The Dhannipur project includes a mosque, hospital, museum, library, community kitchen, Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre and Publication House.
A plantation drive was also organised to mark the launch of the Dhannipur project (Sourced)
The Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board (UPSCWB) formally launched the Dhannipur project on the allocated five-acre land at Dhannipur village of Ayodhya by hoisting the national flag and planting saplings to mark Republic Day celebrations on Tuesday.
The Dhannipur project includes a mosque, hospital, museum, library, community kitchen, Indo-Islamic Cultural Research Centre and Publication House. The land was allotted to UPSCWB in compliance with the Supreme Court directives in the Ayodhya title dispute case in which the apex court, on November 9, 2019, paved the way for construction of Ram temple at the disputed site.
“I believe there is no better way than to start the project by planting saplings on the five-acre land. The plantation was carried out in the area of the project meant to be developed as a green area. The area will have plants and trees from all different geographical regions of India and from different parts of the world in order to create awareness about the imminent threat of climate change,” said Athar Hussain, spokesperson for Indo-Islamic Cultural Foundation (IICF) which has been set up by UPSCWB to look after the construction of the Dhannipur project.
Senior members of the board along with the members of the IICF hoisted the flag at 8.30 am on the 5 acre land in Dhannipuur village. The flag hoisting was followed by plantation drive where members and trustees of IICF planted saplings.
On December 19, the trust had released the blueprint of the mosque and other structures designed by Professor SM Akhtar, a Lucknow-based architect and town planner, whom the trust has hired to design the mosque that would come up in Dhannipur in place of the Babri Masjid that was demolished in 1992.
Akhtar is the founder dean of the Faculty of Architecture at Jamia Milia University, Delhi.
source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> India News / by HT Correspondent / January 26th, 2021
Acting Indian Consul General Y.Sabir poses for photos with winners of Brig. Usman Storytelling Contest and Organizers of the event at Indian Consulate in Jeddah
Jeddah :
Members of the Indian Community in Jeddah gave a big salute to the patriotic valor and great sacrifice of Brig. Mohammed Usman, who laid his life defending the honor of his great nation. Brig. Usman, who at a young age, declined the offer to assume the highest military rank of another country and instead preferred to defeat them in a crucial war by sacrificing his precious life on the war front and thus becoming the highest-ranking Indian Army officer to be martyred in the war.
This great Indian war hero, nicknamed as the “Lion of Nowshera,” was remembered recently during the community’s celebration of the Indian Army Day, which falls on Jan. 15, and that marked paying rich tribute to members of the Indian Armed Forces.
Acting Indian Consul General Y. Sabir was the chief guest of the event, titled “Salute to our heroes,” held in the presence of prominent community members at the conference hall of the Jeddah Consulate in which several highly decorated officers of the Indian Army joined virtually to speak about their experiences right from the field with great enthusiasm and passion.
The most distinguished among them was the keynote speaker Lt. Gen. Bhupinder Singh, former lieutenant governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The younger generation of the community also were part of the celebration and posthumous honoring of the great Indian war hero with their participation in the “Brig. Usman Memorial Storytelling Contest.”
In his speech, Sabir shared with the audience how an Indian Army soldier goes through tough and arduous training that enables him to achieve all round personality development as a true role model of an Indian citizen.
“An Indian Army soldier is the epitome of courage and determination to his duty, and his role and responsibilities are not limited only to warfronts but rather cover much wider areas of serving the entire nation and people,” he said, while calling on the younger generation to come forward to take up a brilliant career in the Indian Armed Forces.
Sabir also lauded the efforts of Indian community for holding a unique event in honoring Brig. Usman, coinciding with the Army Day.
President of India Forum Mir Ferozuddin, who hails from the bloodline of Brig. Usman, spoke about the ‘josh’ of the soldiers that is more ferocious than the roar of a lion. “It is this josh that made the “Sher of Nowshera” reject the offer to become the Chief of Army of the neighboring country and continued to command his country’s army until he became a martyr on the soil of his own beloved country,” he said.
Ferozuddin invited Kargil war veteran Capt. Yashika Tyagi to join the session virtually to give a brief biography of Brig. Usman and insights into his heroic martyrdom.
She began her speech with the remarks of “Shera Shera Nowshera” feeling of pride of belonging to the banner of the great Brigadier. Tyagi described the courage and determination of Brig. Usman in recapturing Jhangar village in Kashmir. “In all senses of the word, Brig. Usman was a great warrior, who faced each set back in his life head-long and defeated each setback with the strength of his character.”
Capt. Tyagi, the first lady officer to be posted in extreme cold weather, also spoke eloquently about how a woman, a mother of a toddler and four-month pregnant, fought bravely to safeguard India’s borders. She motivated Indian girls and boys to join the Indian Armed Forces, with a promise to train them personally.
In his keynote address, Lt. Gen. Bhupinder Singh recalled: “Brig. Usman continued to remain an inspiring war hero all throughout my military and civil life ever since my joining of the Indian Army at the age of 19. Brig. Usman was among my heroes about whom I have been mentioning in all my writings,” he observed and lauded the family of Mir Ferozuddin as a fine example of true patriots.”
The event also saw a virtual CatFit deliberations to mark the Army Day. CatFit, a pioneer of M.A.S.T.S (Military Application and Special Forces Tactics for Students), covers all domains of psychological, mental, physical and emotional development and thereby ensuring that students achieve their optimum potential. Global Head of CatFit Arpan Dixit introduced the speakers.
Maj. D.P. Singh, a distinguished military officer who fought in the Kargil war and sustained serious injuries, spoke about the sheer determination of a soldier. Singh talked about the kind of soldiers the Indian Armed Forces develop with tough trainings. He showed his journey from 1999 when he got injured by a mortar bomb in Kargil to being the first blade runner of India.
Defense expert Brig. Anjum Shahab, who has over three decades of services in Indian Army, addressed the young generation and motivated them to join the Armed Forces and showed direction on how they can join. On his part, Maj. Mohammed Ali Shah drew attention to various TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design) Talks, giving full of inspiration and well connected with the young generation. Shah started off as an actor and then joined the Indian Armed Forces where he served for five years.
The Squadron Leader Meena Arora narrated her stories from the war field. She mentioned the use of technology in the Air Force and how it is influenced in winning a war. Arora talked about the strength of the Indian Air Force and mentioned the fight of Wing Commander Abhinandan Vardhaman, who landed in the enemy area but showed bravery in the face of death.
Zakaria Biladi, a prominent Indian community leader, was mainly behind organizing this unique event with the core objective of creating awareness among the younger generation about picking their brilliant career path in the Indian Defense Forces. In his speech Biladi said: “There is a dire need to ignite the passion for such services in the Indian youth living in Saudi Arabia particularly because they are not exposed to seeing the activities of Indian Army as much as the youth living in India are.”
Earlier, the event began with a welcome speech by Asim Zeeshan, the master of ceremonies, while Mohammed Hyder proposed the vote of thanks. The organizers of the event also included M. Siraj, Mohsin Sharif, KTA Muneer, and Imran Kausar.
Acting Consul General Y. Sabir gave away prizes to winners of the Brig. Usman Memorial Story telling contest. The winners are the following: Junior Category (7-9 classes) — Kavin Adhitiya & Ms. Danhushri Subramanyan (first); Syeda Umamah Qadri (second); and Ashwin Karuppasamy & Ms. Aishwarya Jayasankar (third). Senior Category (10-12 classes): Rimy Tomy (first); Marial Aranha (second) and Sana Ferozuddin (third).
Speaking to Saudi Gazette, Biladi said that the competition has been instrumental in inculcating a huge amount of patriotism and passion among the Indian students as well as to instill in them high esteem to the great sacrifices of Brig. Usman in defending the homeland.
Brig. Usman was the highest ranking officer of the Indian Army killed in action during the Indo-Pakistan War, immediately after the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. At the time of the partition, he, along with many other Muslim officers, declined to move to the Pakistan Army and even turned down the offer to become the first Chief of Army of the new state of Pakistan, and thus becoming a great symbol of India’s inclusive secularism.
It was during the defense of Jhangar in Jammu and Kashmir Usman was killed on July 3, 1948, by an enemy 25-pounder shell. He was then 12 days short of his 36th birthday. His last words were “I am dying but let not the territory we were fighting for fall for the enemy.”
For his inspiring leadership and great courage, he was awarded posthumously with the second highest military decoration for gallantry in the face of enemy, the Maha Vir Chakra. India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his Cabinet colleagues attended the funeral of Brig. Usman, who was buried in a grave in the Butla House near the Jamia Millia Islamia campus in New Delhi.
source: http://www.saudigazette.com.sa / Saudi Gazette / Home> Saudi Arabia / by Hassan Cheruppa, Saudi Gazette / January 25th, 2021
According to key nominations for the Department of State announced by Biden, Uzra Zeya has been nominated to be Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
An Indian-American diplomat Uzra Zeya, who had quit the foreign service in 2018 in protest against the policies of US President Donald Trump was nominated on Saturday to a key State Department position by President-elect Joe Biden.
According to key nominations for the Department of State announced by Biden, Uzra Zeya has been nominated to be Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.
Sharing the news on Twitter, Uzra Zeya wrote, “In my 25+years as a diplomat, I learned that America’s greatest strength is the power of our example, diversity & democratic ideals. I will uphold & defend these values, if confirmed, as Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.”
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Uzra Zeya @UzraZeya
In my 25+years as a diplomat, I learned that America’s greatest strength is the power of our example, diversity & democratic ideals. I will uphold & defend these values, if confirmed, as Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.
President-elect Biden Announces Key Nominations for the Department of State / President-Elect Joe…. www.buildbackbetter.gov
Twitter
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Wendy R. Sherman has been nominated to be Deputy Secretary of State, Brian McKeon as Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources, Bonnie Jenkins to be Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security Affairs and Victoria Nuland to be Under Secretary for Political Affairs.
“This diverse and accomplished team, led by Secretary of State-designate Tony Blinken, embodies my core belief that America is strongest when it works with our allies,” Biden said.
“Collectively, they have secured some of the most defining national security and diplomatic achievements in recent memory — and I am confident that they will use their diplomatic experience and skill to restore America’s global and moral leadership. America is back,” he said.
Uzra Zeya served most recently as CEO and President of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, where she drew on over two decades of diplomatic experience in Near East, South Asian, European, human rights, and multilateral affairs.
As Chargé d’Affaires and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Paris from 2014 to 2017, she oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Embassy, six constituent posts, and 50 offices and agencies engaged in U.S. government work. She quit against Trump’s policies in September 2018.
“Up to now, Foggy Bottom’s upper echelons are looking whiter, more male and less like America,” Zeya wrote in Politico in September 2018 alleging that the State Department under the Trump Administration was facing racial and gender bias.
“In my own case, I hit the buzz saw that Team Trump wielded against career professionals after leading the US Embassy in Paris through three major terrorist attacks over three years and after planning President Trump’s Bastille Day visit,” she wrote.
She said that upon returning to Washington, she was blocked from a series of senior-level jobs with no explanation. “In two separate incidents, however, colleagues told me that a senior State official opposed candidates for leadership positions — myself and an African-American female officer — on the basis that we would not pass the ‘Breitbart test’,” she wrote in Politico.
From 2012 to 2014, Zeya served as Acting Assistant Secretary and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour.
She joined the Foreign Service in 1990, serving in New Delhi, Muscat, Damascus, Cairo, and Kingston. From 2011 to 2012, she was Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of State and helped shape the U.S. response to the Arab Spring and worked to deepen U.S. engagement with emerging powers.
Zeya has also served as Deputy Executive Secretary to the Secretary of State, Director of the Executive Secretariat Staff, and as UN General Assembly Coordinator.
She is a recipient of the Légion d’honneur, France’s highest civilian honour, a Presidential Rank Award, and 15 Superior Honour and Senior Performance Awards.
She is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
On the key State Department nominations announced by Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris said, “This remarkable team of distinguished diplomats and seasoned leaders reflects the very best of our nation”.
Secretary of State-designate Tony Blinken said, “To meet this moment, we need a Department of State that looks like America, led by diverse women and men who will be unafraid to challenge the status quo.
“That is this team. America at its best still has a greater capacity than any other country on earth to mobilize others to meet the challenges of our time. These passionate, energetic, deeply experienced nominees will help keep our people and our country safe, secure, and prosperous”.
With agency inputs
source: http://www.livemint.com / Mint / Home> News> India / by Staff Writer / January 17th, 2021
Open to form alliance with Left & Cong; planning to contest all 294 seats, says Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui, the 34-year-old cleric of Furfura Sharif.
Ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui, the 34-year-old cleric of Furfura Sharif in Hooghly district, on Thursday launched a new political party — Indian Secular Front – and said that his party plans to contest all the 294 seats in the state with alliance partners.
His 26-year-old brother Nausad Siddiqui has been named chairman of the new party and Simul Soren the president of the party’s working committee.
“We announced our party today. Now, we will sit for talks with other parties, including AIMIM (of Asaduddin Owaisi), and then we will make clear on how many seats we will contest in this election. For now, we are considering to contest all the 294 seats,” Abbas Siddiqui told mediapersons at a press conference in Kolkata.
Stating that his “doors are open” for an alliance with the Left Front and the Congress, Siddiqui said: “CPI(M) and Congress leaders have sent feelers to us. Both the parties suggested that we first launch our political platform. Let us wait and see.”
“The party will start working from Republic Day. Thereafter, we will announce further programmes. We also plan to hold rallies including one in brigade parade ground,” he added.
He, however, ruled out contesting the elections, saying that he would like to be the “kingmaker”.
“I want to be the kingmaker. I will not contest the election but will do everything possible for the party. We will work for the betterment of Muslims, Dalits, tribals, and the poor. Our party is for all,” said Siddiqui, one of the descendants of Pir Abu Baqar Siddiqui.
Rejecting the charge that his party would enable the division of Muslim votes in the state, Siddiqui said, “So many political parties are there. Many like AAP are coming to Bengal. Some of them will get Hindu or Muslim votes. Why do you say that our party will divide Muslim votes.”
Accusing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of failing to deliver, Siddiqui blamed the Trinamool Congress for “allowing BJP to get into Bengal”
“We supported her and she came to power in Bengal. But then her government failed to deliver. So many unemployed youths are in Bengal. It was TMC which facilitated communal discord and allowed BJP to come here. BJP is enemy of the country,” Siddiqui added.
Furfura Sharif is the second most prominent Sufi mazar or shrine in the country after Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Cities> Kolkata / by Express News Service / Kolkata – January 22nd, 2021
These libraries are then handed over to local villagers for day-to-day management by forming a committee.
The renovated buildings – libraries — are provided a general set of books, chairs, tables and other amenities through crowd-funding and under the Corporate Social Responsibility funds.
Jharkhand :
IAS officer Faiz Aq Ahmed Mumtaz has a unique task at hand — that of setting up rural libraries in remote villages of Jamtara so that the poor are motivated to read and write. For that he has made use of abandoned government buildings which have been transformed into 30 libraries under different panchayats of the district. Ahmed says the idea is to provide a better environment to develop reading habits and space at the doorstep of rural youths so that they can clear competitive exams without moving out to cities and towns.
The renovated buildings – libraries — are provided a general set of books, chairs, tables and other amenities through crowd-funding and under the Corporate Social Responsibility funds. These libraries are then handed over to local villagers for day-to-day management by forming a committee. Ahmed says his initiative serves two purposes: the dilapidated buildings are put to use after renovation and, secondly, it develops a community feeling among the villagers.
It has especially benefited girls whose parents are reluctant to send them to a city for education. The deputy commissioner hit upon the idea while holding a ‘janta darbar’ in Chengadih panchayat. A villager while pointing at the lack of education facilities said a library could be a great help for youths who have no means to travel to nearby towns for preparing competitive exams. “I thought in every gram panchayat, there is at least one government building which remains unused. I started renovating these buildings into community libraries.
A first such library was set up at Chengaidih panchayat on November 13 last year,” said Ahmed. The availability of books in these libraries is being ensured under public participation which requires only a modest expenditure, he said. Ahmed said resources are being mobilised with the help of different departments in terms of providing water and electricity to these libraries for which the committee, formed for the purpose, pays. Resources like tables and cupboards are being raised from CSR funds and books are being collected through donations and crowdfunding, he said.
“One bank account has been opened for each library which will help the local committee to raise funds through donations and other means,” said the Deputy Commissioner. The enthusiasm of local villagers has prompted him to expand the initiative to all 118 panchayat in Jamtara. “Reading and education should be given more importance and a library culture should be developed and promoted with community participation. Once this model is successful and a culture of reading develops among rural youths, inter-library competitions could be organized in order to provide a better learning environment to the people, he said. Ahmed believes that libraries can play an important role in the development of any community. “Jamtara is notorious for cyber crimes.
My initiative can help in removing the tag of ‘hub of cyber-crimes’ for Jamtara. Cyber-crimes possibly spread due to the lack of education in the region,” said the Deputy Commissioner. Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Rabindra Nath Mahto, who has inaugurated several such libraries in his Assembly constituency Nala, appreciates Ahmed’s initiative. “Libraries are the temple of knowledge. They ignite our thirst for knowledge and raise one’s mental level,” said the Speaker.
“This is a commendable step taken by the Deputy Commissioner”, he said. Youths are excited about such libraries. “We must thank the deputy commissioner for the precious gift to Chengadih panchayat. We had to travel long distances to get a book,” said Nasiruddin Ansari, a student. “The library is helping us a lot for preparing for various competitive exams”, he said. Ashraf Ali, another student, said the library has given a new hope to the youths in his village. “The library in Chengadih has brought about a positive change among the youths; they are now more serious about books and their studies,” Ali said. Dipankar Mondal, a student, said many youths like him will make him proud one day.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Express News Service / January 24th, 2021
File image of Sameera Fazili, Deputy Director, National Economic Council at the White House| Twitter/ Sameera Fazili
‘Sameera Fazili has been named as Deputy Director, National Economic Council at the White House, the Biden-Harris Transition announced on Friday.
US President-elect Joe Biden has appointed Indian-American Sameera Fazili to a key White House position related to economy.
Sameera Fazili has been named as Deputy Director, National Economic Council at the White House, the Biden-Harris Transition announced on Friday.
The National Economic Council coordinates the economic policy making process and provide economic policy advice to the US president.
Fazili is currently the Economic Agency lead on the Biden-Harris Transition. She was earlier posted at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta where she served as the Director of Engagement for Community and Economic Development.
Fazili is the second Kashmiri-origin Indian-American appointed to a key position in the incoming Biden administration.
In December, Aisha Shah was named as Partnerships Manager at the White House Office of Digital Strategy.
In the Obama-Biden administration, Fazili served as a senior policy advisor on the White House’s National Economic Council and as a senior advisor at the US Treasury Department in both Domestic Finance and International Affairs.
Prior to that she was a clinical lecturer of law at Yale Law School. Originally from Buffalo, she now lives in Georgia with her husband and three children. Fazili is a graduate of Yale Law School and Harvard College.
Before her time in government, Fazili was a clinical lecturer at Yale Law School’s community and economic development clinic, where she helped start a CDFI bank and a local anti-foreclosure initiative, and expanded the clinic’s work to international microfinance.
She also worked at ShoreBank, the nation’s first CDFI (community development financial institution) bank. Her work in finance has spanned consumer, housing, small business and microfinance.
She received her law degree from Yale Law School and her bachelor of arts in social studies from Harvard College.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> World / by PTI / Washington – January 16th, 2021
When Suvendu Adhikari crossed over to the BJP, it was said there’s no reason to fuss over the desertion of Mir Jafars. Now actor Rudranil Ghosh has earned the sobriquet of Mir Jafar 2.0. But what is it to be the progeny of a man-turned-pejorative?
The setting of this story is Lalbagh, a locality in Murshidabad, erstwhile capital of Subah Bengal or present-day Bangladesh, Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. According to the book The Musnud of Murshidabad (1704-1904), “Being more conveniently situated than Dacca for the collection of revenue and the supervision of trade… Murshed Kuli Khan, the Great Dewan of Bengal, selected it as his headquarters and embellished it, giving it its present name after his own.” This was in the early 1700s.
Thirty kilometres away from Lalbagh is Plassey, and Calcutta is 200 kilometres away. The nawab’s estate here has an enormous entrance; it was designed such that stately elephants could saunter through. To its left there is a two-storey stretch limo of a building punctured with countless square windows. “It is the house of the Bade Nawab and the Chhote Nawab,” says local guide Swapan Chowdhury. Yes, the Government of India abolished the princely order in 1971, which means titles are not recognised; but the usage endures in various orbits of society to suggest legacy, status or power, oftentimes as veneer on a less grand present.
The two “nawabs” are among the living descendants — eighth generation to be specific — of Syed Mir Jafar Ali Khan Bahadur, commander of the Bengal army under Nawab Siraj ud-Daulah. He whom we today know as Mir Jafar, shorn of all gallantry, accomplishments and grandeur he might have been associated with once. The same who is synonymous with the betrayal he perpetrated on the young Siraj in Plassey in 1757.
And so you have — mir jafar (n) once man, now pejorative; most commonly used Indianism for traitor or turncoat.
***
Syed Mohammad Reza Ali Meerza or Chhote Nawab greets me as he hurriedly picks a white kurta from the clothesline and slips it over his head. “This is the building that housed the sentries during Mir Jafar’s time,” says the 79-year-old.
Reza Ali has worked as a state government employee all his life. “My tenure as a permanent employee fell short by a few days and that’s why I do not get any pension, etc.,” he lets slip a crib and thereafter quickly arranges some plastic chairs, and with a wave of his hand and a “tashreef rakhiye” continues his narration.
Pointing to the recently installed statue of Siraj ud-Daulah bang opposite his house he says, “Siraj ke aami khoob bhalobashi… I love Siraj very much. People say Mir Jafar betrayed him. Bhul bole… that’s wrong.”
And yet from what he says, it is clear this is one “wrong” he and his kin have trouble living down even today. Tourists, visitors, researchers, all continue to raise eyebrows when they learn about the family tree. What about locals? He replies, “Oh! People here love me. They say: ‘We do not care about Mir Jafar. We know you are a good human being’.”
He offers a quick tour of the andarmahal. There are pictures and memorabilia aplenty littered all over. Is any of this Mir Jafar’s?
No. Most of the belongings of the nawabs are kept in the museum inside Hazarduari Palace. That collection includes Mir Jafar’s sword, shield and dagger, his footwear, the cutlery he used.
The Hazarduari Palace, Wasif Manzil, and Begum Manzil are all part of the nawab’s estate. Reza Ali offers to take us around. On our way out, we meet Syed Mohammed Abbas Ali Meerza, or Bade Nawab.
Abbas Ali has a persona quite distinct from his younger brother’s. He is of reserved bearing and stands on ceremony. He is quick to inform that, in 2013, he won “the case” in the Supreme Court and since then he and his brother have been recognised as genuine claimants to the title of the Nawab of Murshidabad.
Without the prodding, Abbas Ali starts talking about his ancestor. “Who says Mir Jafar was a traitor? Mir Jafar hails from the Najafi dynasty. We are the direct descendants of Prophet Hazrat Mohammad.”
The Najafi dynasty was born when the Prophet’s grandchildren Hasan and Husyain’s children married. Abbas Ali explains, “Hasan’s son Hassan e Mussanah and Husyain’s daughter Hazrat Fatimah Sughra married. And then the Najafi dynasty was born. We are the descendants of Husyain Najafi. His son Ahmad Najafi was married to Zinnat-un-Nissa, daughter of Shah Jahan’s son Dara Shikoh. Mir Jafar was their son.” He adds, “Mir Jafar was much higher in status to Siraj ud-Daulah, both by bloodline and given that he was the son-in-law of Alivardi Khan, the nawab of Bengal and grandfather of Siraj.”
Says Abbas Ali, “Had he wan-ted to kill Siraj, he wouldn’t have had to go through all the drama of Plassey. He could have got the musnud (throne) from the Mughal emperor himself.”
Dr S.M. Reza Ali Khan is another descendant of Mir Jafar. The Telegraph had interviewed him in January 2020; months later he died. Khan was a professor of history and had done a lot of research on the Battle of Plassey and Mir Jafar. He had said over phone from Hyderabad, “The ignominy attached to this name does not give us a good feeling.”
Dr Khan believed it is not quite right to judge Mir Jafar by cutting him away from the age he belonged to, the environment and those circumstances. He had said, “It was the 18th century and there was no concept of nationalism. And even if there was, let me tell you Siraj was not a great nationalist either. Besides, he had killed his own brother, his uncle and even the husband of Alivardi Khan’s eldest daughter, Ghaseti Begum, to get the musnud.”
Through the lockdown Dr Khan would call many a time with this reference and that reference from history texts. He spoke about the Sheths of Murshidabad, a very powerful community in the 18th century. They did business with French and British traders. Jagat Sheth Mehtab Chand, one of the most prominent businessmen of Murshidabad, used to lend money to the British at a steep interest. Dr Khan had said, “When Siraj declared the British as his enemy, Mehtab Chand could not have been very pleased. His business would have been hampered.” It seems a fair number of Sheths had stood up against Siraj.
Abbas Ali too spoke about Siraj’s unpopularity. Siraj had planned to kidnap the daughter of Rani Bhabani, the queen of Nator. “This was not well received by the Hindu nobility… Siraj had insulted Mir Jafar once in the durbar by having his beard shaved off.”
Octogenarian Baquir Ali Meerza is yet another descendant; he too is based in Lalbagh, but in Kella Nizamat. He says, “It is true we have to suffer the ire of people because the history books say Mir Jafar did not fight in the Battle of Plassey. But these books do not say why he did not fight.”
In The Black Hole of Empire, Partha Chatterjee cites from the Fort William Select Committee Proceedings of May 1, 1757. It reads, “The Committee then took into consideration, whether they could (consistently with the Peace made with the Nabob) concur in the measures proposed by Meer Jaffir of taking the Government from Souragud Dowla, and setting himself up…” Sometime end-June, the British won Plassey. In the same book, Chatterjee writes, “The battle was over by the fall of dusk. The next day, Clive wrote to Mir Jafar: ‘I congratulate you on the victory, which is yours not mine…’”
Baquir Ali’s version differs. He says, “Mir Jafar’s tent was closest to the British forces. The British had come to fight the French, not Siraj ud-Daulah. Armed with only 2,000 soldiers, they came to Plassey and found that Siraj was waiting there with an army of 20,000. The French army stood in front of Siraj’s camp. Mir Jafar’s camp was far away.”
According to him, the British approached Mir Jafar and asked him to mediate with the nawab. Mir Jafar sent a messenger to Siraj but it would have taken a day to cover the distance. In the meantime, the French army opened fire. The British mistook it as Siraj’s rejection of their proposal and retaliated. “Mir Jafar was confused and did not know what to do… What happened at the battlefield of Plassey is a case of misunderstanding and not betrayal,” says Baquir Ali.
The Telegraph asked Abu Taher Khan, the Trinamul MP from Murshidabad, his views on Mir Jafar. A guarded Khan replied, “In this atmosphere it is best I don’t comment on Mir Jafar… But it was because of Mir Jafar that our country lost its independence. Many people say, ‘These people come from the land of Mir Jafar’. Anyone can understand in what context it is being said.”
Grave Truths : Mir Jafar’s tomb in Murshidabad / Picture by Moumita Chaudhuri
On my way back from Murshidabad, I make two more stops — Mir Jafar’s palace and his tomb. As it turns out, there is no trace of the palace, only remains of what used to be its gates. The place is still referred to as nimakharam deuri or traitor’s gate. The Jafarganj cemetery that houses the tomb is also closed that day. The auto-rickshaw driver who has driven me around says, “Earlier it was always open, but then tourists would come and spit on it, kick it. That is when the local administration had it walled; a gate was installed.”
Locked too behind that gate are the graves of Heera and Panna, actors of the era’s dubious games of estate and empire. Falcons both, Heera and Panna flew spying sorties for the house of Mir Jafar — to the Siraj camp or, some say, to the British battlements, who knows? They were both killed in the line of duty, shot out of the skies — some say by Siraj’s marksmen, others that it was actually the British, who knows? Both were dear enough to be accorded resting places at the back of where Mir Jafar lies — to that there is sacrophagal evidence. The rest is contrary apocrypha, pick your version. That’s often the case with history too, narratives compete, interpretations duel.
I remembered what Abbas Ali had told me, “The British wrote our history. What I don’t understand is why the nawabs after Mir Jafar did not take it upon themselves to put out their version. If only…,” his voice had trailed off.Bloodline
Mir Jafar had three wives
Shahkhanum Begum
Offspring:
Fatima Begum and Mir Miran
Mir’s son is Murtaza Khan
Murtaza’s son is Mustafa Khan
Mustafa’s son is Asadullah Khan
Asadullah’s son is Azam Ali Khan
Azam’s son is Faiyaz Ali Khan
Faiyaz’s son is Jafar Ali Khan
Jafar’s son is *Dr S.M. Reza Ali Khan
Munni Begum
Offspring:
Nazam ud-Daulah
Saif ud-Daulah
Both died young
Babbo Begum
Offspring:
Mubarak ud-Daulah
Mubarak’s son is Babar Jung
Babar Jung had two sons, Ali Jaj and Wala Jah
Wala Jah’s son is Humayun Jah
Humayun’s son is Firadun Jah
Firadun’s son is Hassan Ali Meerza
Hassan Ali’s son is Wasif Ali Meerza
Wasif Ali’s daughter, Sahibzadi Hasmat-un-Nissa, married Sadiq Ali Meerza
Sahibzadi’s sons are
*Syed Mohammed Abbas Ali Meerza and
*Syed Reza Ali Meerza
*Descendants quoted in the story
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> Big Story / by Moumita Chaudhuri / January 17th, 2021
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2003, Padma Bhushan in 2006 and Padma Vibhushan in 2018.
Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan
In Umrao Jaan (1980), filmmaker Muzaffar Ali’s seminal film, a five-minute melody manages to put life’s ebb and flow in perspective. The raagmala Pratham dhar dhyaan dinesh illustrates the induction of the protagonist, Ameeran, into classical music and dance and showcases her metamorphosis into Lucknow’s fanciful courtesan, Umrao Jaan.
Composer Khayyam’s composition is ambitious and arduous—based on seven ragas each of which defines time, mood and colour of varied moments in life. To sing this, Ali chose Ut Ghulam Mustafa Khan—the Hindustani classical giant whose deep and dazzling voice was representative of not just an iconic lineage but also a rigorous riyaaz and years spent teaching some of the greatest musicians of our time.
Opening with an alaap that chimes with the word Allah, the melody merges into Brahma, giving a glimpse into the Awadh of the 19th century, when the syncretic fusion of cultures in music was a norm. But a more remembered piece is perhaps Jhoola kinne daala re amaraiyan in raag Desh, the story of a bedecked swing on which two lovers sway together.
Ut Ghulam Mustafa, one of the finest Hindustani classical vocalists and torchbearer of the Rampur Sahaswan gharana, died at his home in Mumbai on Sunday. He was 89.
Expressing his condolences, PM Narendra Modi tweeted, “The passing away of Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan Sahab leaves our cultural world poorer. He was a doyen of music, a stalwart of creativity whose works endeared him to people across generations. I have fond memories of interacting with him. Condolences…”
President Ram Nath Kovind tweeted, “…In his passing, music world has lost not only a doyen but also a mentor for young generation…”.
Ut Ghulam Mustafa was born and raised in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh. His mother was the daughter of the legendary vocalist Ut Inayat Hussain Khan, the court musician in Nawab Wajid Ali Khan’s court. He learned from his father Warish Hussain Khan, followed by tutelage under other family members, including Ut Fida Hussain Khan, court singer of Baroda’s royal durbar and then his cousin, Ut Nissar Hussain Khan.
His first performance was at a Janmashtami concert at the age of eight, where he was hailed as a child prodigy. What was also interesting about Ut Ghulam Mustafa was his openness to all forms of music, a rarity in classical maestros of his time. So when most classical singers were banishing Hindi film music, he found it easier to adapt.
According to Pune-based dhrupad maestro Uday Bhawalkar, Ut Ghulam Mustafa changed the colour and tone of how music in Rampur Sahaswan gharana sounded. “Someone like the great Ut Nissar Hussain had an aggression in the tone. Ut Ghulam Mustafa toned it down and made it softer,” says Bhawalkar.
The musician also sang in Mrinal Sen’s Bhuvan Shome (1969), and Badnam Basti (1969) among others. Another significant performance was a part of Coke Studio @MTV where composer and Ut Ghulam Mustafa’s student AR Rahman presented his guru on stage. The musician sang a composition in raag Yaman alongside guitars and drums.
Ut Ghulam Mustafa, till he died, remained an eminent guru to many leading musicians including Asha Bhosle, Manna Dey, Ut Rashid Khan (also his nephew), Waheeda Rehman, Geeta Dutt, Hariharan, Sonu Nigam, Alisha Chinoy and Shilpa Rao.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1991, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2003, Padma Bhushan in 2006 and Padma Vibhushan in 2018.
Once at a concert in Mumbai, Ut Ghulam Mustafa sang a thumri in Pilu, and got Ut Bade Ghulam Ali Khan on his feet. “Iitne dooble patle ho, kahan se gaate ho?” asked the musician. Ut Ghulam Mustafa Khan’s music, his bracing voice, its irrepressible vigour, probably came from his strict training. But also, from the joy he got from the seven notes that represented life for him.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Lifestyle> Art and Culture / by Suanshu Khurana, New Delhi / January 18th, 2021
A short documentary on Malayalam cinema’s evergreen star Prem Nazir, which surfaced online a couple of days ago, has garnered thousands of views, in testimony to the actor’s enduring popularity, thirty-two years after his passing away. On his death anniversary on Saturday, the video, which was made for Doordarshan back then, was shared across social media platforms, providing a glimpse of the actor to many from the younger generation too.
The documentary titled Nithyavasantham Nithyavismayam, converted from an old VHS tape, was uploaded on Facebook by Orbit Videovision. It was directed by Baiju Chandran, presently head of programmes, Doordarshan, Thiruvananthapuram. The film has interviews with actors, filmmakers, and producers who have worked with him, recollecting their memories.
Actor Mammootty speaks of how he, as a youngster unaware of the technicalities of filmmaking, assumed that Nazir was the same larger-than-life persona in real life as he was shown on screen.
Poignant memories
One of the poignant recollections is made by veteran script-writer Sarangapani about the special relationship the actor shared with Udaya studio, having starred in many a film produced under the banner. “He was not just a cinematic hero for the employees here. He used to enquire after each of the employees here, including the sweepers and the light boys and financially helped them out during difficulties,” he says. Actor Jose Prakash echoes these sentiments and says that Nazir was particular that whatever he is doing to help others should not be known to anyone else.
The documentary looks at how he became the romantic hero of the masses, how he was sometimes limited in his experimentation owing to that image, and of the instances when he successfully broke out of that mould and stunned everyone.
Rare camaradarie
His camaradarie with actor Sathyan, with whom he acted in several films, also becomes a point of discussion. Actors Saradha and Kaviyoor Ponnamma speak of how he was gracious enough to make everyone around comfortable, and treated everyone equally. There are rare interviews with his family members too.
The documentary ends with some rare visuals of his last journey, and of the multitudes waiting on both sides of the road, to catch a last glimpse of the star.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Thiruvananthapuram / by Staff Reporter / Thiruvananthapuram – January 17th, 2021
How Azim Premji expanded his business from vegetable oils to info-tech and put his money where his heart is
The story of a person can be inspiring. The authors have chosen their subject well, for, everyone knows of Azim Premji, but few truly know what makes the man.
A book about such a person, if well-written, may possibly inspire the reader into action. In this case, soon after you read the book, it’s difficult not to look up the Azim Premji Foundation website, to see if it had any volunteering opportunities, even if you have done nothing like it before!
In chronicling any life, it is easy to get mired down with mind-numbing detail that comes your way if you are sifting through 50-odd years’ worth of the protagonist’s hits and misses. The authors have done well to stick to the most interesting parts of Premji’s life. Two things stand out across events and across time: his integrity and a penchant for frugality.
Zest for austerity
His insistence on paying for personal calls made on his office phone is legendary. His friends know of his love for cars but also about his unwillingness to spend fanciful amounts on one.
He once wanted to buy a Fiat that was registered in Wipro’s name. He got the finance department involved in the discussion as he wanted to play by the rules and pay for the purchase. But with depreciation, the car’s value was zero to the company. The transaction did not go through.
At one point, his friends were agog with excitement at his purchase of a Mercedes, but it was… hold your breath… a second-hand one!
At another time, when his team was preparing to welcome clients on a visit to headquarters, and took Premji over the arrangements that included meals from a five-star hotel, he quipped, “If our cafeteria is good enough for our employees, it should be good enough for clients too!”
It’s probably the same zest for austerity that had him pleased while on a U.S. visit, when two of his senior-most executives bought lunch for the three of them at a Burger King outlet for less than $7.50! And, this was a man who didn’t bat an eyelid when an employee of the vegetable oils business lost ₹25 lakh in a year in a trading position.
A long journey
The book chronicles the journey of Wipro from the time the Premjis put down roots in Mumbai. It throws light on the man’s spirit of entrepreneurship, as the company cautiously experimented with opportunities — expanding from vegetable oils to engineering products, computer hardware, tech services and consumer care and lighting. It also does not shy away from some of Wipro’s missteps such as the investment in financial services, a business which withered away despite the group’s entry into the space after much thought and preparation.
His management style
While doing justice to the man’s talent for perseverance, the authors have touched upon his management style that many say cramped some CEOs under his chairmanship. His taking over as CEO in 2005 after the abrupt exit of Vivek Paul, said to have been primed for the post, or his decision to have a joint CEO structure soon after, at a time when competitors were blazing ahead, had raised eyebrows in the world of IT services at the time.
The reader may get the sense that the authors occasionally sound deferential when talking about the man or his family. But, it’s difficult not to be overawed by someone who has never sold a single share in his company but who chose to give away $21 billion worth of wealth to his foundation, leaving his two sons with shares valued at about ₹65 crore. How can one give away so much wealth and still, on the morning the news about the latest transfer to the foundation breaks, irritably ask an employee — who speaks of congratulatory messages overwhelming social media — “What’s all the fuss about?” ?
This book is a must-read for anyone who can read English.
Azim Premji: The Man Beyond the Billions; Sundeep Khanna, Varun Sood, HarperCollins, ₹699.
bharatkumar.k@thehindu.co.in
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books> Reviews> Profile / by K Bharat Kumar / January 16th, 2021
