Category Archives: Leaders

Former President Kalam to grace Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology’s convocation

December 24, 2013Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Leadersmpositiveone@gmail.com

Allahabad :

Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad (MNNIT-Allahabad), is poised to hold its 10th Annual Convocation-2013 on Thursday at the Rajiv Gandhi MP Hall Complex. The occasion will be graced by former President APJ Abdul Kalam as the chief guest while Prof VK Saraswat, chairman, Board of Governors, would preside over the function.

Speaking to newspersons on Wednesday, director, MNNIT, Prof P Chakravorty, said that during the convocation, 693 BTech, 77 MBA, 72 MCA, 9 MSc, 6 MSW, 404 MTech and 34 PhD students will be awarded degrees. For academic session 2012-13, 23 gold medals will be awarded to postgraduate students and nine to the undergraduate students.

Further, 18 sponsored gold medals are to be awarded across various academic programmes. This is in addition to the medals to be awarded to the toppers of the first, second, third and fourth years of undergraduate programs.

The coveted and prestigious Institute Gold Medal will be awarded to Shobit Srivastava of BTech (Computer Science & Engineering) for standing first amongst students of all branches of the Institute in the Final Year Examination of 2013. He will also receive a gold medal for standing First in BTech (Computer Science & Engineering) Final Year Examination 2013.

Archan Mudwel of Mechanical Engineering will be awarded the gold medal for standing first at BTech third year examination 2013, while Tanu Agrawal and Priyanshu Srivastava, both of Computer Science & Engineering, will be awarded gold medals for standing first in the second and first year examination 2013, respectively.

He said that the institute has continued to take large strides in its mission of academic excellence. In 2012, 66 new faculty members were inducted in various departments. This has taken the total faculty strength to 199, with 50 professors, 36 associate professors and 113 assistant professors.

During academic session 2013-2014, 1,485 students were admitted for various programs of BTech, MBA, MCA, MSc, MSW, MTech and Ph.D, out of which 92 students are from other countries.

In a new initiative, the institute has organized 22 Short Term Training Programs, Faculty Development Programs and Workshops during 2012-2013. Under the TEQIP II program, the Institute has been sanctioned an amount of Rs 12.5 crores towards implementation of several schemes such as innovative research, curriculum development, educational tours, training programs, networking, procurement of equipments, purchase of books, international visits and laboratory upgradation.

The Institute has maintained its excellent record of placements up to 85% during the session with ongoing placements of post graduate students also.

In terms of providing technical assistance to industries, government organizations, the institute has offered more than 290 testing and consultancy activities during the financial year 2012-2013. Altogether 40 research projects, with total sanctioned amount exceeding Rs 10.91 crores have also been sanctioned from various funding agencies, notably DRDO, DAE, ICSSR, DST, CSIR, UGC, DBT and UPPCB.

The Institute is looking at further initiatives towards renewable energy, rainwater harvesting, reusage and recycling of waste water, disaster management and energy conservation as its focus in coming years, he added.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Allahabad> Mnnit / TNN / October 31st, 2013

INS Circars celebrates 74 anniversary

December 24, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leaders, Science & Technology, Transport74th Anniversary INS Circar, Commander INS Circar, Commander INS Circar Saleem M Anwer, Commanding Officer, Commodore Saleem M Anwer, INS Circarsmpositiveone@gmail.com

Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Anil Chopra along with Commanding Officer INS Circars Commodore Saleem M. Anwer cutting a cake to celebrate the 74th anniversary of ENC Depot Ship INS Circars in Visakhapatnam on Thursday./ by Special Arrangement / The Hindu

The premier depot ship of the Eastern Naval Command, Indian Naval Ship Circars, celebrated its 74th Anniversary here on Thursday.

Initially established as a small base by the Royal Indian Navy in December 1939 shortly after the outbreak of World War II, the role of Circars changed over the years from coordinating naval operations, functioning as a repair organisation and being an establishment for Boys training, to its present status of being the premier depot ship of the ENC.

Festive look

The establishment currently provides administrative and logistics support to as many as 44 naval units in and around Visakhapatnam, catering to an approximate strength of over 3,500 personnel. Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Vice Admiral Anil Chopra was the chief guest for the celebrations marked to commemorate the occasion. The naval base wore a festive look, and saw active participation by personnel and families of INS Circars and allied units. A large number of serving and retired officers participated in the celebrations. The traditional cake cutting ceremony was followed by release of in-house Hindi magazine Circars Vaani. Speaking on the occasion, Commanding Officer, INS Circars Commodore Saleem M Anwer said that the depot ship was fully prepared to meet all challenges in its assigned role of supporting the ENC.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Visakhapatnam / by Special Correspondent / Visakhapatnam – December 13th, 2013

Actor Aamir Khan to pay tribute to Maulana Azad at Kolkata fest

December 19, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Leadersmpositiveone@gmail.com

Kolkata:

Actor Aamir Khan, great grand nephew of Muslim scholar and nationalist Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, will pay homage to the leader during the inaugural session of the fifth chapter of Apeejay Kolkata Literary Festival (AKLF) 2014, its organisers said Tuesday.

AKLF, running from Jan 8 to 13 next year, will celebrate the secular views of Azad to coincide with his 125th birth anniversary.

The festival will begin with Khan’s lecture titled “Maulana Azad: His belief in Secularism and his Foresight” at the Victoria Memorial Hall here.

Syeda Hameed, member, Planning Commission, will launch her book “Maulana Azad, Islam and the Indian National Movement”, at the fest.

“As part of the tribute, we have sessions on Urdu and Hindi poetry and sessions on exploring the south Asian literary identity,” Anjum Katyal, one of the directors of AKLF, said.

The fest, organised by Apeejay Surrendra Group and Oxford Bookstores, will witness the participation of around 60 delegates including authors and panelists from Europe, Britain, Egypt, China, Ghana and neighbours Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.

The speakers and panelists will include the likes of former BBC journalist and author Mark Tully, British author and playwright Farrukh Dhondy, Pakistani artist and writer Salima Hashmi, novelist Nabaneeta Dev Sen and Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan.

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan will also release his book at the event.

Woven around themes of ‘women’s writings’, the Raj, European authors and Granta authors (best young British novelists), the fest will also incorporate subjects that interest youngsters.

To lure the youth, discussions on writings on romance, food and love in Bollywood and fashion will be kept in focus. Speakers include upcoming authors like Nepali-Indian author Prajwal Parajuly and fashion designer Kallol Dutta among others.

The fifth edition, spanning six locations including various heritage buildings in the city, will also highlight the connection between literature, art and cinema through deliberations on music, dance and scriptwriting.

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> National / by IANS / Kolkata, Tuesday – December 17th, 2013

Women’s NGOs in Vijayawada set out to achieve quota Bill

December 18, 2013Community Involvement / Social Issues, LeadersMallika Begum, Mayor Mallika Begum, Mayor Mallika Begum of Vijayawadampositiveone@gmail.com

Former MP Chennupati Vidya addressing the all-women's meeting organised to chalk out an action plan for achievement of 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies, in Vijayawada on Thursday. Former Mayors Mallika Begum and Tadi Sakuntala are also seen./ The Hindu — Former MP Chennupati Vidya addressing the all-women’s meeting organised to chalk out an action plan for achievement of 33 per cent reservation for women in legislative bodies, in Vijayawada on Thursday. Former Mayors Mallika Begum and Tadi Sakuntala are also seen./ The Hindu

Representatives of various women’s organisations have come on to a common platform to build pressure on the UPA Government in support of their demand that the long-pending Women’s Reservation Bill be passed in the winter session of Parliament.

At a meeting initiated by the city-based NGO Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM), women representatives of various political parties, voluntary organisations and service organisations unanimously resolved to work relentlessly for achievement of 33 per cent quota for women in legislative bodies.

Former MP Chennupati Vidya, who is also VMM president, said that it was time the ruling party proved its commitment to women’s rights and gender equality by passing the Bill in the winter session.

“The Bill has gained acceptance in Rajya Sabha and awaits approval of the Lok Sabha.

In the wake of the alarming increase in atrocities against the fairer sex, it is imperative to make women’s voice heard in Parliament. Various organisations have set out on the task of mobilising support for the Bill at the district, State and at national-level,” said Ms. Vidya.

She also churned out statistics of women’s representation in both the Houses of Parliament over the years to prove her point that the fairer sex had not been given what was due to her.

The NGO general secretary G. Rashmi spelled out an action plan drawn to spread awareness on the need to bring in the proposed law.

Signature campaign

She said that members of this conglomeration of organisations would fan out across the district and educate various sections of the society on all aspects related to the proposed Bill.

A signature campaign would be followed by a massive rally culminating into a public meeting on December 10, coinciding with International Human Rights Day.

Former Mayors Mallika Begum and Tadi Sakuntala, president of Mahila Samakhya P. Durga Bhavani, Lok Satta president Sarala Kumari, BJP’s mahila wing national president M. Revathi, YSR Congress Party city convenor Suneetha, Lion’s Club former district governor Vidyawathi, Inner Wheel Club district unit chairperson Prameela Rani, Vasavi Club past governor T. Gayathri, Bezawada Bar Association secretary D. Sujatha, Indira Kranthi Padhakam additional project director Kalika Devi, Arthika Samatha Mandali secretary Nou among others pledged their support to what they called a crusade to achieve 33 per cent quota for women in legislative bodies.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Vijayawada / by Special Correspondent / Vijayawada – December 01st, 2013

Madiba’s Indian connection

December 16, 2013Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Uncategorized, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

While Nelson Mandela was a symbol of the struggle against oppression across the globe, he and his movement always had a very special connection with India.

A Bharat Ratna awardee in 1990, he is the only non-Indian to receive the honour. (He was also given the Nishan e Pakistan in 1992).

Mahatma Gandhi, who evolved and perfected his technique of Satyagraha in South Africa, was a source of great inspiration to Mandela. On his India visit in 1990, Mandela, when informed of a veteran journalist’s 13-year-old daughter, who was his fan, said “Tell her that I was in fact inspired by a man who was born right here in India.”

Mandela used Gandhi’s tactics at several points as he went about evolving his own philosophy. In the early sixties, the ANC had a militant wing called the Umkhonto We Sizwe (Spear of the Nation) which Mandela was part of. In 1962, Mandela spoke of the need for forceful action and quoted Gandhi as saying: “If the choice is between cowardice and violence, I will pick violence.” Later, he once again used Gandhi as a guide in his efforts to build bridges between seemingly irreconciliable forces.

Several of Mandela’s closest comrades and associates were of Indian origin. Two of his closest comrades, Ahmed Kathrada, and Ismail Meer, with whom he spent almost all of his prison years, were Indian.

An Indian, Sonny Venkatrathnam, also jailed at Robben Island in the 1970s for his role in anti-apartheid activities, got his wife to smuggle ‘The Collected Works of Shakespeare’ inside the prison and passed it off as the Robben Island Bible. Nelson Mandela, Ahmed Kathrada, Chris Hani and others read Shakespeare’s plays as a relief from the boredom of having to break stones all day.

Mandela kept a diary while in prison, and hid it in the grass to ensure that the wardens do not destroy it. After twelve years in prison with Mandela, another Indian, Mac (Sathyandranath) Maharaj, who was released after 12 years, as opposed to Mandela’s 27 years, transcribed his notes and smuggled the account out, which was known to the world on its release in 1976 as The Long Walk to Freedom.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home / by Seema Chisti / New Delhi , Saturday – December 07th, 2013

Indian-origin Ahmed Kathrada pays moving tribute to Nelson Mandela

December 16, 2013Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, Uncategorized, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

Pretoria :

Ahmed Kathrada, the Indian-origin veteran anti-apartheid activist and aide of Nelson Mandela, moved many mourners to tears when he paid a poignant tribute to the late statesman during the state funeral at Qunu village in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province Sunday.

“When Walter (Sisulu) died, I lost a father, when you died I lost a brother, now I don’t know who to turn to,” Kathrada said.

A long-time friend of Mandela, Kathrada said the last time he saw Mandela alive was when he visited him in hospital, South Africa’s government news agency SA News reported.

“He tightly held my hand… and brought all emotions… Farewell my dear brother, my mentor my leader… I have lost a brother.”

Kathrada and Mandela were both imprisoned in Robben Island for their political views.

“I recall the tall, healthy strong man, the boxer, the prisoner who rigorously exercised every morning. Now the inevitable has happened. He left us to join the ‘A team of the ANC’.

“Together, we shared ideas and walked side by side in the shadow of death,” Kathrada said.

“We are deeply grateful to Madiba… We are deeply grateful that dignity has been restored to the people of South Africa, we are deeply grateful to Chapter 9 institutions that zealously guard our Constitution,” he added.

Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected black president, died of illness in his Johannesburg home Dec 5 at the age of 95.

source: http://www.economictimes.indiatimes.com / The Economic Times / Home> News> World News – International / by IANS / December 15th, 2013

Mumbai college students meet Ansari

December 14, 2013Education, Leadersmpositiveone@gmail.com

Mumbai:

A delegation of college students from South Mumbai called on Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari at his official residence here on Wednesday. Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Shipping Milind Deora was also present.

Interacting with the students, Ansari said such visits enable students to understand India’s rich cultural and historical heritage, and also it’s all round progress and development. He wished the students good success in their life.

Every year, a delegation of college students from South Mumbai visits Delhi to get first hand experience of the working of Parliament, and also to meet various dignitaries, including central ministers. (ANI)

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Education and Career / Mumbai, Wednesday – December 11th, 2013

Rahman Khan urges Muslims to revisit Golden Age of Islamic science

December 14, 2013Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Science & Technologympositiveone@gmail.com

December :

(Pervez Bari): “The time has come for the entire Muslim world to introspect and get awakened to revisit five centuries, from 750 to 1258 AD – which is often described as the Golden Age of Islamic science — the teaching and practice of medicine in Europe was heavily influenced by the works of Al-Razi (d. 925), Al-Zahrawi (d. 1013) and Ibn Sina (d. 1037) to reinvent Islam’s image of peace, human values and service to humanity through Quranic injunction and Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) sayings (Hadees).

The difference between non-Muslims and Muslims is only that of service to humanity by the latter on the directives of Quran”.

The above observation was made by Mr. K. Rahman Khan Union Minister of Minority Affairs, who was the chief guest, while delivering the inaugural address of the three-day International Conference on “Revisiting Abul Qasim Al-Zahrawi’s Legacy in Medicine and Surgery” here on Friday evening at the India Islamic Cultural Centre.

Rahman Khan lamented that whole of Islamic world today is in turmoil despite it is blessed with wealth at its hand but no research is being conducted to benefit mankind. He called upon Muslims, especially youth, to emulate Al-Zahrawi, who has been called father of modern medicine and surgery, not only in medical but all other fields to serve the mankind.

The New Delhi-based Institute of Objective Studies, (IOS), in collaboration with MESCO (Muslim Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation, Hyderabad), and Maulana Azad Education Foundation, Ministry of Minority Affairs, New Delhi is organizing the three-day international conference on to mark the 1000th death anniversary of the pioneer physician and surgeon and highlight his wide-ranging contributions to medicine and surgery. The co-sponsors of the event are India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi, and PARAS HEALTHCARE.

Prof. Omar Hasan Kasule, Sr. Faculty of Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, KSA, in his presidential address said that Islamic medicine is not specific medical procedures or therapeutic agents used in a particular place or a particular time. Islamic medicine is universal, all-embracing, flexible, and allows for growth and development of various methods of investigation and treatment of diseases within the framework described above’. The conceptual clarification from this definition opened the door to Islamization of modern scientific medicine.

Prof. Kasule Islamic Health Care Industry provides a value-added to medical care, spirituality, ibadat-friendly hospital, and Islamic ambience. The Islamic approach provides holistic care. Unlike Islamic finance, it started with professional training at faculties of medicine. All have a stake in health only a few have a stake in banking, he added.

Meanwhile, Harish Chandra Singh Rawat, Union Minister of Water Resources, in his address said that he salutes the sense of dedication and sense of inequality in Islam which Al-Zahrawi followed to serve whole humanity and not Muslims alone.

Dr. Fakhruddin Mohammad, Organising Secretary & Hony. Secretary, MESCO, Hyderabad threw light on the introduction of the theme of the international conference aptly.

Dr. Ahmad Abdul Hai, MD & Chief Consultant, Hai Medicare & Research Institute, Patna, in his key-note address said: “Islam has made a very glorious contribution to the art of healing. The basic impetus and the inspiration for this Islamic medicine came from the Noble Quran and the teachings of the Holy Prophet which took medicine away from the realm of superstation & fantasy and gave it a rational footing. This was the basis of Islamic Medicine”.

Dr. Hai quoted Dr. Ahmad Al Kadi of USA who had said: “the treatment in question may be spiritual, physical, exercises, nutritional adjustment, pharmaceuticals preparation (natural or synthetic) surgical procedures, implants, use of modern diagnostic tools (MRI & PET Scan), radiation therapy or a combination of any of these modalities”.

This definition of Islamic medicine may come as a surprise for some of us who feel that Islamic medicine is something limited to the therapy practiced by the revered old Hakeem’s, or is rooted only in natural herbs or is limited to the direct health related teachings found in the Quran & Hadith, or some faith healing manoeuvres, he added.

He said that Islamic medicine includes all the modalities of modern medicine but yet differs from it because it is rooted in divine faith & ethics. It strives for excellence. It is comprehensive, paying attention to the body, the psyche and the soul. It takes into account not only the individual patient but also the society. It is universal, utilizing all useful resources and offering its services to all mankind.

Earlier, Dr. Fakhruddin said that Abul Qasim Khalaf ibn al-Abbas al-Zahrawi (940-1013), known as Albucasis in the West, devoted his entire life, in Madinat al-Zahra, near Cordoba, in Muslim Spain, to medical research and practice. He made an outstanding and original contribution to medicine, surgery, orthopaedics, gynaecology and obstetrics, pharmacology and dentistry. He has been described as the father of modern surgery.

At the outset Maulana Abdullah Tarique recitated verses from the Holy Qur’an. Prof. M. Afzal Wani, Professor of Law, GGS IP University, Delhi, welcomed the dignitaries, guests and delegates. The inaugural session of the International Conference will be webcast live on the link http://vectraimage.com/webcast/ios/. Dr. Mohammed Iftekharuddin, Director, MESCO, Hyderabad conducted the inaugural function with aplomb.

Meanwhile, after the Maghrib prayers a plenary session was held on the theme of Islamic ethos in al-Zahrawi’s contribution to medicine and surgery which is still going at the time of going to the press. The plenary session is chaired by Maulana Dr. Saeed Al Azami Al Nadwi, Chancellor, Integral University and Chief Editor, Al Baas Al Islami, Lucknow. Prof. Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Founder President, Ibn Sina Academy of Medical Medicine and Sciences, Aligarh is the Co-Chairman of the session. (pervezbari@eth.net)

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> India / by Pervez Bari pervezbari@eth.net / Friday – December 13th, 2013