Category Archives: Leaders

Jetsetter of the Week: Nishat Fatima

March 17, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, LeadersNishat Fatima, Nishat Fatima - Editor-Harper's Bazaar India, Nishat Fatima-Journalistmpositiveone@gmail.com

As one of India’s best known and best loved editors, we have always admired Nishat Fatima’s chic style. Intrigued by how she copes with the incessant travel schedules especially around fashion weeks, we asked her how she likes to travel

It’s a widely accepted fact that all Hyderabadis — all eight million residents, and their diaspora that spreads across the world — are somehow, inevitably, connected to each other. So I don’t know why I was so surprised when I showed my grandmother a fabulous article on Hyderabad in Condé Nast Traveller a few years ago only to have her glance at the byline and remark, “Oh, Nishat Fatima, that’s my friend’s daughter.” I’ve been in touch with Nishat ever since, and am in awe of her talent.

Since our first encounter, when she was a freelance writer contributing to countless publications including the aforementioned Conde Nast Traveller, Khaleej Times Dubai, and BBC Good Food, she’s now the editor of one of my favourite magazines, Harper’s Bazaar India. She’s also written two books, one an award winning coffee table book documenting 25 years of the Indian couturier Suneet Varma, and the other a work of fiction called Seriously, Sitara?

We caught up with Nishat in between fashion weeks to get her travel picks:

Occupation: Editor, Harper’s Bazaar India

Hometown: Hyderabad

Currently lives in: New Delhi

Just back from: Mumbai. From fashion week

Next stop: Paris. For fashion week

The one place I’m dying to go that I can’t believe I haven’t been to yet: Spain. Love everything about it, had two opportunities and cannot believe I missed both.

I plan for a trip by:

a) scouring every guidebook and travel website there is

b) learning a few key phrases in the local language

c) asking my friends for tips

d) Planning? What planning? I like to wing it.

Nishat says: D. Absolutely!

My top five packing essentials: Hand cream, tissue, chap stick, iPad, camera

Carry-on or check in? Why carry-on when you can check in. Especially, if I’m lugging all the things I didn’t think I could manage without.

I always keep _______ close at hand on the plane. A high-necked jacket. Shawls are too fiddly.

On the plane I…

a) read books

b) watch movies

c) pass out before takeoff

Nishat says: Watch movies. But there’s always a back-up book. Or two. Just in case.

My travel beauty regimen: Lots of water, juice, and regular applications of moisturiser and hand cream

My sartorial necessities: Comfortable shoes, and pants and a soft, full-sleeved cotton T-shirt

The first thing I do when I arrive at my destination: Shower, change and hit the street.

If I could live anywhere in the world, it would be: Melbourne

The city you couldn’t pay me to go back to: Dubai

I travel to:

a) Sight-see

b) Shop till I drop

c) Eat

d) Get my culture fix

e) Relax

Nishat says: All of the above. I’m a bit obsessive. I like to pack in as many things as possible into a trip.

My travel style is:

a) don’t-miss-a-thing

b) go-with-the-flow

Nishat says: A in my intentions, B in reality

Travel pet peeve: multiple security checks in the same airport.

The best hotel I’ve ever laid my head at: The Dorchester, London

The ultimate hotel amenity: Fluffy bathrobes. I remember one I could have spent the rest of my life in.

The most memorable meal of my life was at: Hong Kong, my first taste of real Sichuan food. Amazing. And totally different from anything I’d eaten in India

My kind of souvenir: Shoes. I’ve never been on a trip on which I didn’t buy shoes.

Earliest travel memory: A trip to Shimla. I remember a lot of snow.

Best travel memory: Three weeks in Melbourne on a holiday with friends in 2007.

Craziest travel experience: A trip to Geneva, in which I was stranded in Frankfurt on the way to, spent a night at the airport, and then fell sick on the flight back.

source: http://www.popxo.com / POPXO / Home / by Sarah Khan, Guest Contributor / Sunday – September 22nd, 2014

Can Kaif relive Lord’s magic in Phulpur ?

March 17, 2014Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, SportsCricketer, Mohammed Kaif, Mohammed Kaif - Indian Team Cricketer, Mohammed Kaif- UP Cricketermpositiveone@gmail.com

It was a mammoth task: England had set India a target of 326 at Lord’s in the July 2002NatWest final. In those pre-T 20 days, teams seldom piled up such huge scores, forget chasing them. India, after a robust start, lost five wickets in five overs. Mohammed Kaif came in at no 7, when India were 5 for 146. What happened after that is history. Kaif went on to become the man of the match, hitting an unbeaten 87 off 75 balls, and steering India to a famous victory that most now remember as the match where skipper Sourav Ganguly took off his blue jersey and did a victory dance.

Twelve years later, Kaif has another big challenge. He is the Congress candidate from Phulpur in Allahabad, a onetime Congressbastion from where Jawaharlal Nehru, and then his sister, Vijaylakshmi Pandit, contested. But the last time Congress won there was in 1984. Kaif is pitted against BSP’s Kapil Muni Karwariya, the sitting MP, and SP’s Dharma Raj Patel. BJP is yet to announce its candidate.

“I realize it is a Herculean task,” says 33-year-old Kaif, who is from Allahabad. “I am a newcomer to politics. But as an internationalcricketer, I am ready to take up the challenge and give it my best shot.”

A couple of weeks back, he was in a mall in Delhi and bumped into Rahul Gandhi. “He asked me if I was interested in contesting. He told me that more and more youngsters need to join politics from all walks of life. He inspired me to take up the challenge… I agreed to his offer,” says Kaif.

His cricket career was going nowhere. He was dropped from Team India in 2006. He was playing domestic cricket and IPL matches, but this seasos, he was ignored at the IPL auctions.

But he knew people in the Congress inner circle like Union minister Rajiv Shukla. Besides, he “met Rahulji whenever he came to watch our matches”. “I am no stranger to the party,” he says.

Kaif is married to Noida-based journalist Pooja and has a two-year-old son. “Our family has been a very liberal, sporting family. My father Tarif played first-class cricket for UP and Railways. So did my brother Saif. We have always been told to respect all religions and cultures. Besides, onsports fields only your performances and behaviour matter, not your religion or caste.” UP politics, though, is another story.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Specials / by Santosh Suri , TNN / March 17th, 2014

Jaffer Sharief should build a second line leadership: Arshad

March 17, 2014Community Involvement / Social Issues, LeadersC K Jaffer Sharief, Congress Veteran C K Jaffer Sharief, Jaffer Sharief, Karnataka Youth Congress President, Karnataka Youth Congress President Rizwan Arshad, Rizwan Arshadmpositiveone@gmail.com

Bangalore :

Hailing from an ordinary background, who caught the eye of AICC president Rahul Gandhi, state youth Congress president Rizwan Arshad has the responsibility of wresting the seat held by BJP since 2004 and also prove to the state Congress leadership that winnability exists among the youngsters too.

Was it a sportive gesture on Congress veteran C K Jaffer Sharief to sulk and plan to quit the party, when he failed to get the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha ticket?

He is a senior and aged leader, I would not like to comment on whether it was sportive or not. But the duty of every senior political leader is to develop a second and third line leadership. Today its time Sharief also develops a second level leadership. I am sure he will fulfill this duty of giving an opportunity to the next generation.

With all Muslim legislators and leaders in the party petitioning the Congress high command in favour of former MP C K Jaffer Sharief, how do you plan to win them now?

The Congress party does not function on what a single community says. My candidature was recommended by chief minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC president G Parameshwara. I have met senior leaders in my party to seek their support. There’s a big generational change happening under AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who wants to provide opportunities to the youth hailing from ordinary background.

Bangalore Central has been having candidates across parties, who were senior in age, as an younster, how will you connect with voters?

Bangalore Central is a constituency with youngsters. Of the 17.96 lakh voters here, 45% are under 35 years. And when I meet the seniors they have been saying that they wanted a young candidate to contest.

What are the major issues to be tackled in Bangalore Central ?

This is a constituency, which is the heart line of Bangalore as we have the Whitefield IT corridor. Its one of the oldest and attracts the maximum traffic with people criss-crosing from various points. For the last five to seven years there has bee no special focus on central part of Bangalore, which we need to prepare for futue challenges. Reason: Bangalore is going to compete with citiesoverseas. For this purpose CM Siddaramaiah constituted the Vision Group.

Unlike other communities like the Vokkaligas and Lingayats, why has the Muslim community not been able to project a single leader pan parties?

Its a very sensitive question. Among other communities, if they have singular leaders, the Muslim community cuts across parties to vote. The reason is for a Lok Sabha poll not more than two Muslims get the ticket and in assembly elections about 20-25 candidates. In the rest of the Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies the Muslims vote for candidates of other communities. Therefore no Muslim leader can say he owns the community.

Having contested two elections for the youth Congress polls, how does it feel to be catapulted into a Lok Sabha election?

Both are tough. In the youth Congress polls, we need to convince the youngsters to become members. Then these members have to become delegates who become the electoral college. Its a tedious process. In the assembly or Lok Sabha elections the voters’ list will be ready and we have a defined boundary. Huge manpower is required and you need to convince the people to vote for you.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> Specials / by Naheed Ataulla, TNN / March 17th, 2014

Mughal Emperors eyes medical tourists from Iraq

March 16, 2014Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Science & Technology, Travel & Tourism, World OpinionAbdul Qadir Gilani, Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, Mughal Emperors Logistics Private Ltd, Yakub Habeebudin Tucympositiveone@gmail.com

The company is promoted by Yakub Habeebudin Tucy, the great grandson of last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.

Hyderabad-based Mughal Emperors Logistics Private Ltd is reaching out to Iraqi nationals interested in medical tourism in India.

The company, which is promoted by Yakub Habeebudin Tucy, the great grandson of last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, said it was also looking at Jordan and Palestine.

According to Tucy, the potential medical tourists from Iraq to India is 800-900 every year. While a less severe medical therapy costs around Rs 60,000 in Iraq, in India it costs Rs 15,000-20,000. The cities mostly preferred for therapies are Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.

On average, a medical tourist from Iraq stays for 20-25 days in India, while in some cases it’s around 60 days.

On the total Indians visiting Iraq annually, Tucy said more than 16,000 visit places of religious interest including the shrines of Abdul Qadir Gilani in Baghdad, Imam Hussain in Karbala and Imam Ali in Najaf. Some Indians also throng the ruins of Babylonia on the River Tigris.

Mughal Logistics is ferrying a batch comprising 100-120 individuals every two months to these holyplaces for the Muslim community.

It runs a seven and eight-day package for Indians travelling to Iraq, priced at Rs 65,000 and Rs 75,000 respectively.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> Companies> News / by BS Reporter / Hyderabad – March 05th, 2014

Mayor Majid Hussain to quit today

March 12, 2014Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, UncategorizedMajid Hussain, Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (MIM), Mayor Mohd Majid Hussain, Mohd Majid Hussainmpositiveone@gmail.com

Hyderabad :

Mayor Mohd Majid Hussain will resign on Friday ending his over two-year term at the helm of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

His party Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (MIM) has asked him totender his resignation from the post on Thursday. MIM is likely to field him in one of the Assembly constituencies in the city.

“My party has directed me to resign from the post on Thursday. Abiding by the decision of the party, I am resigning on Friday. My party will take a decision on utilizing my services,” Majid Hussain told TOI on Thursday.

Majid Hussain took over the reins of the GHMC on January 3, 2012 as part of the power-sharing agreement between MIM and Congress in 2009 soon after the civic body elections.

As part of the agreement, of the five-year term, the mayor post goes to a Congress candidate for the first two years followed by that of MIM for the next two years. The last year should go to a Congress candidate. Likewise, the deputy mayor post would go to the other party during that period. Congress mayor Banda Karthika Reddy had served as the mayor for the first two years and subsequently MIM corporator from Ahmed Nagar, Mohd Majid Hussain, took over the reins in January, 2012 and has completed his two-year term on January 3.

Though in the last one year the mayor post should have gone to the Congress, the party has not been claiming it for various reasons mainly keeping in view the likely tie-up with the MIM in the general elections. Since Congress was not coming forward, Majid Hussain continued in the post.

By pulling out from the mayor post, MIM is likely to snap its ties with the Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha, Assembly and GHMC elections to be held this year.

With the resignation of Majid Hussain, Congress has to announce its mayor candidate. Several corporators, including deputy mayor G Raj Kumar, floor leader Diddi Rambabu, Bowenpally corporator Narasimha Yadav and others are eyeing the post.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Hyderabad / by TNN / March 07th, 2014

UP govt appoints Rizwan Ahmed as new DGP

March 12, 2014Community Involvement / Social Issues, LeadersIslam Ahmed, Javed Usmani, Rizwan Ahmad, Rizwan Ahmad - DG of Uttar Pradesh, Rizwan Ahmad - Director General Police U.P., UP Chief Secretary Javed Usmanimpositiveone@gmail.com

Rizwan Ahmad takes charge as the new DGP of Uttar Pradesh, replacing Devraj Nagar (left) who retired on Wednesday. / PTI / The Hindu

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has appointed Rizwan Ahmed as the new Director General of Police. An 1978 batch IPS officer, Mr. Ahmed, who assumed office on Tuesday, will hold the top police post in the State for 59 days as he is due to retire on February 28, 2014.

Mr. Ahmed becomes only the second Muslim, after Islam Ahmed served as the IG Police in 1971 ( the State police chief then was known as IG Police), to have become the UP police chief. Significantly, the Chief Secretary of the State is also a Muslim (Javed Usmani ), which meant that for the first time in Uttar Pradesh the top two administrative and police officials are from the minority community.

Mr. Ahmed, who, prior to assuming the new charge, was the DG, Government Railway Police (GRP), was made to supersede four police officers of the 1977 batch — Vinod Kumar Singh, Arun KumarGupta, Brij Lal and Suvrat Tripathi. Mr. Ahmed’s name was being mentioned in the police circles as the next DGP after Devraj Nagar’s retirement on December 31, 2013. Since, the Chief Secretary was also a Muslim it was said that the Government may avoid making a Muslim the UP police chief.

Among the other contenders for the top office were the DG, Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) Ranjan Dwivedi, an IPS officer of the 1979 batch, another officer of the 1979 batch, A.L. Banerjee, presently the Director (Vigilance) and the DG (Police Housing Corporation) Arun Kumar Gupta.

That Mr. Ahmed will indeed be the next DGP was known at a tea party hosted by the outgoing police chief, Devraj Nagar on Tuesday. Mr. Nagar, was earlier in the day given the ceremonial send off. Present in the tea party were the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary (Home) Anil Kumar Gupta. The new DGP assumed charge at around 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Other States / by Atiq Khan / Lucknow – January 01st, 2014

J&K woman IAS wants to serve state

March 12, 2014Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, LeadersFirst Kashmiri Muslim Girl IAS, First Mjuslim Girl from Kashmir to clear IAS, Khalid Iqbal Bari, Ovessa Iqbal, Ovessa Iqbal - First Muslim Girl from Kashmir to clear IAS, Sameena Iqbal, Shah Faisal, Syed Abdul Bari, Syed Sibtul Ainmpositiveone@gmail.com

Ovessa Iqbal With her maternal uncle Syed Sibtul Ain at her residence in Srinagar. PHOTOGRAPH: JAVAID BHATT

Ovessa Iqbal, the first Muslim girl from Jammu and Kashmir to clear the Indian Administrative Services examination has come a long way from the sleepy village of Chachoot in Leh. 25-year-old Ovessa started her journey with the help and encouragement of her elder sister Sameena Iqbal, a history lecturer at Women’s College, Srinagar. Ovessa completed her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Chandigarh.

Sameena believes Ovessa’s determination helped her clear the IAS in her third attempt. Ovessa recently cleared the Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) examination too. Brimming with confidence she says that the government should set up some mechanism in all the three regions of J&K for students to receive the required education to clear such examinations. Six students from the state have cleared the examinations this year.

Last year Shah Faisal of Kashmir topped the IAS resulted. Faisal has been allotted the J&K cadre.

Talking to this newspaper Ovessa said that her parents wanted her to pursue MBA, but “I wanted to try my luck for IAS.” Ovessa said that she did not join any coaching institute. But Ovessa is broken by the sudden death of her mother Khalida, who died in an accident in Hyderabad recently. “I would have really enjoyed my success with my mother,” she said. “I want to serve the needy and help the exploited lot in J&K which was what my mother dreamt I would do,” Ovessa added.

Ovessa Iqbal’s great grand parents had migrated from Kadikadal area of Srinagar to Leh, Ladakh. Her great grandfather was the first Mirwaiz of Leh. Her maternal side is also from the Kashmir valley as her late mother Khalida Iqbal Bari was the daughter of Syed Abdul Bari of Buchpora, Srinagar.

Ovessa Iqbal would love to be in Kashmir as she considers the valley to be her second home.

Ovessa is firm that she will serve the people of J&K especially women. “I would love to see the end of women’s exploitation. I pray to God to allow me to make some difference,” Ovessa said.

Ovessa lamented that despite having huge potential J&K students were not getting proper coaching and guidance required to appear for such competitive examinations.

The J&K government has not been able to provide proper coaching centres to the students competing for various examinations. For the last few years a small voluntary group known as the Initiative for Competition Promotion in JK (ICPJK) has trained some students for such exams. This voluntary organisation is run by IPS officer Abdul Gani Mir who is the DIG (central) in J&K.

source: http://www.sunday-guardian.com / The Sunday Guardian / Home> News / by Noor-Ul-Qamrain / May 15th, 2011

Vice-President Hamid Ansari releases Darda’s book

March 12, 2014Arts, Culture & Entertainment, LeadersHamid Ansari, Minister New n Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah, Mohd. Hamid Ansari, Vice President Hamid Ansarimpositiveone@gmail.com

New Delhi :

Vice-President Hamid Ansari on Wednesday released senior Congress MP Vijay Darda’s book ‘Public Issues Before Parliament’.

The book catalogues public issues that Darda has raised through his two-decade-long parliamentary career, making skilful use of parliamentary devices: interventions which often drew effective responses from the government.

Those present at the book launch included noted constitutional expert Fali S Nariman, minister for heavy industries Praful Patel , minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah and Lok Janshakti Party leader Ramvilas Paswan.

Herro K Mustafa, minister counselor for public affairs in the US embassy in New Delhi, and Silvia Costantini, first counselor, political affairs in the delegation of European Union, were also present.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> India / TNN / February 20th, 2014