Seventeen police officers from Karnataka have been conferred the President’s Medal for Meritorious Service on the occasion of Independence Day, 2026. | Photo Credit: File Photo
Seventeen police officers from Karnataka have been conferred the President’s Medal for Meritorious Service on the occasion of Independence Day, 2026.
H.N. Dharmendra, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)-rank officer, has been awarded the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service.
Recipients of the President’s Medal for Meritorious Service include Sara Fathima, currently the Superintendent of Police (Railways). Among DSPs, the medal has been awarded to Mahadeva T. and Pramanad P. Ghodake.
Recipients of the medal among inspectors include Nayeem M., Shanmugha Varma K., Bavuddeen Rukmuddeen Gaddekar, and Guru Prasad Gopalnaik. The medal has also been conferred on Thomas Mathew P.M., Commandant, and Sreeinivasa M., Sub-Inspector.
Among constables, the recipients are S.A. Manohara, Maria Joseph Dinesh Kumar F., Nagesh Manchaiah, Abdul Kamal Abdul Hameed, Mahadevaswamy, Chandrashekar G. Chikkannanavar, Abdul Rabbani, and Gyanadev Naval Tarase.
In the Fire Department, the medal has been conferred on Shivakumar Swamy H., Regional Fire Officer, and Basavaraju M., Assistant Fire Station Officer. In the Home Guards Department, the medal has been awarded to Meerasab MaboobSabmulla, Senior Platoon Commander, and Raghavendram, Platoon Commander.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / August 14th, 2026
The software can also locate hospitals and police stations near the last-seen location and provides guidance on what to do if a police complaint hasn’t been filed yet.
Arfath Mohammad / Photo | Express
Bengaluru :
Hyderabad-based Arfath Mohammad was led on the path to develop a software tracking platform when his close friend’s father struggling with dementia went missing from home. Now ReuniteIndia, the software tracking platform developed by Mohammad, has come into news by listing 665 individuals went missing during the Nepal floods and landslide.
It helped in listing those missing, rescued, and safe from official sources like Nepal Police, Nepal’s disaster management authority (NDRRMA), India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and verified family reports.
The platform brings police PDFs, MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) updates, disaster authority bulletins, and scattered social posts, often with different names, dates, and formats together while linking each case back to its original source to help families in trying to find their loved ones.
Mohammad has a Master’s from Wichita State University (USA) and was honoured with a wall dedication at the University’s Rhatigan Student Center for his work in programming and innovation.
The platform not only helps in locating missing persons, but each case page can generate a shareable poster with a real QR code linking back to its live status, so a printed flyer still shows the current status weeks later if someone scans it.
The software can also locate hospitals and police stations near the last-seen location and provides guidance on what to do if a police complaint hasn’t been filed yet.
ReuniteIndia has an AI-assisted layer that helps structure raw information from sources like government bulletins and social posts into clean case records for Arfath to review. Arfath is working on adding an AI chatbot on the resources page to help answer people’s questions directly.
Mohammad says that the ambition is not to be a Nepal flood tracker but to simply be a place any family in India turns to first, for any kind of missing-person case, at any time of year.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / September 13th, 2026
Kuttippuram (Tirur Taluk , Malappuram District), KERALA :
Author Sajida A Zubair with volunteers and members of the Ila Foundation during a discussion at its centre in Kerala.
“We human beings have started living in compartments. Muslims go to the masjid, Hindus go to the temple, Christians visit the church, and Sikhs go to the gurudwara. But where are the spaces for human beings, for all of us to visit simply as human beings?” –Ila Foundation’s Mohammed Najeeb.
Kuttipuram (Kerala) :
Travelling to Kuttipuram in Kerala was not merely a journey I had planned. It was a journey that carried with it a deep sense of emotion and transition. When I boarded the flight to Thiruvananthapuram earlier this month, I was setting out to leave my youngest daughter to follow her own choice of college and take the next step towards her higher education. As a parent, it was a moment filled with conflicting emotions: Pride in watching her move towards her dreams, and a quiet ache in letting her take those steps away from home.
After completing all the formalities and spending some cherished time with friends during the Onam holidays, I set out once again, this time by train. It was my first train journey in 22 years. A small journey in distance, perhaps, but one that felt significant in ways I had not anticipated. I finally reached Kuttipuram, carrying with me a sense of gratitude and anticipation, to meet Mohammed Najeeb Kuttipuram and thank him personally for the remarkable work he has been doing.
Though I went straight to their home from Tirur railway station, I met him only the following morning. I was told that Najeebka is a man who is deeply disciplined when it comes to time. There was no exception to that rule.
That morning, I was not simply meeting Najeebka. I was about to be introduced to a dream he had nurtured with conviction and purpose- the Ila Foundation.
The first question I asked him was perhaps the most natural one: “Why Ila?”
Najeebka, as he is fondly called by those around him, paused for a moment before answering.
“Life is a lesson,” he said. “We spend this journey going to school, finding a job, getting married, raising children, and then focusing on their education and building a house. We spend much of our lives fulfilling these responsibilities. But what’s next? What comes after all these responsibilities are fulfilled? That thought gave me the push to do something beyond these responsibilities.”
Here are excerpts from my conversations with the founder and volunteers of the Ila Foundation, recorded during my visit.
Sajida A Zubair (SAZ): What is Ila?
Najeebka: Ila which means leaf, comes from the fable of the ‘Ant & Leaf.’ Ila is a breathing space We human beings celebrate the first breath of life, and we mourn the last. In between those two moments, we breathe every single day, every single moment, yet we rarely pause to think about those breaths. We take them for granted. Ila is a space that allows us to pause- to breathe, to reflect and simply be. We human beings have started living in compartments. Muslims go to the masjid, Hindus go to the temple, Christians visit the church, and Sikhs go to the gurudwara. But where are the spaces for human beings, for all of us simply as human beings? Ila is that space. It belongs to everyone. That is why Ila has no doors. It is open to everyone. There are no compartments at Ila Foundation that differentiate among human beings.
SAZ: How is Ila’s palliative care initiative different from other such center?
Najeebka: I felt that there was very little change or evolution in the way palliative care was being provided in many centres. Many of them remained where they were when they first began. The focus was largely on medicines, injections, catheter changes and other forms of medical support. But Ila was conceived as something beyond medical care. We wanted to provide emotional support as well, to create a space where people could feel heard, cared for and valued.
SAZ: What makes Ila different from other organisations? What does it mean to be a volunteer at Ila?
Every volunteer who comes here is first made to understand one thing: before anything else, we are human beings. Learning how to be a human being is the first lesson we give to anyone who comes here to contribute. Our volunteers come from different religions, castes, races and creeds. But the understanding that we are human beings first is what brings us together and makes us a family. That is also why Ila does not have the usual hierarchy. We don’t have board members, a president or a secretary. We simply have volunteers. We come together because we believe in the same purpose.
We need to realise that the health we have is one of the greatest blessings we receive in life. The moment we truly understand that, we should feel the responsibility to reach out to those who are struggling with their health. At Ila, we try to see ourselves simply as human beings, and to see the people we care for in the same way.
Ila foundation is not just to care for those who are suffering, but to make all of us a little more human in the process.
SAZ: What is Ila doing to prepare the next generation with this same idea?
Najeebka: One of our important initiatives is the CEEP- Capital Exploration and Enhancement Programme, which begins with children from the eighth standard onwards.
We want to encourage these children to ask themselves some fundamental questions: Who am I? What am I capable of? What do I want to achieve in my life? We train them to discover their strengths, develop a sense of purpose and build a mission for their lives. More importantly, we help them understand how to face and overcome the challenges that life will inevitably bring.
We give special attention to the training of female students as well. So far, 24 training sessions have been conducted. These children will, in another ten years, become part of different sections of society- some may enter politics, some may become professionals, teachers or take up other roles. Wherever they go, Ila hopes they will carry with them the values they have learned here and contribute to a positive and compassionate transformation of society. Our dream is not simply to train children for successful careers. It is to nurture human beings who can make a meaningful difference wherever life takes them.
SAZ: How would you describe your association with the idea behind Ila?
Sulfikhar, Volunteer, Ila Foundation: Najeebka is my childhood friend and an elder brother for me. I have known him for many years. He is a traveller, and during his journeys across North India, particularly through villages, he spent a great deal of time doing social work and reaching out to people in need.
For more than 25 years, these travels became a part of his life. It was through these experiences, and the people he encountered along the way, that the idea of the Ila Foundation gradually took shape.
But Ila is much more than a charity or a place that simply provides assistance. It offers care and compassion to people dealing with health challenges, but its purpose extends beyond those who are unwell.
Ila is also a space for those who are healthy. It’s a place where they can look within themselves and work towards cleansing their inner selves. We all carry our own diseases of the soul- ego, jealousy, anger and many other negative emotions. Ila encourages people to recognise these within themselves and try to overcome them.
That, for me, is what makes Ila different. It is not only about caring for a person’s physical suffering; it is also about helping people become better human beings.
SAZ: What kind of care and support does Ila Foundation provide?
Fasina, who coordinates the palliative care volunteers: Ila provides support to people with a range of health needs. The Drug Bank provides medicines, particularly for psychiatric patients. Those requiring rehabilitation support are registered, and the medicines they need are provided to them. We also have a dialysis unit with 10 machines, operating in two shifts. At present, 34 patients are receiving dialysis care through Ila.
Our palliative care programme extends beyond the walls of the Foundation. We have four home-care units that visit patients at their homes every 15 days. The visits include checking their vital signs, wound dressing and attending to other medical needs.
But medical care is only one part of what we do. Just as important is the time we spend with them, sitting beside them, listening to them and offering emotional and moral support. Sometimes, simply knowing that someone is there for you can make a great difference to a person who is suffering.
During my visit to the Ila Foundation, I had the opportunity to accompany one of its home-care units. We set out at 9 in the morning, travelling from one home to another and meeting families who, despite the immense difficulties they face, continue to hold on to hope and remain remarkably positive about life.
What struck me most was the way many of them spoke about Ila, not merely as a source of medical care, but as an institution that had brought a sense of confidence, dignity and hope back into their lives.
One such story is that of Shabiri Girish, 45, who lives with his wife and two school-going children. A construction worker by profession, his life changed dramatically when he fell from the fourth floor of a building and suffered a serious head injury.
For nearly three years, his family explored every available avenue of treatment, hoping that he would one day regain the ability to walk. But despite their efforts, he eventually lost movement in his legs.
It was then that Shabiri Girish registered for palliative care with the Ila Foundation.
When Ila’s care began, it offered him something that went beyond medical assistance. The emotional and moral support he received gradually helped him regain confidence and look at life with renewed hope. In time, Ila provided him with an electric wheelchair and helped him set up a small shop beside his home.
Today, Shabiri Girish has regained a measure of independence that once seemed almost impossible. His journey is not simply a story of overcoming physical limitations; it is also a story of dignity, resilience and the power of being supported when life seems to have taken everything away.
He and his family now speak of Ila with deep gratitude. More than recipients of its care, they hope to remain connected with the Foundation and contribute as volunteers, sharing their own journey to inspire others who may be going through similar struggles.
I was also given the opportunity to spend some time with a group of specially abled beneficiaries of Ila. We sang, played games and shared moments of laughter. They welcomed me into their circle with such warmth and innocence that, for those few hours, there seemed to be no sense of difference-only the simple joy of being together.
One of the children smiled and told me, “We love coming here every week. We wait eagerly for Tuesdays for these sessions.”
The excitement in those words said more about what Ila means to them than any explanation could. For these children, Tuesday is not just another day of the week. It is a day they look forward to- a day of friendship, play, laughter and belonging.
And that’s when I knew Ila Foundation is indeed a space to breathe freely and perhaps that is the most powerful aspect of Ila’s work-the transformation of those who once needed support into people who themselves want to become a source of strength for others.
If you are in Kerala, Ila Foundation deserves to be on your itinerary.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home>Health / by Sajida A Zubair /edited in headlines / September 14th, 2026
Life should be significant, not merely long. While some people make their lives significant by amassing wealth, others contribute to society and future generations. Hakim Abdul Hameed was one such rare individual. He is the founder of Jamia Hamdard, a deemed-to-be University located in South Delhi, which is celebrating its Foundation Day on September 14.
Abdul Hameed was born in Delhi on September 14, 1908. His life story is not merely that of a physician but of a man who transformed a family legacy of medicine into a vast movement encompassing education, research, healthcare, and public service.
His family was deeply involved in medicine and social service; his father, Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed, had established ‘Hamdard Dawakhana’ in 1906. ‘Hamdard’ in Urdu means one who empathises with others’ pain. This very sentiment became the guiding principle of Hakim Abdul Hameed’s entire life. He inherited not just a business from his father, but a responsibility. He strived to build Hamdard into an institution that would benefit every stratum of society.
Hakim Abdul Hameed was a practitioner of Unani medicine, yet his vision extended far beyond the treatment of the human body. He understood that for Unani medicine to be passed on to the coming generations, it required systematic teaching, rigorous research, and incorporating modern scientific methods.
He believed that tradition and modern science were not at odds; rather, by preserving the valuable aspects of ancient medical systems, they could be further fortified through scientific inquiry and research. This vision changed him into a pivotal pillar of Unani medicine.
The year 1947 was exceptionally difficult for the country. Partition had impacted millions and created an atmosphere rife with mistrust, violence, and uncertainty. Yet, even amidst such turmoil, Hakim Abdul Hameed was contemplating the establishment of institutions for the India of the future. It was during this period that he founded the Hamdard Charitable Trust and resolved to dedicate Hamdard’s earnings to the service of society. This decision speaks volumes about his character; he viewed wealth not as something to be hoarded for personal gain, but as a trust held for the benefit of society.
Subsequently, he established more institutions — the Hamdard Tibbi College and the Indian Institute of Islamic Studies in 1963; the Hamdard National Foundation in 1964, and the Hamdard College of Pharmacy in 1972.
Gradually, other institutions such as the Hamdard Education Society, Hamdard Public School, Ghalib Academy, and the Hamdard Institute of Historical Research were also added to this fold. He sought to create a comprehensive system where pharmacy, education, history, culture, and research could flourish alongside medical treatment.
The culmination of Hakim Abdul Hameed’s long-standing efforts came in 1989, when the institutions he had established were amalgamated into one to grant ‘Jamia Hamdard’ the status of a to-be Deemed University. This marked a significant achievement, realising a dream and the hard work of decades. He became its founding Chancellor. Hamdard’s own funds and his personal resources played a major role in establishing this university.
Today, it is important to remember that Jamia Hamdard was not backed by government machinery or a corporate conglomerate. Behind it lay the conviction of a single individual who believed that education could be the greatest service to society.
To remember Hakim Abdul Hameed merely as a builder of institutions would be to diminish his true stature. He was, first and foremost, a physician; understanding others’ pain was intrinsic to his nature. In his view, treating a sick person and providing a poor child with the opportunity to study were acts stemming from the same spirit of compassion, and he strove throughout his life to improve the human condition.
The body is healed through medicine, while the mind is nurtured through education. Hakim Sahib regarded both as integral parts of a singular mission of social service. Perhaps this is why the institutions he founded accorded equal importance to the humanities, history, and culture alongside hospitals and medical education.
Hakim Abdul Hameed’s contributions were recognised both within the country and across the globe. He was honoured with the Padma Shri in 1965 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. In 1983, the then Soviet Union honoured him with the Avicenna Award. During the final years of his life, he also served as the Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University.
However, considering his personality, it seems likely that he derived greater satisfaction from helping a needy person receive medical treatment or enabling a poor student’s education than from these accolades. For him, achievement was not merely about receiving awards but about making a difference in someone else’s life.
Hakim Abdul Hameed passed away in 1999, yet his work did not end with his departure. Even today, thousands of students study in the institutions he established, patients receive treatment in his hospitals, and the work of research and education continues to flourish.
The Jamia Hamdard campus is more than just a cluster of buildings; it stands as a testament to the idea that if an individual rises above personal interests to think about society, they can achieve a great deal for future generations. Hakim Sahib established these institutions much like a wise person plants a tree—knowing full well that while he might not live to sit in its shade, others certainly will. This was the most beautiful aspect of his life.
Today, the greatest challenge facing everyone associated with his institutions is ensuring that his legacy is not confined merely to names and monuments. The very meaning of ‘Hamdard’ is to understand the pain of others and strive to alleviate it. Hakim Abdul Hameed’s life teaches us that a person’s true legacy lies in the institutions and ideas that others carry forward long after they are gone. This is the legacy Hakim Abdul Hameed left behind. Carrying it forward is not just a matter of honour; it is our responsibility.
Author Prof. (Dr) M. Afshar Alam, is a Former Vice-Chancellor, Jamia Hamdard
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Personality-News / by M Afshar Alam / September 13th, 2026
Dr.Roshan Shaikh’s extraordinary journey from double amputation,a financially struggling family to becoming an MBBS doctor, MD Pathologist, motivational speaker, award-winning personality.
Dr. Roshan Sheikh is now the eminent name of the field of education and source of inspiration for thousands of students.She specially invited to Moulana Ajmal’s education institute,Assam, Shaheen group of Institutions, Bidar, Karnataka, Anjuman E Islam Mumbai ,and other dozens of prestigious institutes of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Born in Mumbai to a family where her father worked as a vegetable vendor, Roshan Jahan dreamed of becoming a doctor. Her life changed dramatically when she was in XIth grade a tragic train accident resulted in the amputation of both her legs. She remained bedridden for more than three months, but the tragedy could not break her determination.
Her mother, who had studied only up to the fourth standard, became her strongest pillar of support. She took Roshan to school in a wheelchair whenever practical classes and examinations required her presence. Despite severe physical and financial difficulties, Roshan completed Class 12 with impressive marks and secured third rank in the handicapped category in the state medical entrance examination.
However, her struggle continued when she was denied medical admission because her disability was assessed at 96 percent, while prevailing regulations restricted admission for candidates considered more than 70 per cent disabled. Determined to realise her dream, she approached the Bombay High Court in 2011 with the support of orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Sanjay Kotharia and advocate P.B. Patil, who fought her case without charging a fee. The court recognised her capabilities and allowed her to pursue medical education.
Roshan subsequently secured admission to KEM Medical College, Mumbai. Medical education was challenging, involving practical work, emergencies, movement between buildings and long working hours. Yet she completed her MBBS in 2016 and later earned her MD in Pathology in 2021 from Mumbai.
Several people also supported her during this journey. Congress MLA Amin Patel helped finance her medical education, while BJP MP Kirit Somaiya supported her when she faced difficulties in pursuing postgraduate studies. Her case also contributed to changes that enabled her to continue her higher medical education.
After completing her MD, Roshan worked as a Consultant Pathologist and Cytopathologist. On 28 October 2022 she married to Mumbai based Buisnessman Salman Abdul Latif and became mother in 2026.
She also became a motivational speaker, travelling to educational institutions in Maharashtra, Karnataka and other states and inspiring thousands of students with her life story. She is currently at home, taking care of her three-month-old baby girl, while remaining socially active and sharing her old and new posts and videos.
Her achievements have earned her several prestigious honours, including the Hindustan Times Women of the Year Award (2018) at the national level. Other recognitions include the Shoorveer Award, Bharat Prerna Award, Award for Bravery and Courage from the Bombay High Court, Inqulab Award, Galli News Griffin Award for Women Impact, Cavinkare Ability Award, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award, Sahas Ability Award, Microsoft Bravery Award and SABAL Award from Tata, among others.
Her personal life has also entered a new chapter. Around three years ago, she married Mumbai-based handsome businessman Salman Abdul Latif. Despite her high level of disability, she successfully went through pregnancy and became a mother to a baby girl three months ago.
Dr. Roshan Jahan Sheikh has transformed adversity into purpose. Her life stands as a powerful message that physical limitations need not limit human dreams, and that courage, education and determination can turn seemingly impossible goals into reality.
Speaking to Muslim Mirror Roshan says, “Life may knock you down and may even try to break you, but getting back on your feet is in your hands. If I can overcome such a great storm and become an MD doctor, then you too can fulfil every dream you have. Keep faith in Allah and move forward,” Dr. Roshan Jahan Jawwad Sheikh said.
She further advised people not to dwell on what they have lost or what they do not have. “Do not focus on what is gone or what you do not have. Instead, put all your strength into what remains and into what you can become,” she said.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Positive Story / by Imran Inamdar / September 08th, 2026
Eight women from Assam, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Punjab were honoured at the third Dr Rama Saharia Memorial Awards Ceremony, organised by the MBKM Foundation at the NEA Auditorium here on Sunday. The Foundation is headed by Prof Pradeep Mathur, an author and a veteran journalist.
The awards recognised outstanding contributions in journalism, higher education, social service, performing arts, disability empowerment and other fields. A notable feature of this year’s ceremony was the diversity of the recipients, who came from Hindu, Sikh, Christian and Muslim communities.
The awardees had overcome social and economic hardships, as well as family-related challenges, to establish themselves in their respective professions. Their achievements serve as an inspiration to women from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Dr Rama Saharia Memorial Media Award was presented to Naina Gautam, a journalist and sustainability communicator, for her work in raising awareness about climate change, the environment and health.
Prof. Manjinder Kaur received the Dr Rama Saharia Memorial Award for Higher Education in recognition of her long-standing contribution to education and teaching.
The Dr Rama Saharia Memorial Social Service Award was conferred on Urmal Munjwani for her contribution to yoga, wellness and holistic health.
Garima Joshi was honoured with the Dr Rama Saharia Memorial Award for Performing Arts and Standout Skills for her contribution to the performing arts.
The Dr Rama Saharia Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Sukhdeep Kaur for her selfless service towards the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Her work spans education, sports, rights advocacy and the creation of inclusive opportunities.
Atlanta Mahanta received an award for her contribution to multimedia journalism, academic communication and visual storytelling.
Aayushi Karanwal was honoured for establishing her identity in body positivity, modelling, public relations and image management while overcoming personal and professional challenges.
The Chairman’s Special Award for Social Service was presented to Tabassum Khan for more than two decades of work in women’s and children’s welfare, maternal health, nutrition, sanitation and health awareness.
Former Union Minister of State for Home Subodh Kant Sahay was the chief guest. Eminent politicians Harkesh Bahadur and Anil Shastri were also present. The function was presided over by former Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha Dr Yogendra Narayan.
Organised in memory of Dr Rama Saharia, the awards aim to recognise individuals who have made noteworthy contributions to society and nation-building. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of women working across diverse fields and highlighted the importance of inclusive opportunities for all.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by India Tomorrow / September 08th, 2026
Dr. Syed Abdullah (extreme right) and his team of heroes of the Asian Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
As devotees across the country were celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna in the early hours of Friday, nine newborn babies at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar faced a terrifying fight for survival.
At around 2:30 a.m., a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Asian Hospital in the Akashwani area on Jalna Road after an apparent short circuit in an air-conditioner. Within minutes, thick smoke filled the NICU and flames began spreading rapidly, trapping nine newborns inside.
Among them was a premature baby on a ventilator.
In those critical moments, Resident Medical Officer Dr Syed Abdullah and a team of nurses sprang into action. Risking their own lives, they carried the babies out of the smoke-filled NICU, one by one, and ensured that the critically ill infant continued receiving artificial ventilation during the rescue.
“The situation was very difficult. Initially, we thought there was a minor gas leak. But the moment a spark fell from the AC, we immediately tried to move the warmer aside, because the baby on the ventilator was right underneath it. That baby was very serious; it was a preterm baby,” Dr Abdullah recalled.
He said the situation deteriorated within seconds.
“We had just gone to move the warmer when the fire spread very rapidly. After that, the sisters immediately started picking up the babies and evacuating them. The baby on the ventilator had to be given artificial respiration through an Ambu bag. A nurse held one baby in her hand and also managed the other baby from the ventilator, while I was Ambu-bagging it. In this way, we safely evacuated all the babies.”
At one point, Dr Abdullah also attempted to pull the ventilator out of the danger zone. But the equipment was locked in place, while the flames continued to spread.
“After evacuating all the babies, I also wanted to save the ventilator, because a ventilator is a very expensive machine. So, I tried to pull the ventilator, but it was locked. The fire was continuously growing, and because of that, I had to leave the ventilator and rush to save another baby,” he said.
For the medical team, however, saving the babies was the only priority.
“I am happy that we succeeded in saving those babies. I never thought I would face such a situation in so few years of my service. By the grace and mercy of Allah, everything concluded safely and the condition of all the patients is now excellent and stable. All the babies have been safely shifted to Ghati and other hospitals,” Dr Abdullah said.
Nurses Turned Rescuers
The rescue was a collective effort. Nurses Kalpana Nalawade, Surekha Chavan (Mavshi), Rekha Ragade, Sandhya Jadhav and Archana Bhalerao joined Dr Abdullah in evacuating the newborns as smoke and flames spread through the NICU.
The warmer carrying the critically ill baby could not be moved because it was locked. With the fire intensifying, there was no time to wait. The nurses began lifting the babies in their arms and carrying them to safety.
For nurse Rekha Ragade, the incident remains etched in her memory.
“I was on duty as usual. I was checking what each baby needed; all this work was going on. Suddenly, I saw some colleagues running towards a corner of the NICU. What do I see? Smoke was coming out from there. By the time I saw it, a spark fell and the AC instantly caught fire,” she recalled.
For a moment, fear overwhelmed her. But the instinct to protect the newborns quickly took over.
“Seeing that sight, I too was scared for a moment, but I quickly composed myself and with the help of my colleagues, brought the children out. There was fear in my heart. My hands and legs had gone numb from panic. But we risked our lives and saved the lives of the babies,” she said.
Then came a deeply personal thought.
“I also have three children. As a mother, I only knew one thing: all those nine children are mine, and I have to get them out.”
58 Patients on the Floor
The fire broke out on a floor where 58 patients were present, including the nine newborns in the NICU, 36 patients in the general ward and 13 patients in special rooms.
The hospital alerted the fire brigade and police immediately. However, before emergency personnel arrived, doctors and nurses had already managed to bring the fire largely under control using fire extinguishers.
The nine newborns were subsequently shifted by ambulance to other hospitals for continued medical care. Four were admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital (Ghati), three to MGM Hospital, one to Muskaan Children’s Clinic in Azad Chowk and one to Day Care Hospital.
All nine babies are reported to be safe and in stable condition.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Fazal Pathan / September 07th, 2026
A delegation of the Aim India Forum (AIF), led by Founder President Shaikh Muzaffer, held an introductory meeting with Emmadi Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Consul General of India to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, at the Consulate General of India in Dubai.
Muzaffer was accompanied by AIF Convener Mohammed Azeem, Vice President Mohammed Niyaz, Secretary of Community Welfare Ismail and Coordinator of Community Welfare Jangam Balakrishna.
The meeting focused on introducing the forum’s objectives and ongoing community initiatives and discussing ways to strengthen support for Indians living across the UAE.
Key issues discussed included the welfare of blue-collar workers, labour awareness, community awareness programmes, assistance to distressed Indians and initiatives for the wider Indian community.
The AIF delegation also stressed the need to create greater awareness among Indian nationals about their rights and responsibilities, government services, legal procedures and available support mechanisms.
Speaking during the meeting, Shaikh Muzaffer said, “We don’t want to be another organization that comes to the Consulate with problems; we want to come with solutions.”
He said the forum’s vision was to ensure that the Indian community becomes the most informed and updated community in the UAE. This includes greater awareness about labour rights, government services, legal procedures, safety, financial literacy and other issues affecting Indian nationals.
Muzaffer also appreciated the leadership of Consul General Emmadi Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, describing him as an energetic, dynamic and passionate leader with an interest in understanding community issues and engaging with different stakeholders.
He expressed confidence that further opportunities would emerge to strengthen community outreach and welfare initiatives under Reddy’s leadership.
The AIF team conveyed its willingness to work with the Consulate General of India and other relevant authorities on initiatives aimed at supporting Indian nationals in the UAE.
The meeting concluded with both sides expressing their commitment to continued engagement and cooperation on the welfare, awareness and empowerment of the Indian community.
The forum reiterated its guiding principle: From Problems to Solutions — From Awareness to Empowerment.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / August 22nd, 2026
When President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Teachers Awards, 2026, on 48 teachers from across India, on Saturday, the recipients included four Muslims, who had instilled values and teachings in the minds of their pupils beyond the classroom.
The recipients of the award included Mohammad Zafar Alam from Odisha, who is credited with transforming the lives of the tribal children in a state where hunger and deprivation was once identified with the life of the indigenous people.
The other awardees are Dr Iftikhar Khan, from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh; Mohammad Ayaz Raina, from Rajouri, (J&K); and Mohammad Mustafa Kamal, from Kargil, Ladakh.
The awardees were selected from 27 states, seven Union Territories and six institutions under the Central Government. The list comprises 26 men and 22 women. The award is presented annually to teachers who have made outstanding contributions to school education and brought positive changes to the lives of students.
Mohammad Zafar Alam
Mohammad Zafar Alam, Principal of Eklavya Model Residential School Karanjia in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, has been honoured for his contribution to providing quality education to tribal children in remote area.
Mohammad Zafar Alam (In blue jacket) at the annual day function of school
The school, located at Banuria (Tato), operates under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The residential and co-educational school was established in 2017-18 for Classes 6 to 12. It has around 410 students and an overall capacity of approximately 480.
Under Alam’s leadership, the institution seeks to prepare Scheduled Tribe students not only for school examinations but also for admission to higher and professional educational institutions and future employment opportunities.
Eklavya Model Residential Schools were established to address the shortage of quality educational opportunities in remote tribal areas. They have been developed broadly along the lines of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, with an emphasis on educational standards, residential facilities and competitive opportunities for tribal students.
The National Teachers Award to Alam therefore also draws attention to the important role of educators working in remote tribal regions, where access to quality education can have a transformative impact on the lives of young people.
Dr Iftikhar Khan
For 25 years, Dr Iftikhar Khan, an art teacher at Government Inter College, Ballia, has been providing free art education to poor and underprivileged children at his home.
The initiative began in 2000, when Dr Iftikhar recognised that talented children from economically weaker families in Ballia had limited opportunities to receive formal training in fine arts or prepare for entrance examinations to leading institutions.
Alongside his regular teaching responsibilities, he began conducting free classes at home every Sunday. His students have come not only from Ballia but also from Gorakhpur, Mau and neighbouring Bihar.
He also organises special painting workshops during the summer holidays, providing children with regular practice and individual guidance. His training goes beyond basic painting: he prepares students for admission to higher educational institutions in the field of fine arts.
Dr Iftikhar Khan with his students
More than 200 students have progressed to higher education and careers in fine arts under his guidance. Some are now working with leading companies in India, while others are promoting Indian art abroad.
One of them is Ballia’s Neeraj Singh, who developed an interest in painting after seeing an exhibition by Dr Iftikhar at the Dadri fair in 2007. When Neeraj expressed his desire to learn, Dr Iftikhar trained him without charging a fee.
Neeraj subsequently secured admission to the Faculty of Visual Arts at Banaras Hindu University on his first attempt and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He later obtained a diploma in Production Design from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, and went on to work as a production designer on several films.
According to Neeraj, Dr Iftikhar’s guidance changed the course of his life. Had he not encountered the teacher at the exhibition, he believes he might never have pursued fine arts.
Dr Iftikhar’s philosophy is simple: talent should not be limited by a person’s financial circumstances. What matters is recognising that talent and giving it the right direction.
His commitment to this principle is reflected in an unusual practice. When the parents of one of his students insisted on giving him guru dakshina, he declined money and instead asked them to plant a tree.
Since then, he has encouraged students who wish to offer him a gift to plant a tree in a public place and care for it until it grows. For him, a student’s contribution to society is the finest gift a teacher can receive.
Mohammad Ayaz Raina
Mohammad Ayaz Raina, a Botany lecturer at Government Higher Secondary School Dalhori in Rajouri district on the Line of control in J&K, has spent 13 years in the education sector, combining classroom teaching with student guidance, educational activities and innovative methods, including the use of technology.
His contribution is particularly significant given the geographical challenges of Rajouri, a border district where many schools are located in hilly and remote areas. Limited infrastructure, connectivity and transportation can make teaching more difficult, yet Raina has remained committed to improving educational opportunities for his students.
His efforts have previously earned him several honours. He received the National Information and Communication Technology Award in 2017 and the Best Teacher Award of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in 2021. He has also received the Global Teacher Award 2021 and the Global Best Educational Poster Award 2020.
Mohammad Ayaz Raina with his students
These recognitions reflect his interest in combining conventional teaching with educational technology and creative approaches.
Raina described the National Teachers Award as a collective achievement rather than a personal accomplishment. He credited his students, fellow teachers, educational institutions, family members and others who supported him throughout his journey.
He said a teacher’s success is never the result of individual effort alone, but also reflects the hard work of students, the cooperation of colleagues and the support of family.
Mohammad Mustafa Kamal
Mohammad Mustafa Kamal, a resident of Wakha village in Kargil district, Ladakh, has been recognised for his contribution to education in one of the country’s most challenging geographical regions.
Kamal is posted at Middle School Lanakrchy Thang Sankoo. He also serves as District President of the General Line Teachers Forum, Kargil Ladakh.
In this capacity, he has played a role in popularising the Model School initiative through the teachers’ organisation.
Mohammad Mustafa Kamal (Right) in his school
His commitment to students became particularly visible during the Covid-19 pandemic, when conventional classroom teaching was disrupted. Kamal continued to support students through video and radio classes.
He currently serves as the Nodal Officer for Class 9 and Class 10 Tele and Radio Classes in the School Education Department, Kargil, in addition to his teaching responsibilities.
His educational services have previously been recognised with the Asian Education Award in 2020. He was also among three teachers from Kargil district nominated by the District Selection Committee for the National Award in 2020.
The school’s approach extends beyond academics. Sports, skill development and the preservation of local arts and culture form part of its educational programme, with the aim of developing students’ creative, physical and practical abilities alongside their academic skills.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Aasha Khosa / September 06th, 2026
Started as a local bi-weekly newspaper, Madinah soon commanded a massive subcontinent-wide circulation. While most newspapers at the time focused on major colonial urban centres such as Lahore, Delhi or Calcutta, Madinah instrumentalised its place of inception—Bijnor—as a political shield.
‘Madinah,’ a bi-weekly newspaper founded in 1912 by Mohammad Majeed Hasan, began in his courtyard in the small qasbah of Bijnor in the Northwest United Provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh). Its inception is later recounted in a dream narrative published in Madinah’s silver jubilee edition in 1939, which describes how Hasan dreamt of “a bright moon shining in the sky, being eclipsed by another moon appearing from behind and drifting away from it, becoming brighter as the dream continued.”
Hasan had been working as a journalist in Lahore while also preparing for a career as a judge. He is said to have had the dream shortly after abandoning his training and returning to Bijnor to continue working for the family newspaper Sahifa, whose modest readership had already begun to dwindle. Hasan later interpreted the dream as a sign that he should start his own newspaper, symbolised by a new shining moon.
Hasan’s first wife, Muhtarma Kaneez Fatimah, whose altruistic nature and firm belief in his venture compelled her to help him start the paper, sold her jewellery to support it. She later proved to be an intelligent and capable assistant in the newspaper’s production, despite being unable to read or write.
It was she who inspired the newspaper to include a separate women’s section named Akhbar-i-Nisvan on one of its last pages. The section frequently appeared during the newspaper’s first three years, from 1912 to 1915, and was intended to serve the interests of Muslim women by including editorials and creative pieces written by both men and women.
Soon, the paper had distinctly identified itself among its audience by creating a space for Muslim women, with a special focus on mothers, to discuss their issues through genres such as poetry and fiction.
The unlikely epicentre: importance of the Qasbah
Started as a local bi-weekly newspaper, Madinah soon commanded a massive subcontinent-wide circulation. While most newspapers at the time focused on major colonial urban centres such as Lahore, Delhi or Calcutta, Madinah instrumentalised its place of inception—Bijnor—as a political shield. In the same year as Madinah’s inception, Maulana Azad, at the age of 23, started the paper Al-Hilal in Calcutta, which was lauded among the Muslim elite and others for its publishing style and genre, soon reaching a pinnacle of readership.
In contrast, Madinah’s unique approach, which embraced the values of the gentry while also appealing to a broad readership beyond the traditional urban elite, distinguished the paper from the incessant urban cynicism that was becoming a prevalent theme throughout the landscape of production. Due to better readership and the greater availability of resources in urban areas, similar endeavours to Madinah redirected themselves to these spaces.
In its founding years, Madinah also addressed British officials, adopting varying strategic and bargaining stances against surveillance and strict government policies through explicit deference to colonial authorities. For instance, Hasan, the proprietor of the newspaper, cited the Ijazat (permission) of the Magistrate and Collector of Bijnor in its inaugural issue. This attentiveness to British intelligence provided the necessary immunity required for the functioning of the newspaper, unlike Azad’s Al-Hilal, which came under heavy scrutiny from the colonial government and had to cease publication by the end of 1914.
Newspapers in urban centres, such as Awadh Akhbar, persisted in their efforts to speak to a broad audience delineated more by language and culture than by religion, while papers such as Madinah reinforced an already rich discursive tradition surrounding religion and identity in the social crevices known as qasbahs (small towns). They also engaged with contested political themes debated by scholars and leaders, including the shaping of early narratives of separatism and communalism among Indian Muslims.
The success of Madinah can be attributed to the spatio-temporal advantages of the qasbah, which can be defined as a place of bureaucratic and market significance where a Muslim minority or majority lived alongside populations from other communities, alongside an influential enclave of intellectual vivacity and economic and political importance for Muslims. Scholar M. Raisur Rahman described qasbahs as “an alternative site for contestation with strong autonomous networks of culture, literature and religion”, while simultaneously defining them as a ‘unique space’ and a ‘microcosm of larger idealized national life’.
These spaces have been significantly important sites in the history of South Asian culture, shaping identities and literary traditions while remaining distinct from the typologies of urban environments, where modernity had already seeped through the sutures of cultural exchanges with the outside world.
Madinah and its role in politics
The political trajectory of Madinah transformed profoundly during the period of World War I, following the Balkan Wars. The paper broadened its purview by juxtaposing the localised ethos and culture of the qasbah with larger international crises, particularly the imminent dismantling of the Ottoman Empire.
Navigating the intricacies of a contested political landscape, Madinah supposedly guarded a global Islamic consciousness through its promotion of the Khilafat Movement and its shared affiliation with Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Consequently, its support for the Indian National Congress and its anti-separatist stance against Jinnah became apparent, aligning with Jamiat’s idea of Composite Nationalism, as Madinah continued to anchor itself in the secular, anti-colonial bedrock of Urdu journalism.
According to scholar Gyanendra Pandey, Madinah served as a vital barometer of Muslim public opinion across this shifting timescape. Driven by the ideological synergy of Hindu-Muslim unity during the Non-Cooperation and Khilafat movements, the publication commanded an astounding peak circulation of 12,500 copies by 1922. However, this radical nationalism invited severe repercussions from the colonial state, notably resulting in the paper being banned in Punjab following its courageous and explicit reporting on the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Following the ban, the paper was relaunched in August 1919 under a new name—Yasrab (Madinah in Arabic)—as an act of strategic defiance against the colonial government, with a couplet from Iqbal:
Khāk-i Yasrab az do ‘ālam khūshtar ast, Ā’e khunak shahre ke ānjā dilbar ast
(The dust of Madinah is better than both worlds, How wonderful is the city where the beloved is.)
As the landscape of production became increasingly fragmented by communal cynicism and the mass political momentum of the early 1920s waned, the paper witnessed a decline in readership, with circulation dipping to 6,500 in 1927 and further to 6,000 by 1931.
Despite this dwindling circulation, Madinah remained a formidable and persistent critic of communal separatism throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Engaging with the contested political themes of the era, the paper sought to dismantle the early narratives of the All-India Muslim League. Pandey highlights a remarkably bold editorial from the 1930s that dismissed the League as being “neither dead nor alive”, asserting that its existence was confined merely to “the brain and mind of Mr. Jinnah”.
By 1942, the newspaper had effectively transformed into an open town hall, enabling ordinary citizens to debate and largely resist the looming Pakistan movement from within the landscape of the qasbah.
The script and scripture
The prevalent Urdu script, Nastaliq, which had been used throughout South Asia for centuries and was imported from Persia, featured intricate details, ornamentation and a complex structural form forged through the meticulous amalgamation of the Naskh and Ta’liq calligraphic traditions. It became the most recognisable Urdu script and developed strong cultural and ideological ties with the Urdu language. However, due to the rise of globalisation and the growing demand to produce literature for the public, it became increasingly difficult to produce works in the script lithographically on a mass scale. By the end of the 1970s, Nastaliq began to advance with the help of Mirza Jamil Ahmad, who created more than 20,000 combinations to bring the script into the digital world under the name Noori Nastaliq.
By the time the digitisation process began, Madinah was already out of business, shutting down its press with its last issue in 1976. During the seven decades that the paper survived, its editors had no keys to the press and no screens to reflect upon. Instead, the issues of Madinah were produced solely by hand, by calligraphers and artists alike.
The Urdu script Nastaliq had been established as the standard for almost every copy of the holy book Quran in South Asia since the Mughal period. By the time Madinah began using the same script as its standard, it already carried connotations of purity, holiness and divinity within the cultural landscape. Combined with the organic practice of producing it by hand rather than by machine, the paper was considered by its readers to embody a deliberate resistance against illegitimate mechanisation and the rising industrialisation of the subcontinent, curating a new political discourse based on the cultural symbolism of the script.
By using and retaining lithographic practices in an era when other papers were increasingly relying on mechanical typography for efficiency, Nastaliq was perceived as a tactile and handcrafted discipline that preserved the inherent spirit of prose, shielding the paper’s contributions from the mechanical and indifferent processes of Western print capitalism.
The inevitable descent
By the 1940s, Madinah had begun engaging in intense print debates with the supporters and proponents of pro-Muslim League newspapers and writers, arguing in a polemical fashion that religion could not be the sole determinant of a nation’s survival. Despite the paper’s persistent efforts to resist the pro-League and separatist stance, it witnessed the partition of the Indian subcontinent into two parts. The social capital of Madinah was on the verge of collapse, as the paper saw affluent members of the Muslim community, who had constantly contributed to its production and editorials, leave for the other side of the border.
The Language Act of 1951 became a huge blow to the publishing house of Madinah, as Hindi was soon adopted as the state language in Uttar Pradesh, mandating officials and government offices to maintain all data in Hindi and extensively replacing Urdu in institutions under the newly formed Indian government. Although the apparent marginalisation of the paper’s foundational language and the loss of its social capital were significant blows in the paper’s history, they were unable to overshadow its continuing legacy.
Madinah, managing to survive, remained a prominent, albeit ageing, symbol of pre-Partition nationalist Muslim political identity, advocating for the preservation of Urdu heritage amid the growing socio-political shifts in Uttar Pradesh. At the same time, it continued to struggle against declining circulation as newer, faster-printed typographic dailies overtook the market. Its reports on the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the creation of Bangladesh vindicated the paper’s historical assertion that religion alone could not hold a nation together, while it also continued reporting on rising communal tensions in the country.
The prodigious endeavour was about to culminate in the years following the Indo-Pakistani War. Near the end of its operational life, the paper’s traditional lithographic format and qasbah roots struggled to attract younger, urbanised readers. The deteriorating health of Hasan finally caught up with him, leading to his death in 1972. The handling of the newspaper remained in the hands of Hasan’s family until its last editor, Syed Hasan, finally ceased publication, quietly closing the press in 1975.
References
Jones, J. (2023). Megan Eaton Robb: Print and the Urdu Public: Muslims, Newspapers, and Urban Life in Colonial India. New York: Oxford University Press, 2021; pp. xi + 247. Journal of Religious History, 47, 151–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9809.12917
Abduhu, G. R. (1973). The Educational Ideas of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Sterling Publishers.
Rahman, M. Raisur. (2014). “Beyond Centre-Periphery: Qasbahs and Muslim Life in South Asia.” South Asian History and Culture, 5, 163–178. https://doi.org/10.1080/19472498.2014.883762.
