolade alone, this appointment points to a broader shift: the recognition of India not only as a consumer or producer of cinema, but as a thought leader in how visual narratives will be conceived, taught, and experienced in the years to come.
source: http://www.theokhlatimes.com / The Okhla Times / Home> JMI-Edu / by The Okhla Times / August 08th, 2025
While media spotlight often shines on celebrities and politicians, the real engine of India’s progress runs on the resolve of countless unsung heroes who, away from limelight, quietly transform society.
From national defense to grassroots education, sports, science, and civil service, these individuals from Uttar Pradesh show how courage, compassion, and conviction can drive extraordinary change. Here are 10 such trailblazers whose stories deserve to be heard:
Captain Sariya Abbasi: A Woman in Uniform on the Frontlines
Hailing from a small city of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Captain Sayria Abbasi broke every convention to join the Indian Army. A graduate in Genetic Engineering and with plenty of job offers and career opportunities from big companies was not enough for her to pursue in life. The call of service for the motherland was too strong to be sacrificed.
The world noticed her as a soldier deployed at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India-China temporary border, manning an Air Gun. Today, Sariya leads drone-killer teams and operates L-70 anti-aircraft guns on the border. Her journey from an academic achiever to a defender of the nation’s borders is not just about military precision; it’s about shattering glass ceilings and reshaping how India imagines women in uniform.
Dr. Faiyaz Ahmad Fyzie: Voice for the Voiceless Pasmanda Community
Dr. Faiyaz Ahmad Fyzie, an AYUSH physician, is more than a healer—he is a public intellectual, columnist, translator, and relentless advocate for the Pasmanda (socially backward) Muslim community. Raised in modest conditions, his rise to national recognition is built on fearless writing and tireless grassroots work.
When even the Prime Minister refers to Pasmanda voices, Fyzie’s years of advocacy resonate. His pen continues to empower those whose struggles were long silenced. His work is a call to conscience—and a roadmap for inclusive discourse.
Mohammad Luqman Ali: Wrestling His Way to Glory and Degree
Wrestler Mohammad Luqman Ali, a student of Social Work at Jamia Millia Islamia, is balancing body and brain. Born in Amroha’s tiny village of Mohraka Patti, his father worked on the railways, and his mother gave him religious grounding. Despite limited resources, Luqman’s grit has earned him recognition in India’s wrestling circles.
From the mat to the classroom, his dual commitment shows that excellence doesn’t require compromise. It requires discipline, heart—and a family’s belief in you.
Rubina Rashid Ali: Reviving Mughal-Era Art with a Modern Mission
In a sun-drenched corner of Aligarh, Rubina Rashid Ali has quietly built a movement. Her work in floral appliqué embroidery, a legacy of Mughal art, now supports dozens of women in Aligarh and Rampur. What was once an undervalued craft monopolized by middlemen has been transformed by Rubina into a vehicle for women’s economic empowerment.
Her home resonates not only with the sound of needles and threads but also with the hum of independence. “Real artists were reduced to laborers,” she says. Today, she ensures their hands are not just working — but also earning.
Babban Mian: A Gaushala Keeper Inspired by His Mother’s Love
At Madhu Sudan Gaushalla in Bulandshahr, Babban Mian tends to cows not out of ritual, but reverence — inspired by his late mother Hamidunnisa Begum. “She loved cows like her own children,” he recalls. After she passed away in 2015, Babban vowed to preserve her legacy.
Despite being a Muslim in a Hindu-dominated tradition, he runs a government-recognized shelter rooted in compassion, not controversy. For him, animal welfare is a universal value — not a communal issue. His work quietly redefines what shared culture and interfaith harmony look like.
Khushboo Mirza: From Amroha to the Moon with ISRO
Khushboo Mirza, scientist at ISRO and part of the Chandrayaan-1 and Chandrayaan-2 missions, is a stellar example of perseverance. After her father’s death when she was just seven, her mother raised three children alone, running a petrol pump and defying social norms.
Khushboo earned a Gold Medal in Electronics Engineering from AMU and was the youngest member of the Chandrayaan-1 checkout team. A practicing Muslim and a symbol of India’s scientific aspirations, she turned down corporate offers to reach for the stars—and took a whole generation of girls with her.
Zaheer Farooqui: A People’s Leader with a Vision for Purkazi
In western UP’s Purkazi, Zaheer Farooqui is rewriting what local leadership means. As Nagar Panchayat Chairperson, he donated land worth ₹1.5 crore for the area’s first Intermediate College and modernized local schools into PM Shri-certified institutions.
His initiatives go beyond classrooms. From India’s first double-storey government-run cow shelter to a gym for Muslim women, and one of the most sophisticated rural CCTV networks in the region — Farooqui’s governance is a blend of tradition and tech, equity and empowerment. His Tiranga Yatra revives local history, reminding citizens that patriotism is inclusive and action-oriented.
Dr. Farah Usmani: From AMU to Global Health Leadership
On a cold morning in New York, Dr. Farah Usmani stood outside an apartment, a folder in hand, her eyes bright with resolve. The daughter of Uttar Pradesh, she is today a formidable presence in global health policy.
n M.D. in Obstetrics & Gynecology from AMU, Farah sought impact beyond hospital walls. Armed with a Master’s in Health Policy from LSE and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, she’s led transformative health initiatives around the world. Her journey is one of intellect guided by idealism — a doctor who chose not just to heal individuals but to reform systems.
Anjum Ara: Bridging Communities Through Compassionate Policing
Hailing from Azamgarh’s Kamharia village, Anjum Ara, a 2012-batch IPS officer, has redefined the image of policing with a human touch. A computer engineer by training, her journey from Integral University to Senior Superintendent of Police in Shimla has been marked by integrity and reform. Known for her work in cybercrime and her community-focused policing model, Anjum is also a fierce advocate for girls’ education.
Together with her husband, IAS officer Yunus Khan, Anjum adopted the cause of Khushdeep, the daughter of a martyred soldier, pledging to support her upbringing. This act of empathy mirrors her professional ethos, proactive, principled, and deeply people-centered.
Mumtaz Khan: From Vegetable Stall to World Hockey Stage
From the bustling alleys of Lucknow’s Cantt area to the turf fields of South Africa, Mumtaz Khan’s journey is pure grit. Once helping her father at a vegetable stall, a single race at school changed her life when Coach Neelam Siddiqui noticed her speed. That moment set her on a course to become a leading forward in India’s Junior Women’s Hockey Team.
Her standout performance at the 2018 Youth Olympics, where she scored 10 goals, earned her national acclaim. Yet, Mumtaz remains rooted, balancing hope and humility as she eyes the Olympics. She is proof that dreams born in dusty streets can blaze across international arenas.
These ten changemakers hail from Uttar Pradesh, from narrow village lanes to bustling metros, from battlefields to laboratories. But they are united by one thing: quiet, relentless courage. In their lives, we find the India that persists, uplifts, and transforms—not with headlines, but with hard work.
Bakhtiyar Ibrahim Tangsal, a senior English journalist, social worker and an Urdu poet from Solapur district passed away on Tuesday at the age of 54. Tangsal was suffering from a kidney disease for the last four years.
Tangsal forayed into the field of Journalism in late 90s, when the number of Muslims in the field of journalism, especially the ones educated in Urdu-medium schools, was extremely low.
Tangsal broke many barriers by joining Indian Express and proved himself in a very short time and started emerging as an outstanding journalist of the district. He also worked with Navbharat Times and Financial Express.
Tangsal was also a well-known Urdu poet and in 2013, when he was suffering extensively, he started publishing Urdu Daily ‘ Solapur Milaap’. Although he was running it successfully, his health and dialysis process couldn’t allow him to run it further. He always wanted muslims youth to choose journalism as a career or at least do it as part time job or hobby. In 1996 he started free journalism classes to train 20 youths to become journalists. Unfortunately, only two students: Ziyauddin Momin and Imran Inamdar remained in touch with him till his last breath.
He was equally popular in other community people and journalist community too.Today’s strong NGO of reporters ,Solapur dist shramik Patrakar Sangh.(Working journalist association) is the result of his efforts . He was the founder president of the same.
Mahmud Nawaz, a young teacher and a social worker, said it was a huge loss for the community. “He was not only a good journalist, but a great social worker too. He promoted young talents, providing them with all kinds of assistance. His role during 2002 riots and establishing relief committee was really remarkable,” said Nawaz.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim> Youth / by Imran Inamdar, TwoCircles.net / October 07th, 2016
In recent times, the country’s past has become an extremely polarising point for its citizens. Many people have been brainwashed to believe that the advent of Islam in India and the subsequent period of Muslim rule across major parts of India was a period of dark ages.
However, it is also no secret that many scholars have convincingly argued otherwise, and now a Solapur-based Research Centre is doing the same. Named after pioneering activist Advocate Sayed Shah Gaziuddin, the centre is publishing books in Marathi and Urdu languages to help people understand and value the secular fabric of the nation.
The inspiration for this works comes from the life and works of Advocate Sayed Shah Gaziuddin, who strongly believed in social binding and communal harmony and always wanted Muslims to be aware of the social conditions of India.
Through his Urdu books, he introduced life and work of many social reformers, including Jyoti Ba Phule, Shahu Maharaj, Dr. B.r Ambedkar and Chhatrapati Shivaji. Dr. Ambedkar Hayat aur Karname ( Life and work of Dr Ambedkar) and Urdu translation of Govind Pansare’s Marathi Book “Shivaji Kon Hota” ( Who was Shivaji) are masterpieces of his literary work.
After Adv. Gaziuddin passed away in January 2014 at the age of 79, some of his like-minded friends decided to establish a research centre to continue his vision and mission. In January 2015, the centre came into existence and started extending its literary services. Taking a cue from the works of Gaziuddin, his friends also started working on similar projects.
Sarfaraz Ahmed’s Marathi book on Tipu Sultan became popular in a very short time, with the book selling over 10,000 copies in a year. The fourth edition of the book is now ready to hit the market. Apart from a book on Tipu Sultan, Ahmed has also written Marathi books on Haider Ali, scholars of Medieval India.
Also, Prem Hanvate’s “ Shivranche Muslim Sainik” ( Muslim soldiers of Shivaji ) was translated into Urdu by Sayed Wayez, the English book of Sayed Dawood “The Administration of the Deccan during Aurangzeb” has been translated into Urdu by Sayed Ismail.
In total, ten books have been published till now and work on some more books are in full swing, with ten young people also volunteering with the centre.
Talking about the centre, Vice president of the centre Ram Gaikwad said, “Late Adv. Gaziuddin was a dedicated progressive activist he has done a superlative job of bringing out the real history of social reformers of the majority community. His History research helps us in spreading brotherhood among Marathas and Muslims.
For the last ten years, I am also a part of his historical research panel and fortunately got an opportunity to continue this social work under his name.”
According to founder member and young historian Sarfaraz Ahmed identity of each and every community is based on its iconic personalities and social character is based on its history. “We carry out publication work by collecting donations from members. All the members from across Maharashtra are volunteers and they are all the under 30.
I must thank Sayed Ismail (Osmanabad) Sahil Shaikh (Sangli) Asif Mujawar (Latur), Kaleem Azeem (Pune) Prof. Mujeeb Kazi (Ambajogai) our President Samiullah Sheikh, Secretary Adv. Mahboob Kotimbre, Vice President Ram Gaikwad, Sayed Shah Wayez and our advisors B.G Kolse Patil, Shrimant Kokate, Sayed Iftikhar and M.I sheikh for their contributions.”
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim> Lead Story / by Imran Inamdar, TwoCircles.net / August 13th, 2018
Valanchery Munnakkal (Malappuram District), KERALA /Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :
Dr Munawar Hanih, an ICSSR post-doctoral researcher under the mentorship of Professor T.N. Satheesan, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Aligarh Muslim University, has been selected for the 2023 Mahakavi Moinkutty Vaidyar Mappila Kala Akademi Literary Award
Aligarh:
Dr Munawar Hanih, an ICSSR post-doctoral researcher under the mentorship of Professor T.N. Satheesan, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Aligarh Muslim University, has been selected for the 2023 Mahakavi Moinkutty Vaidyar Mappila Kala Akademi Literary Award, instituted by the Mahakavi Moinkutty Vaidyar Smarakam under the Department of Culture, Government of Kerala.
He is being honoured for his scholarly work Malayala Sufi Kavitha, a significant contribution to the study of Mappila literature and arts.
The award will be presented at a ceremony in September 2025.
Dr Hanih holds an MA and PhD in Malayalam from AMU’s Department of Modern Indian Languages and has served as Assistant Professor of Malayalam at Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, Kerala.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation> Awards / by Radiance News Bureau / August 14th, 2025
How a series of breakfast conversations grew into an exhibition and a book.
On some mornings, Diba Siddiqi would sit down at the breakfast table in her parents’ home in Bengaluru, and record her father’s voice.
He would hold forth on everything under the sun – science, history, justice, conflict, photography, politics, poetry, philosophy, the evolution of language and silence. The musings continued well after the meal was over and an Olympus digital voice recorder Diba Siddiqi had placed nearby would capture her father’s thoughts.
The sheer range of topics wasn’t surprising. Obaid Siddiqi was one of India’s most eminent scientists whose pioneering work in the field of molecular biology and neurogenetics are well known.
Siddiqi was keen to have an account of her father’s stories in his own voice so that she could revisit them later. She had tried taking notes, but found the process distracting. She started using the digital recorder so that she could give him his full attention.
But the recordings, which started in 2007, ended in 2013 when the senior Siddiqi was killed in an accident while taking a stroll near his home. He was 81.
Immersed in history
Months later, Diba Siddiqi finally revisited the “breakfast monologues” as she called them.
She immersed herself in the stories her father had shared of growing up in eastern Uttar Pradesh in pre-Partition India and the sadness at how the Siddiqis lost track of family members who moved to Pakistan.
It wasn’t long before Siddiqi began to dig through old family photographs, many of them developed in darkrooms by her father and his siblings.
It didn’t stop at that. Diba Siddiqi’s mother, Asiya, is a distinguished historian, who has spent a large part of her life studying Mumbai’s past. Siddiqi began to delve into her mother’s life too.
The result is Rooh: The Enduring Spirit, an exhibition of old family photographs interspersed with new images Diba Siddiqi has taken of places that played an important part in her parents’ lives. A book of the same name is set to be released shortly.
Dominating figure
It’s obvious that Obaid Siddiqi was an overarching presence for his daughter. “My father was this colossal figure in my life,” said Siddiqi. “No language is adequate to express his continuing presence in my life. I still find myself quietly and unconsciously carrying on conversations with him.”
Born in Basti, Uttar Pradesh, in 1932, Obaid Siddiqi completed an MSc from Aligarh University before obtaining a doctorate from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. His family lived in Benares in two spells between 1932 and 1948 before finally settling down in Aligarh.
Preventive detention
The includes an account of the two years Obaid Siddiqi spent in jail from 1949 under preventive measures at a time when 30,000 communists were detained across country. Recalling his period of detention in the company of 13 Communist leaders, he said:
“So you see jail authorities, they used the criminals, who were called pukkas, to beat us up. They were prisoners who had served ten years, fifteen years, had life imprisonment… They acted like small unofficial wardens to control other prisoners. They were dressed to look like police. They beat up our friend Syed Ali badly, giving him galis, saying, ‘Pakistan se saala Pakistani Communist banta hai!’
However, Obaid Siddiqi could also recognise the benevolent side of the police officer who had beaten up the comrades, realising that human nature can never be categorised as entirely good or bad.
His parents and six siblings managed to send him letters during his imprisonment. His sisters arranged to smuggle letters in and out of jail while delivering home-cooked food to him once a week.
In 2014, Siddiqi visited Benares, where her father spent some time as a child. Waking at the crack of dawn every day, she walked around the ancient city, photographing the people and its streets.
Mumbai chronicler
Siddiqi also took many pictures in Mumbai, a city whose past her mother has written about extensively. One of Asiya Siddiqi’s celebrated works recreates the lives of people who went bankrupt in the 19th century. Roaming the bylanes of Mohammad Ali road and Dongri, in Mumbai, Siddiqui imagined that the ghosts of these people “and their descendants surely dwell in the neighbourhood I roamed in… The descendants of tailors, carpenters, blacksmiths, milk vendors, courtesans, dancing girls and prostitutes may continue to live and work here.”
Though the project is intensely personal, she believes it has broad appeal. She said she hoped viewers would let her work touch their mind and spirit and perhaps remind them of their own histories. “It is an expression of life that I have been a part of,” she said. “It has been about finding a voice in the images and bringing it together in one space.”
Rooh: The Enduring Spirit can be viewed at Bangalore’s 1 Shanthi Road gallery until February 11.
source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Photo Feature / by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri / February 09th, 2016
Radiulla Khan, Organising Secretary of Mysuru District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, being presented with ‘Karnataka Kala Ratna’ State Award during the workshop on ‘Labour Rights’ organised by Karmikara Hakkugala Seva Samiti at Rotary Hall on JLB Road in city recently.
The award was presented to Radiulla Khan in recognition for his works in multilingual films especially in Kannada language as a junior artiste.
M.S. Naveen, Chief Legal Aid Guardian, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), V. Vinay Kumar from Employees State Insurance Corporation, industrialists and social workers M. Lalita Rao, Shubh Krupesh, V. Ramamurthy and Prashanth P. Aask, Actor-director Mahesh K.H. Belur, journalist Kasthurichandru and others were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Photo News (headline edited) / July 26th, 2025
