The Kanara Industries Association (KIA) elected its new office-bearers for 2026-27 at its 46th Annual General Body Meeting held at the C. N. Shetty Convention Hall, Baikampady, on September 30.
B. A. Iqbal was elected as the President, while Ramachandra was elected Vice President.
Roshan Baliga B. will serve as the Secretary, with Suresh B. Karkera as Joint Secretary and Sundar B. as Treasurer.
The meeting was attended by members of the association.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / October 01st, 2026
Bushra Bano defies four surgeries, responsibility of two kids to become IPS
Aligarh :
Its very rare in the history of Indian civil services that women candidates face interviews when they are more than eight months pregnant and have undergone multiple surgeries.
Dr Bushra Bano, a resident of Sork Qaswa in Kannauj district, uttar Pradesh, and Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Firozabad (Sadar tehsil), has faced this odd meritoriously. She has secured 234th rank in the latest UPSC list of successful candidates. She was allotted the Indian Police Service (IPS).
Bushra is mother of two children, both born through caesarean surgeries. Besides, she had to endure two more major surgeries. Yet her resolve to continue her education and later pursue competitive exams for various Indian services remained unaffected.
“I was a gifted child since childhood. At least this is what my parents feel proud of and all my acquaintances admit. I started my primary education at the age of four in Class 2. All through my academic life, I have been a topper. After completing my B. Sc in Mathematics (usually rare for girls in India), I decided to go for an MBA and I completed that before I turned 20.
“Just after that I joined PhD in Management at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). The very next year, I qualified for the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) that gave me confidence to make my education self-reliant and a passion to earn on my own. I finished my PhD in a short time of two years and few months,” Bano told this correspondent in a candid chat from Firozabad.
She said that while she was still pursuing her research at AMU, she started teaching at Hindustan and Anand Institute in Agra.
“Then I got married to Asmer Hussain, an assistant professor in Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. Perhaps as a marital boon, I was also selected as an assistant professor at the same university and both of us taught together,” said Bano.
However, the Saudi sojourn was not suiting her heart.
“I was working there, but my heart always stayed in India. The only memorable thing for us was to perform a pilgrimage to Mecca. After four years, it became impossible for me to defy the pangs of homesickness. I consulted my husband and resigned. He stayed back,” said Bano, insisting that it was the most difficult decision of her life.
After arriving in India, Bano didn’t sit idle. She was now a mother of a son. She joined a post-doctoral programme in AMU and at the same time started preparing for various competitive exams.
“My first attempt at the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) was not successful. However, I managed to join a reputed Coal India company as assistant manager. My posting was in Sonbhadra. Next year, I got through the prelims of both the Public Service Commission (PCS) of UP state and UPSC.
“In June 2018, I cleared the Mains of both the exams. I was pregnant with my second child then and when interviews were conducted, I was in the last stage of my pregnancy. The UPSC first declared its list. I had secured 277th rank and was allotted the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS). Later, when the PCS result was announced, my rank was 6th and that meant I was eligible to become Deputy Collector or Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM). Thus, I joined as SDM of Firozabad Sadar in 2020,” said Bano.
Bano also shared an interesting episode of her married life.
“In families with kids, it is usually women who sacrifice. But in my case, my husband sacrificed his Saudi job for me. Since it became clear that I would work in India and our children would also be with me, he decided to resign from his job and join us in India. Now, he works as a businessman,” said Bano.
She added that her husband, who was teaching without a PhD, is now also pursuing a PhD.
As an SDM, Bano has been famous for her stand on illegal mining in Firozabad. She has also been strict in ensuring law and order and devising ways to bring relief to weaker sections of society.
She wears a hijab and it raised some eyebrows in her office. “Some people thought I was a ‘kattar’ (hardliner) Muslim. But, when they began to understand me, their doubts melted and now I am their favourite madam,” said Bano.
One of the most joyous moments in her life came when her another attempt at UPSC brought her 234th rank and she was allotted IPS.
“But I have decided that I will join it only when I am offered my home cadre. Otherwise, I am happy as SDM in UP,” she said.
Bano’s advice to young Muslims, especially girls and their parents, is that youth should be given the choice to pursue their passion at whatever stage in their lives.
“I chose to quit my Saudi job, come to India and opt for these services and my family supported me. Such cooperation from your dear ones makes a lot of impact in your life,” said Bano. -IANS
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Women / by Muslim Mirror / January 04th, 2022
Yasmin Sait, an author & life-purpose coach and a resident of Gokulam in Mysuru, was crowned ‘Super Elite Mrs. India Astral 2026’ at the 10th Grand Edition of Miss Teen, Miss, Lady & Mrs. India Astral 2026 in Bengaluru.
The 3-day national pageant was held at The Kings Meadows, Vidyaranyapura, Bengaluru, recently.
Yasmin is the daughter of late Minister Azeez Sait & Zubaida Bai couple and sister of NR MLA Tanveer Sait.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Gallery> Photo News / September 30th, 2026
Dr Hina Qasim Foplinkar, daughter of an ST bus driver, completed BHMS, served as an excise inspector and fought a legal battle before securing her police selection in Maharashtra
Mumbai :
Dr Hina Qasim Foplinkar, who began her education at an Urdu-medium school in the small Konkan village of Sai, has been selected for the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police/Assistant Commissioner of Police after clearing the Maharashtra Public Service Commission examination.
The daughter of a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus driver, Foplinkar first became a doctor, then spent nearly seven years working as an inspector in the Maharashtra Excise Department before clearing the MPSC examination. She is currently undergoing training at the Maharashtra Police Academy in Nashik.
Foplinkar completed her early education at RZP Urdu School in Sai. She then studied at Advocate Haroon Solkar High School in Sai, where she completed Class 10, followed by Class 12 in science at SS High School and Junior College in Morbe.
She completed her BHMS in 2014 and became a doctor.
Speaking to Urdu daily Inquilab, Foplinkar said her teachers in Sai and Morbe played an important role in her educational journey by guiding her and encouraging her to pursue higher education.
“During my BHMS studies in Kharghar, I learnt about government jobs and competitive examinations,” she said.
After completing her graduation, Foplinkar worked for a year at different hospitals. During this period, she came across an advertisement for a free competitive examination preparation programme run by Savitribai Phule Pune University.
She cleared the entrance examination and was subsequently provided free accommodation and preparation facilities for around two years. She said this period helped her prepare for competitive examinations.
“During this period, I successfully cleared all the stages of the examination for Excise Inspector,” she said.
Nearly Seven Years in the Excise Department
Foplinkar joined the Maharashtra government’s Excise Department as an inspector in 2018. During her nearly seven years in the department, she served in areas including Andheri, Matunga and Chembur.
Despite having a government job, she continued preparing for further competitive examinations.
“I had a feeling that I had to do more. I continued my studies while performing my government duties,” she told Inquilab.
Her attempt to move into the state police service, however, did not come without setbacks.
Foplinkar appeared for the MPSC examination in 2023 and cleared all three stages but did not succeed at the medical stage and therefore could not secure a place in the final merit list.
She appeared again in 2024 and cleared the examination, but her name was again absent from the final list. She then challenged the matter through legal proceedings.
According to Foplinkar, she spent eight months pursuing the case before the decision was made in her favour.
“I had to fight a legal battle for eight months for my right. You have to raise your voice against injustice within the system and within the prescribed legal framework. It is not an easy task. In the end, the decision came in my favour,” she said.
Parents’ Sacrifices
Foplinkar has attributed her success to the sacrifices and support of her parents.
Her father worked as an ST bus driver but later decided to go to Kuwait to provide better educational opportunities to his two daughters. He worked as a driver for a private company there for around 10 years.
“My parents’ sacrifices are part of my success. Their prayers and hard work are the reason I have reached this position today,” Foplinkar said.
Her career has also drawn attention because of her educational background. She studied in an Urdu-medium school in Sai before pursuing science education, completing BHMS, entering government service and later clearing the state civil services examination.
Foplinkar’s journey is being seen as an example for students studying through Urdu, particularly those from smaller towns and villages.
She believes Urdu does not prevent a student from achieving professional success, provided students continue to acquire knowledge and skills and prepare themselves for competitive examinations and new opportunities.
Her progression from an Urdu-medium school in a small Konkan village to the medical profession, the Excise Department and now police service has made her an example of perseverance for students, particularly Muslim girls pursuing higher education.
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick> India> Indian Muslims / by Clarion India Team/ August 25th, 2026
SFI leader Dilshada Raihan, a Muslim woman, was elected president as the AISA–ASA–DSU–SFI–TSF alliance reclaimed the University of Hyderabad Students’ Union from ABVP, winning all general posts.
Dilshada Raihan, the candidate of an alliance comprising the All India Students’ Association (AISA), Ambedkar Students’ Association (ASA), Dalit Students’ Union (DSU), Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Tribal Students’ Forum (TSF), has been elected president of the University of Hyderabad Students’ Union for 2026.
Her victory puts a Muslim woman at the head of the union after the ABVP won the previous election.
Raihan is an SFI leader.
The alliance also won the vice president and general secretary posts. Korra Nithin Chauhan of TSF was elected vice president, while Pratik Sagar of ASA won the general secretary post.
Naresh Podishetti contested for president on the ABVP–Sevalal Vidyarthi Dal panel. K. Naveen Kumar was the presidential candidate of the alliance comprising the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Fraternity Movement, Muslim Students Front (MSF) and Progressive Democratic Students Union (PDSU).
Muhammad Aflah KK and Venisa Choudhary also contested the general secretary post against Pratik Sagar on the three alliance panels.
Siddhant of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) has won the joint secretary post on the AISA–ASA–DSU–SFI–TSF alliance panel.
source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob Media / Home> South India> India / by Maktoob Media / September 30th, 2026
Those who supported partition sought the then Hyderabad PM’s intervention to stop funds to Darul Uloom in UP
An image of the complaint sent to Sir Akbar Hydari against Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madani; and other connected documents preserved at the Telangana State Archives and Research Institute.
It was the time when Hindus and Muslims joined hands to fight for India’s freedom, and Darul Uloom at Deoband in Uttar Pradesh and scholars of the Islamic seminary played a vital role.
So much so that those who opposed the strong anti-partition stand of celebrated freedom fighter Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madani, who taught hadith (tradition of Prophet Muhammad) at the institution, termed it ‘anti-Muslim’, and even sought a rescinding of a grant to the seminary from the State of Hyderabad.
Documents preserved at the Telangana State Archives and Research Institute reveal that on August 22, 1938, one G.H. Siddiqui from Bijnore had complained to Prime Minister of Hyderabad, Sir Akbar Hydari, saying that Maulana Madani had unfurled a Tricolour atop his allotted quarters. He then proceeded to describe the seminary as an ‘institution which has now become a political centre of anti-Muslim religious propaganda and is now, no more an institution to give pure Islamic education’. He then sought to know whether it would be possible to briefly stop the annual grant to teach a ‘lesson’ to the staff.
Sir Hydari’s handwritten note, polite in tone and tenor, found its way to the Vice Chancellor of the seminary, Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani, another celebrated Islamic scholar, to know whether this was true, even as he requested him to investigate the matter.
In his response, Maulana Usmani said that not only was the incident true, but the small flag that was once atop the quarters was replaced by a much larger one. The maulana, whose political leanings were diametrically opposed to those of Maulana Madani, supported the creation of Pakistan and eventually moved there. He had pointed out that the incident had happened in his absence. While Maulana Madani’s office had responded to inquiries, he himself had not.
The letter shows that there was not much that Maulana Usmani could do. In the letter he writes, “Esteemed sir, you may remember that as I have previously informed you that 10 or 11 years ago, when my predecessors appointed the maulana as principal of the institution, they had accepted all his conditions, that his political activities and leanings would not be restricted.”
Academic and author Shamsul Islam, in his book “Muslims Against the Partition of India”, writes that Maulana Madani, who was fiercely against partition, was famous for saying in 1937, nearly a year before the incident as mentioned in the letter to Sir Hydari, that ‘nations are based on homelands, not religion’.
Speaking to The Hindu , noted cleric and president of Jamiat-e-Ulama Hind (Arshad Madani group) Maulana Arshad Madani, who is the freedom fighter’s son, opined that the staunch opposition to partition was a result of foresight, and conviction in peaceful coexistence of communities.
“He was of the strong opinion that partition would not auger well for Muslims in India and Hindus in Pakistan. He believed that for 1,300 years, both communities lived next to each other without problems. We saw what happened after partition. He was imprisoned for a total of nine years, including in Sabarmati jail, and in Matla,” he said.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Hyderabad / by Syed Mohammed / August 14th, 2021
Senior social worker and entrepreneur Tonse Sheikh Budan Basha Saheb passed away on Wednesday. He was 89 years old.
Born at Tonse Bengre on November 6, 1937, he began his professional career at the Karkala Munsiff Court. In 1971, he moved to Doha, Qatar, where he worked in the commercial sector. He served as the general manager of Mars Trading Company for around 30 years.
He returned to Udupi and settled there in 2001. He served as the president of the Udupi Wakf Board for around nine years. He also served as the president of Udupi Jamia Masjid for several years. He had several agency and distribution businesses in Udupi and also served as the president of Mars Traders.
Budan Basha Saheb was a former president of KMCA Qatar and a former vice-president of Tulu Koota Qatar. He was actively involved in several Indian organisations and forums in Qatar.
He is survived by two sons, three daughters, relatives and a large number of well-wishers.
The burial and last rites were performed at Tonse Khadimi Masjid after Isha prayers on Wednesday.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / September 10th, 2026
Thikekarwadi Panchayat (Junnar Taluk, Pune District), MAHARASHTRA :
Aslam Shaikh in front of the Gram Panchayat office in Thikekarwadi
In 2021, Aslam Shaikh, a diploma holder in agriculture, took charge of the Thikekarwadi Gram Panchayat as Gram Sevak. His arrival accelerated the village’s development. During his tenure, the village won the first prize of Rs 1 crore across the entire country under the ‘Gram Urja Swaraj Visesh Panchayat Puraskar 2023’.
The award ceremony was organised at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. At this grand event, President Droupadi Murmu presented a certificate of honour, a memento, and a cheque of Rs 1 crore to Thikekarwadi’s Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar, Gram Sevak Aslam Shaikh, and Block Development Officer (BDO) Sharadchandra Mali.
When this trio returned to the village with this special honour, a historic victory celebration was held across Thikekarwadi with the sounds of traditional instruments, fireworks, and women’s singing troupes.
Thikekarwadi’s Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar said, “We have worked with Aslam Chacha for many years. He executes his work with absolute honesty. He was highly cooperative. We received excellent support from him.”
President Droupadi Murmu awarding Thikekarwadi’s Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar, Gram Sevak Aslam Shaikh,(Extreme right) and BDO Sharadchandra Mali.
Aslam Hussain Shaikh once cleaned the office of the Gram Panchayat of Thikekarwadi as a peon.
Aslam Hussain Shaikh hails from an ordinary family. He completed his schooling from a Zilla Parishad school in Narayangaon and Guruvarya Rajaram Parshuram Sabnis Vidyamandir.
In 1982, when he was in the eighth standard, his parents suddenly passed away. He was left to fend for himself. However, the villagers did not leave him alone.
The late Bhagubai Shelar, Bhamabai Walke, and their families took care of Aslam.
It was because of their support that Aslam could study up to the tenth standard. Throughout this journey, his sister, Babyjan Inamdar, also played the role of a parent for him.
After passing the tenth standard in 1984, Aslam started his career as a peon in the Warulwadi Gram Panchayat. It was Krushiratna awardee Anil Meher, who gave Aslam his first opportunity to work as a peon.
Even while working, Aslam never gave up his determination to study further. In the next two years, he completed his Agriculture Diploma with distinction from the Agriculture College in Manjari Farm. He also passed his 12th exams as an external student from Manchar College.
His first wife Shamim Shaikh, who passed away, and his second wife Biismillah Shaikh have played great roles in his life. Aslam Hussain Shaikh and Bismillah have a son named Sajid and a daughter named Mumtaz.
Thikekarwadi’s Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar, Gram Sevak Aslam Shaikh, and (BDO) Sharadchandra Mali at Vigyan Bhawan
Aslam Hussain Shaikh faced a rough patch in his life when, due to a freeze on appointments, Aslam could not get a government job.
Finally, in 1989, he was appointed as a clerk in the Narayangaon Gram Panchayat, where he worked till 2006.
In 2006, the Pune Zilla Parishad opened up contractual Gram Sevak recruitments through a 10 per cent quota for Gram Panchayat employees.
Based on his Agriculture Diploma, Aslam wrote the exam and scored the highest marks in Maharashtra. He was appointed as a Gram Sevak.
He left a remarkable imprint of his work in various Gram Panchayats in the Junnar taluka, including Aptale, Nirgude, Ambegavan, Rohokadi, and Thikekarwadi.
Aslam Shaikh and Sarpanch Santosh Thikekar worked together to turn this tiny village into a ‘smart village’. During his tenure, they executed several major developmental projects.
100% Use of Solar Energy: Special subsidies were secured for all families in the village to use solar energy. Today, 100% of the households in the village use solar water heaters for hot water.
Self-Generated Electricity: The village set up solar plants, biogas plants, and windmills to generate up to 10,000 watts of electricity, effectively bringing the village’s electricity bill down to zero.
Complete Measurement of Agricultural Land: Thikekarwadi possibly became the first village in Maharashtra to have all its agricultural land officially measured by the government.
100% Drip Irrigation: With the help of the agriculture department, all farmers in the village were motivated to use drip irrigation methods for 100 percent of their farming.
Soil Health Testing: To understand the deficiency of nutrients in the soil, a special soil testing initiative was launched in the village, the benefits of which farmers are reaping to this day.
Aslam Shaikh with his wife Bismillah Shaikh
Village Honoured with Over 45 Awards
Thanks to the precise planning of the Gram Panchayat, Thikekarwadi has received over 45 big and small awards to date. Under the ‘SantGadgebaba Gram Swachhata Abhiyan‘, the village won the first prize in the state of Maharashtra. Along with this, by winning the highly prestigious national-level ‘Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Spardha Puraskar’, this village became the number one Gram Panchayat in the country.
Aslam is as good a citizen as he is an honest worker. Expressing his concern over the current social climate, Aslam says, “There are very bizarre attempts being made right now to create social polarisation. The situation was not like this before. People used to live in harmony with each other. This harmony is the hallmark of our Narayangaon.”
Aslam further states, “I have been seeing this since childhood; till date, no incident causing religious tension has ever occurred here. We celebrate all festivals together joyfully. I have served as the secretary of the Mahasaroday Ganeshotsav Mandal for 10 years, and as its vice president for another 10 years.”
Summarising his entire journey, he gives one final, invaluable message. He says, “Our country will only progress if we all live united and with one heart. If we all stay united, our future is very bright.”
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Success-Story / by Bhakti Chalak / July 15th, 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
It is a commonly held notion that the states of India are natural units, each a homeland of a particular language and culture that existed long before 1947. The formal recognition of these states after India became a Republic was nothing but natural.
A Slice of History
History shows that the political boundaries most Indians live inside today were drawn by a three-member commission that submitted its report on 30 September 1955. This means that the line that separates a Kannadiga from a Malayali or a Bihari from a Bengali was an innovation.
Till then, India had simply carried forward former British provinces, princely states and centrally administered territories, classified under a four-tier system of Part A, B, C, and D states inherited from the Government of India Act of 1935. It was Sir Syed Fazl Ali, a judge from Benares (Varanasi), who led the work to define the boundaries of Indian states,
Born on 19 September 1886 in Varanasi to Saiyid Nazir Ali, Fazl Ali belonged to a family of lawyers, with roots in Bihar. He studied at Muir Central College, Allahabad (now Prayagraj), and at the Middle Temple, London.
Oner his return to India, in 1912, set up practice in the district courts of Chapra, Bihar, arguing criminal cases before subordinate judges. This apprenticeship carried him to the Patna High Court in April 1928, with a deputation to settle labour disputes at the Tata steel works in Jamshedpur.
He was knighted in the New Year Honours of 1941, became acting Chief Justice of Patna in 1938 and permanent Chief Justice in January 1943.
Fazl Ali also chaired the inquiry into the Royal Indian Naval Mutiny of February 1946, one of the last rebellions against the British Empire in India. Later he sat on the Calcutta Disturbances Enquiry Commission, investigating the killings during the partition.
Fazl Ali was elevated to the Federal Court in June 1947. In three months and an Independent India, he went as India’s delegate to the second session of the United Nations General Assembly, where he was elected chairman of its Fifth Committee. In 1950, he became one of the eight judges of the Supreme Court of India. He was also the first Muslim to sit on that bench.
One of his dissenting notes as a Supreme Court judge made history. Indian Parliament had passed the Preventive Detention Act of 1950, allowing the state to jail a person without trial. In A.K. Gopalan versus State of Madras, decided on 19 May 1950, Chief Justice Harilal Kania led the majority in holding that a citizen could be stripped of his liberty by any procedure Parliament chose to enact, however unfair, so long as it was called law.
Two of the six judges who disagreed were Fazl Ali. Fazl Ali held that the procedure established by law had to rest on four elementary principles, which he summed up in a single line: “the right to be heard before one is condemned.” It took twenty-eight years and the government’s arbitrary seizure of a young woman’s passport, without explanation, for the Supreme Court to agree with him.
In Maneka Gandhi versus Union of India in 1978, the Court finally read fairness back into Article 21, and nearly every later right to dignity, privacy and due process in India has been built on that foundation. In fact, less than two years after Gopalan, Fazl Ali had already sat with the majority in the State of West Bengal versus Anwar Ali Sarkar, striking down a law that let the government to select certain cases for trial in Special Courts, bypassing ordinary procedures.
The Court held that such discretionary power violated Article 14 of the Constitution, as it allowed arbitrary and unequal treatment of similar offences. Indian courts still apply the test of reasonable classification under Article 14 that this judgment helped establish.
In 1952, Potti Sreeramulu fasted for a separate Telugu state. He died in the process, and there was unrest in the region. This forced Jawaharlal Nehru’s government to concede to reorganisation of India along linguistic lines.
In December 1953, Ali Fazl Ali, then Governor of Odisha, was asked to head a commission with the historian-diplomat K.M. Panikkar and the veteran liberal parliamentarian H.N. Kunzru as members for the purpose. For almost two years they toured the country, took evidence region by region and read memoranda from parties, princes and peasants. They weighed every demand against four tests – national unity and security, linguistic and cultural homogeneity, financial and administrative viability, and the welfare of the people in each proposed state.
The Commission submitted its report on 30 September 1955. The report said that it was guided by the principle that “the unity of India must be regarded as the paramount consideration,” and refused to accept one language, one state as an absolute rule.
Not every line the commission drew was viable. For example, it kept Maharashtra and Gujarat together as a bilingual Bombay state. The plan was not acceptable to both Marathi and Gujarati speakers, and the state was split into Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960.
The commission had recommended 16 states and three union territories as against the final Reorganisation Act of November 1956 going for 14 states and six UTs. However, the template was intact. Punjab and Haryana followed it in 1966. Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand followed it in 2000. Telangana followed it in 2014. Every one of these reorganisations has worked within the same administrative and legal vocabulary that Fazl Ali’s commission wrote, that a community’s claim to its own language and government must be weighed against, never simply surrendered to, the unity and coherence of the nation.
Fazl Ali spent his last years as Governor of Assam, working to bring the Naga hills into the administrative mainstream. He opened a college at Mokokchung, Nagaland that still bears his name.
Fazl Ali’s son, Syed Murtaza Fazl Ali, became Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court and, in 1975, a judge of the very Supreme Court his father had helped inaugurate. Sir Syed Fazl Ali was awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1956. He died in office on 22 August 1959.
Sir Syed Fazl Ali led no mass movement. But every time an Indian under arrest demands to know the grounds, every time a citizen calls a law arbitrary before a court, and every time someone crosses from one state into another without a thought for how that border came to sit exactly there, they are repeating an argument first made by a Varanasi-born Bihari judge.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Saquib Salim / September 11th, 2026
