Category Archives: Community Involvement / Social Issues

Playing with Pride

KERALA / Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

This new card game created by two Bengaluru-based women, who hail from Kerala, celebrates Malayali culture, Mollywood and more.

The game needs at least four players and can be played by anyone aged 18 and above

Bengaluru :

You may take a Malayali out of Kerala but you can’t take the love for Malayalam pop culture out of a Malayali. Or so it seems from this new game developed by two Bengaluru- based women who hail from God’s own country. Called Malayali Aano, the new game by Sona Zainab Harris and Rose Mary Jacob is a cardbased game that draws heavily from Malayali pop culture, popular phrases, movie characters, food, stereotypes and other such trivia.

Those who have played the popular party game Cards Against Humanity need no introduction to the rules of Malayali Aano, whose tagline is: ‘A party game for devil’s own people’. It consists of 500 cards, of which 100 have questions on them while 400 have statements, movie dialogues, or phrases that could work as an answer. One player picks a question card, others throw the quirkiest answers from the 10 they possess into a pile. The player that poses the question reads out each question- answer pair, laughter ensues and the most creative or whackiest answer wins.

A minimum of four players is mandatory, with more being merrily encouraged. “Each statement in the answer card is iconic in its own way but when set to the context of another question, it can incite a laughter riot. Since we’ve picked out trivia from the 1980s to now, the nostalgia factor is high as well.

Any player aged between 18 and 45 will find something to remind them of their childhood, adolescence, first romance, parental relations or their connection to Kerala,” says Harris, the founder and creative director of Backflip Design Studio. But it is not just fun and games.

It also helps bring up important conversations. “When you hear certain dialogues – for example, ‘You are just a woman’ from the film The King – you don’t think much in the context of the plot. But isolating such things and using it in the game makes people see that it could be problematic too. Humour can help break barriers with topics like sexism, classism, misogyny, etc,” says Jacob, who is also the founder and curator of the popup My Cup of Tea.

The two women took a month to develop the content of the game. It makes use of, what Jacob and Harris refer to as, a “Manglish” script. There is also a leaflet with a QR code that can be scanned to understand the translation and reference of the answer cards. The game is meant for those aged 18 and above, with some players even finding it to be an effective ice breaker with their parents.

“One player told us he never thought he would talk to his father about the topics included in the game. But they had a good laugh about it, so it can help different generations bond better too,” says Harris.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Simran Ahuja / December 29th, 2020

In Kalaburagi, where India recorded its first Covid death: ‘Inshallah, a new life is set to join us… Pray all can be with families’

Kalaburagi, KARNATAKA :

Hamid Faisal Siddiqui, 49, has taken over as qazi of the mosque after his father’s demise and says they have started to put the dark days behind them.

Hamid recieves his father Muhammad Husain Siddiqui at Hyderabad airport in March, 2020.

Hamid Faisal Siddiqui, 49, still breaks down talking about the death of his father on March 10, becoming India’s first casualty linked to Covid-19, especially because of what followed. “I wish and pray every day that none in this world, not even my enemies, is put through the situation my family had to face. Amidst the grief, we battled blame.”

Muhammad Husain Siddiqui, 76, an Islamic scholar who was the qazi of the biggest mosque in Kalaburagi, had gone for a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, followed by a month-long stay with his younger son, a dentist, in Jeddah. On his return on March 6, Hamid recalls, his father was fine. However, by the next night, he had begun feeling unwell. With his fever and cough worsening, the family took him to a hospital in the town on March 9. After 12 hours of observation, he was referred to a private super-specialty hospital in Hyderabad. He was being taken by road in an ambulance to be tested for the coronavirus  when he died.

Muhammad Husain Siddiqui at Saudi Arabia pilgrimage.

Still, the joint family never suspected Covid, as the pandemic  was till then no more than a curiosity, happening in faraway China. It was after Siddiqui passed away that the doctors told the family he had died of the coronavirus. Later, Siddiqui’s 45-year-old daughter and the family doctor also tested positive, but recovered.

“People were scared to meet us, some turned away on seeing us. Such was the stigma attached to the pandemic. Very few visited us to even offer solace,” Hamid, who has eight siblings, sobs.

While the dark days that followed seemed endless, Hamid says they have started to put them behind. As elder son, he has taken over as qazi of the mosque. What helped was the family’s decision to take on their Covid status head-on. “We encouraged others to wear a mask and follow all social distancing norms, saying this was the best way to survive this turbulent period.”

A few days from now, the Siddiquis hope to finally and firmly put the shadow of 2020 behind. “Inshallah, we will be blessed with a new life by the early half of the new year,” Hamid says, adding, “Our solemn request to the Almighty continues to be that the entire world moves out of this phase to become a happy place for all. People should soon get a chance to be with their loved ones whenever and wherever they wish to be.”

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bangalore / by Ralph Alex Arakal / Bengaluru – January 01st, 2021

Renowned Islamic thinker and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind ideologue Dr. Muhammad Rafat passes away

Khurja (Bulandshahr District) UTTAR PRADESH / NEW DELHI :

New Delhi:

Islamic scholar, prolific writer and senior ideologue of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH), Dr Muhammad Rafat, who recently retired as a professor from Jamia Millia Islamia has passed away on Friday evening at the Al-Shifa Hospital, New Delhi.

He was 65 years of old and is survived by three sons, two daughters and his widow. His widow-Nusrat-is the daughter of former President of the JIH and a well-known Islamic scholar, Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari.

In the presence of hundreds of mourners, he was laid to rest today  at the graveyard in Shaheen Bagh area. His funeral prayer was be held on Saturday evening here at the JIH Markaz mosque (Masjid Ishat-e-Islam).

Expressing condolences over his death, JIH President Syed Sadatullah Husaini said: “The demise of Dr Rafat is a great loss for the Muslim Ummah, the Islamic Movement and the entire country. He was a leading intellectual, tremendous leader, firm ideologue and a benevolent mentor. He was an erudite scholar of Islam and a prolific writer. He was blessed among many qualities with a razor sharp memory and an unmatched ability to give speeches on a myriad of topics without any notes in such a coherent manner that it would appear as if he is reading a written essay. He led an extremely simple life and had a very pleasant disposition. He was a teacher of theoretical physics. This subject of science has a deep connection with philosophy, so he made a direct study of philosophy and important ideas of science from its original sources. As one of the foremost ideologues of Jamaat, he always upheld and acted on the basic and core principles of Islam. May Allah forgive his sins and grant him the highest Paradise.”

A native of Khurja in Bulandshahr district of the Western UP, Dr. Rafat did his MSc in Physics from the Aligarh Muslim University in 1976 and PhD from IIT-Kanpur. He joined Jamia Millia Islamia in 1985, one year after receiving his PhD degree. He retired as Professor- Department of Applied Sciences and Humanities from the Jamia Millia on July 31, 2020.

Dr. Rafat, who was associated with the Islamic movement ever since his student days, was a member of the Central Advisory Council, the highest decision-making body of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind from 1999 till his death. He wrote more than 15 books on various subjects in Urdu and English languages.

Besides being director of the Centre for Study and Research (CSR) of JIH, for the last two years, he had also previously worked as chairman of the JIH’s Tasneefi Academy (Authors Academy) and all India secretary of the Jamaat’s Tarbiyah Department (Training Dept.). He also served as the JIH President of Delhi and Haryana from 1995 to 2011. He had also worked as honorary editor of Urdu monthly, Zindagi-e-Nau, an Islamic research magazine, from 2009 to 2019. Besides, he headed several important committees of the JIH for policy-formulation and the creation of new institutions and allied organizations.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Special Correspondent / January 09th, 2021

Student’s innovation wins her family a 2BHK house

Nalgonda District, TELANGANA :

Nalgonda District Collector Prashant Patil meets Bashira.  

KTR also asks authorities to provide better education to her siblings

A Class IX student of Government Girls High School in the town, Sk. Bashira, is not only winning appreciation for her prototype at the Telangana School Innovation Challenge (TSIC-2020) in Hyderabad, but IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao, understanding her family situation, also directed the authorities here to allot a 2BHK house.

Mr. Rama Rao who inspected her prototype – hydraulic lifting wheelchair – had interacted with Bashira and learnt about the family – a father attacked by paralysis, working mother and two other siblings in school.

Officials here said the Minister had phoned District Collector Prashant J Patil and instructed him to initiate the procedure to confirm one unit for the poor Muslim family. On Tuesday, Bashira brought her science model to the Collectorate along with her teacher Poornima, head mistress Pushpalatha and mother Imtiaz, and explained the model to Mr. Patil.

Bashira said her bedridden father Qayyum Basha, who had been a construction worker, was the source of inspiration for her hydraulic lifting wheelchair. Mr. Patil assured the family of a 2BHK unit at Gollaguda, and also said her younger sister Sk. Sameera who is in Class V at the Police Lines School now will be admitted to the Kendriya Vidyalaya in the next academic year. And brother Nagulmeera’s education will also be guided.

Appreciation

Impressed, Mr. Patil also said the young girl will be presented a certificate of appreciation on the Republic Day. Hydraulic lifting wheelchair – developed by Bashira-Jainab-Shameem team of students is currently among the TSIC-2020 top-25 teams. They will be participating in the State-level grand finale soon.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> State> Telangana / by Staff Reporter / Nalgonda – January 05th, 2021

“Barakhamba”, lawyer Nazrul Islam’s autobiography released

Guwahati, ASSAM :

Guwahati :

“Barakhmba And The Journey Ahead, Autobiography” authored by senior lawyer Nazrul Islam was released at an austere but dignified function in Guwahati on Tuesday. The release coincided with the centenary celebration of Modern School, Barakhmba, New Delhi, the alma mater of the author.

The autobiography chronicles the author’s memories of childhood in Assam, schooling in Delhi, two decades of community service mainly through the Rotary International, and three decades and more as a lawyer. Many incidents, many adventures, interactions with clients and interesting cases dealt by Islam form an exhilarating part of the book.

Following a minute of silent invocation at the beginning of the function, the welcome address was delivered by Nazia Islam, executive at Invest India, New Delhi. Delivering his address as the chief guest on the occasion, BP Todi, former Advocate General of Meghalaya, said, “I’m an admirer of Nazrul Islam since the time I got to know him as a lawyer. There is something to learn from everybody, but when it comes too Nazrul Islam, there’s always a lot to learn from him.” He expressed the hope that the book will quest the thirst for knowledge to a great extent. Among others who spoke on the occasion were PK Kedia, former District Governor of Rotary International; BM Choudhury, former Principal, JB Law College Guwahati; and Gitanjali Kalita, advocate, Gauhati High Court.

Following the release of the book, Nazrul Islam, shared his experiences about writing the book. He completed the entire book within a very short time, making the best use of the pandemic situation. He said, “Today there are many lawyers who practise on the TV channels, so I decided let me do it by writing a book!”

The book has been brought out by the North Eastern Justice Baharul Islam Foundation for Law, Justice & Social Welfare (NEJBIF), founded in memory of the author’s late father who was a Member of the Parliament and a Justice at the Supreme Court of India.


The function ended with a vote of thanks offered by Rosida Begum.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com /Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Nurul Islam Laskar / Guwahati – October 22nd, 2020

Durga ‘Bhabhi’ and Maulvi Liaquat to get their due at the Allahabad Museum

Allahabad, UTTAR PRADESH :

₹8 crore project for ‘one of its kind’ Azad Gallery will tell the story of revolutionaries in the Indian freedom movement.

From the spirit of the Ghadarites to the sacrifice of Durga ‘Bhabhi’, a section of historians and the political class feel that the contribution of revolutionaries to the Indian freedom movement has not been well-documented. In a bid to strike a balance, the Allahabad Museum is in the process of creating a “one of its kind” Azad Gallery, where the story of the revolutionary struggle of the Indian freedom movement would be told through artefacts and interactive displays.

Named after Chandra Shekhar Azad, who attained martyrdom at about 300 metres from the museum, the gallery is expected to be complete by July 23, 2021, the 115th birth anniversary of the revolutionary.

Backed by the Ministry of Culture and the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), the infrastructure for the “multi-pronged project is being developed with a budget of around ₹8 crore in 7,500 sq. ft. of space where the revolutionary struggle will be specially depicted, starting with 1857’s First War of Independence to the Azad Hind Fauj,” said Sunil Gupta, Director in-charge of the museum.

Dr. Gupta, who has spent three decades at the museum in different capacities, said the story of this struggle had not been comprehensively told through curatorial display and was being done for the first time by the Allahabad Museum.

Promising a “world-class experience”, Dr. Gupta said the infrastructure would be ready by January and the NCSM would then take over to implement the design.

One of the highlights of the museum has been the .32 caliber Colt pistol which belonged to Azad. It is showcased in a bulletproof case and is guarded by U.P. police personnel. “As per our records, the pistol is said to have been received from John Knott Bower, the police officer who led the encounter against Azad,” said Dr. Gupta.

One of the highlights of the museum has been the .32 caliber Colt pistol which belonged to Chandra Shekhar Azad. It is showcased in a bulletproof case and is guarded by U.P. police personnel.   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

On the theory that although the Colt could have belonged to Azad, it was a Mauser he used during the shoot out, Dr. Gupta said the records of Azad’s associates were being looked into. “Revolutionary Manmath Nath Gupta, in his book They Lived Dangerously, has recounted an incident in which a Mauser pistol owned by Azad went off accidentally. Gupta [the author] also recounted that Azad was also loading other pistols and revolvers that he had with him,” Dr. Gupta said.

Dr. Gupta recalled Durga (Devi Vohra) ‘Bhabhi’, who assumed the identity of Bhagat Singh’s wife to help him escape from Lahore after Saunders’ assassination, grew up in Kaushambi near Allahabad before being married to revolutionary Bhagwati Charan Vohra. “She was no less than Bhagat Singh. A day after Bhagat Singh and his associates were sentenced to death, she fired at a British police officer and his wife from a moving car in Bombay,” he said.

Dr. Gupta argued it was not that she was not celebrated at all but that she was never made an icon. “She almost remained incognito till she died in 1999. She ran a small school in Lucknow and we are in the process of acquiring documents related to her,” he said.

Liaquat Ali   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The museum also has a kurtapyjama and sword of Maulvi Liaquat Ali, who was the leader of revolutionaries in 1857 in Allahabad. “Under him, Allahabad was liberated for at least 10-15 days. His headquarters was the historic Khusro Bagh, where he unfurled the flag of the Mughal emperor,” recounted Dr. Gupta.

In the arms and armoury gallery of the museum, there is a submachine gun of the First World War, “the kind which would have been used by Ghadar revolutionaries in 1915 had the rebellion not been thwarted because of international conspiracies,” Dr. Gupta said.

There are a number of welcome addresses as well which were “gifted to Pandit Nehru when he visited Singapore, Malaya and Burma in 1937-38 before the Second World War. They were given by Indian-origin merchants, who a few years later funded the INA (Indian National Army),” said Dr. Gupta.

There is also an original letter by Vishnu Sharan Dublish, an accused in the Kakori case.

World over, Dr. Gupta said, artefacts are backed by virtual experiences. “It excites children and helps fill the gaps in the narrative. Seven short films made by the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute will be on show,” he said.

On the ideological slant of the gallery, Dr Gupta said, “We already have galleries devoted to Gandhi and Nehru. As a student of history, I could say the revolutionaries have been horribly sidelined and in some cases, such as Durga ‘Bhabhi’, I would say it was consciously done. However, we were clear the museum is not just about the freedom struggle and have not parted with the [museum’s] Central Hall. We are located in the middle of the Gangetic civilisation and our sculpture collection is amazing. We are sending six-seven of them [sculptures] for an exhibition in the Metropolitan Museum, London.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National / by Anuj Kumar / Prayagraj – January 03rd, 2021

Syud Hossain: A forgotten ambassador brought back to life

Cairo, EGYPT :

New Delhi:

Among the multitudes of tombs in the City of the Dead in Cairo, there lies buried a lone Indian — an eminent scholar, writer, debonair statesman and a leader of the Indian freedom movement. Who is he? How did he get there? For a man who used both the lectern and the pen to devastating effect in the cause of the Indian Independence movement led by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru, very little is known of Syud Hossain.

Born to an aristocratic family in Calcutta, he started a career in journalism early in life and became the editor of Motilal Nehru’s nationalist newspaper, “The Independent”. After a brief elopement with Nehru’s sister, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Hossain, under immense pressure from Motilal Nehru and Gandhi, annulled the marriage and was asked to stay away from the country for a few years. Thus began several years of exile.

Eventually, he landed in the US where he imparted Gandhi’s message far and wide across the country. Gathering a group of Indian freedom fighters around him, he fought for India’s freedom from afar, decrying British oppression and garnering support in the US for his cause. Flitting from one place to another, making homes of hotel rooms, Syud Hossain inspired and irked in equal measure. With every speech he delivered and every editorial he penned, he sent a shiver down the spine of the colonial rulers.

Adding to his formidable list of causes, Hossain also took on the fight for Indian immigrant rights in the US, one that successfully culminated in President Harry Truman signing the Luce-Celler Bill into an Act in 1946. He returned to India to witness the triumph of her Independence, as well as the tragedy of Gandhi’s assassination. He was appointed the first ever Indian ambassador to Egypt, where he died while in service and was laid to rest in Cairo.

“A Forgotten Ambassador in Cairo” (Simon & Schuster) offers an illuminating narrative of Hossain’s life interspersed with historical details that landscapes a vivid political picture of that era. Through primary sources that include Hossain’s private papers, the British Intelligence files, letters of his friends and contemporary newspapers, N.S. Vinodh brilliantly brings to life a man who has been relegated far too long to the shadows of time. Vinodh, is a civil engineering graduate from IIT, Madras, and a M.B.A. from IIM, Lucknow. In a corporate career spanning 25 years, he has held senior positions in corporate real estate with leading multi-national financial services companies such as ANZ Grindlays Bank, HSBC, and Fidelity Investments. He opted for early retirement to start his own boutique real estate company, as well as pursue his passion of travelling and history. He is married to Sheela and they have two sons, both based in the United States. He is based in Bangalore.

IANS

source: http://www.thehawk.in / The Hawk / Home>Lifestyle / by IANS / December 30th, 2020

Disabled Kerala man, ridiculed by rival at campaign, ends up as panchayat president

Thachanattukara Panchayat (Palakkad District), KERALA :

His physical limitations made him a target of ridicule by CPM candidate Shaheer Ali during campaigning.

Salaam

Palakkad : 

Salaam, who is all set to be elected the president of Thachanattukara panchayat in Palakkad on Wednesday, will be a bitter reminder to the LDF that making fun of someone’s disability is never a good idea. Fondly called Salaam master, the IUML candidate who won from ward 11, moves around in crutches. His physical limitations made him a target of ridicule by CPM candidate Shaheer Ali during campaigning.

At ‘kottikalasham’, Ali, who was in the fray from ward 10 of the panchayat, ridiculed Salaam asking, “If there is a marriage in Thachanattukara, can Salaam master help in putting up a pandal? Can he play football?” The insults went on. Ali’s derisive comments spread like wildfire on social media, generating a lot of sympathy and empathy for Salaam, a Malayalam teacher at the Mannarkad DHSS here.

The result: Ward 11, which was won by the LDF candidate in the 2015 local body polls by just one vote, went to Salaam this time by a margin of 315 votes. Adding insult to LDF’s injury, Ali lost to IUML’s Iliyas Kunnumpuram in ward 10 by 127 votes. In the 16-member panchayat, UDF won 11 seats, nine of them won by IUML. LDF won five seats this time.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by A Satish / Express News Service / December 30th, 2020

Noted Scholar, Ex-MP Jamal Khwaja Passes Away

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :

Jamal Khwaja. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

He moved away from politics in 1962 and resumed his academic career at Aligarh Muslim University.

Aligarh (UP): 

Noted scholar Jamal Khwaja, one of the last surviving members of the 2nd Lok Sabha, passed away at the age of 92 after a prolonged illness, according to his family.

Khwaja died on Thursday and his last rites were performed the same night.

He was elected to Lok Sabha from Aligarh in 1957.

He led the Indian cultural delegation to Afghanistan in 1960.

He moved away from politics in 1962 and resumed his academic career at Aligarh Muslim University.

Khwaja joined the department of philosophy at AMU in 1953. He was the Dean of Faculty of Arts at AMU in 1980.

He authored more than a dozen books, including Five Approaches to PhilosophyQuest For Islam and Living the Quran in Our Times.

Khwaja is survived by three sons and a daughter.

source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home / by PTI / December 25th, 2020

Head Constable Iqbal Abdul Rashid Sheikh of Solapur cyber cell wins first place in CCTNS & 0ICJS

Solapur District, MAHARASHTRA :


Solapur (Maharashtra) :

Head Constable   Iqbal Abdul Rashid Sheikh attached to the Solapur district cyber cell has won first place at national level competition onCCTNS-(Crime and criminal tracking network and system) and (ICJS- Interoperable  Criminal Justice system) organized by the National Crime Records Bureau, New Delhi.

A total of 260 police department employees from various Districts across India participated in the competition.

On December 16, Shri Ajay Kumar Bhalla (Central Home Secretary, Government of India) declared the name of Iqbal shaikh and other winners of this cctns/icjs through video conference.

The video conference was attended by Shri J. Kishan Reddy (Minister of Home Affairs), President icjs Agrawal, Delhi Police Commissioner, all senior officers of India.

Speaking with Muslim Mirror Iqbal informed that NCRB organises competition of all the District Cyber cells to know the functioning of the cell and the actual situation of Cyber crimes in their respective areas. He said, total 6 entries had been sent from Maharashtra, among these 6 myself, Police Inspector Pande, Police Naik Kulkarni (Pune) topped this national level competition.

I am working since last 10 years with the Cyber cell. Through my 15 pages Power Point presentation and I tried to explain our functioning and way of working , results etc fortunately which was selected for highest place, he added.

It is notable that Maharashtra Home Minister Shri Anil Deshmukh has congratulated Iqbal and other officers on his Facebook page and expressed happiness over this excellent performance. Director General of police IPS Subodh Kumar have given cash prize of one lakh to HC Iqbal for bringing laurel to Maharashtra police

Police Constable Gajanan Mali says that our colleague Iqbal has made us proud by winning first place for our district at national level competition. It’s his labour ,dedication and sincerity towards duty.

36 years old Iqbal Shaikh had joined police department in 2003 . In 2019 he also won first in Akhil Bhartiye Kartavye Melava (investigation and Observation examination).

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Muslim Mirror / December 24th, 2020