INDIA :

Nazarana Gold Mohur of Bahadur Shah Zafar

The last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah II, might have been completely forgotten by his country and his people, but the interest in everything associated with him among numismatists and history enthusiasts around the world is soaring high. On August 28 numismatists and historians gaped in amazement when a Nazarana Gold Mohur of Bahadur Shah Zafar from the year 1839 was sold for an astounding sum of £571,500. This amount comes to around Rs 6.8 crore. The auction was conducted by Spink Auction, one of the most credible auction houses with a history of more than 350 years.

Not many are surprised at the interest shown in the nazrana mohur of the last Mughal emperor as everything associated with the doomed emperor is still very attractive to historians and numismatists. Bahadur Shah Zafar, or Bahadur Shah II (24 October 1775 – 7 November 1862) the last Mughal emperor of India was not just a vestige of past, he was a very popular leader, poet, sufi and a great freedom fighter who rose with his people against the tyrannical and brutal rule of the British East India Company. While the mutiny was defeated in a matter of months, Bahadur Shah Zafar lost badly, sacrificing his sons who were butchered by a British officer, faced sham trial where there was no hope of justice and the judge was doing all to punish the King and then faced the worst humiliation possible for any human to endure, let alone the king.

Bahadur Shah II was the 20th and the last Mughal emperor. Born Mirza Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad he succeeded his father, Akbar II, upon his death on 28 September 1837. His rule ended on 21 September 1857 when the mutineers lost the battle and the Emperor was arrested in Delhi, near Humayun’s Tomb by Major William Hodson. Bahadur Shah II was a titular emperor, or a namesake king as the Mughal Empire existed in name when he ascended to the throne as the authority of the empire had shrunk only to the walled city of Old Delhi or Shahjahanbad.

The country or the community haven’t done justice to the poet king, whose sacrifices for the nation and his opposition to the colonial rule have completely been ignored. Several of his sons and even grandsons were mercilessly massacred by the rampaging colonial officiers in the wake of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s defeat and his eventual arrests. He was also packed off to a faraway Rangoon, Burma where the last Mughal emperor spent his life in extreme penury and helplessness. Merely four years into his crushing and degrading imprisonment in the year 1862, at the age of 87, the last Mughal emperor developed some illness. Due to utter lack of healthcare facilities for the octogenarian emperor and his family, his condition deteriorated and became serious. There was only a farce treatment given to Bahadur Shah Zafar, but he couldn’t survive the humiliation heaped upon him over the last four years by brutal and wicked colonial rulers. The Emperor breathed his last on Friday, 7 November 1862 at 5 am. Instead of allowing the family to mourn the death of the emperor the Raj was more intent to force the king perpetual obscurity by keeping his grave away from the eyes of the world. He was buried at 4 pm and only two male members with a moulwi were allowed to offer truncated funeral prayer.

It should be noted that Nazarana coins struck in the name of last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II and minted at Shahjahanabad are extremely rare. For long, British used their coins for transactions in Delhi and other parts of India under their control, though the minting of nazrana coins in small quantities occurred sometimes under the direct supervision of the British officials.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Art & Culture> Indian Muslim / by Muslim Mirror Special Correspondent / September 07th, 2025

Mahmudabad (Sitapur District), UTTAR PRADESH :

The Rani of Bilehra was an unlikely champion of emancipation

Illustration by Atri

White light fills the room  as I open my eyes and stare groggily at the unfamiliar surroundings—a huge room with lime-washed walls, high ceilings with ornate arches and my bed, which sags a bit in the middle because it is a palang—with cloth strips stretched across and wound tightly at the edges. And then I remember: I am inside the mahalsara, the women’s palace, in the heart of the Qila of Mahmudabad, a living fort in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh.

My family and I are guests of Raja Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan. We will be spending two days here, participating in the mourning rituals of Muharram, one of the most prominent, and sacred, cultural observances by Mahmudabad’s royal family.

The palace is divided into two distinct sections—the zenana, the women’s section, and the mardana, the men’s area. In pre- and newly independent India, the women of the Raja’s family were confined within the zenana, where no men except close family members were allowed. The wings still remain distinct—my six-year-old son, Hasan, and I have been given a room inside the zenana, while my husband is in the mardana. Women walk freely in and out of the zenana, but men, other than the family, still cannot enter.

I get ready, leave my room and walk past the huge courtyard of the mahalsara, flanked by large imambaras. On one end of the courtyard are the chambers of the erstwhile Rani of Mahmudabad, the present Raja’s mother.

***

Rani Kaniz Abid was the queen of the estate of Bilehra, a royal in her own right. A strong, self-possessed woman, the Rani had depth of character and a sharp intellect. She had named the zenana, the usaara, which means ‘prison’. This is the place where humans are kept as prisoners, she would say. Once, someone brought a few colourful caged birds as pets for the young crown prince. But the Rani would not hear of it. She walked up to the cage and opened the gate, setting the birds free. This was her silent protest against the invisible cages of the world that women lived in.

At the far edge, to the right of the mahalsara, stands a lush green garden that has at its centre a large rectangular, glimmering pool flaunting a curved bridge over it. Known as the phulwari, this space was once the garden of the royal ladies. Within this very garden was a small menagerie that the late Raja built for his son. This zoo housed a myriad birds and animals for the amusement of the young prince, but it made the Rani uncomfortable. She would, one day, request her husband that as much as she would like her son to look at them and be happy, these creatures should be set free. You cannot cage living beings, was the lesson she instilled in her son.

Rani Kaniz Abid’s longing for freedom also stemmed, perhaps, from traumas of her early childhood, when she faced confinement at the hands of the British. Her brother, who was the heir-apparent, passed away at a very young age, and her father, heartbroken and overcome by grief, followed just three months later. Eight months on, her mother too passed on, leaving her and her three sisters orphaned. As the eldest, Kaniz Abid was to become the next Rani according to the rules of primogeniture, but she was still a Rani-in-waiting until she came of age. During this time she and her sisters were confined to a house where a British collector supervised every aspect of their lives. For her, that was the beginning of life in the usaara. A life of virtual imprisonment. That was also the beginning of her realization of what it meant to long for freedom, which she never lost even as the Rani of Bilehra.

***

Reminiscing, the Raja speaks of his mother’s deep religious convictions. But her spirituality was not in conflict with her championing of freedom. As a Rani who commanded power and respect, her life, she felt, remained cloistered in the usaara by patriarchy. And yet, she voluntarily chose never to reveal her face in public. The Raja recalls that for most of her life, his mother would insist on remaining purdah nashin [A woman who remains veiled in public in accordance with the practice of purdah]. In fact, her first passport had no photograph for identification, only a note saying purdah nashin! It was only much later that she agreed, when her daughter-in-law, with whom she was very close, “persuaded her and took her to England”.

Rani Kaniz Abid’s daughter-in-law Vijaya Khan, the present Rani of Mahmudabad, hails from a renowned family of Udaipur—the daughter of former foreign secretary Jagat Singh Mehta. Interestingly, in spite of the difference in religion, the cultural context of both places was surprisingly similar. Rama Mehta, the present Rani’s mother, in her book Inside The Haveli, has described vividly the separate zenana and mardana sections, and the various regulations within her marital home in Udaipur. Although the book is a fictionalized account based on her own life, it depicts real places and the real culture of the times.

Restrictions upon women existed uniformly across religions and geographies. And it was considered a way of ‘honouring’ the women of the nobility, by not letting a commoner have the privilege of setting eyes upon them. In practice, however, it became oppressive. But Rani Kaniz Abid, the queen who couldn’t stand cages, subtly and gently unlocked the gates of the usaara as well. She never asked her daughter-in-law to observe the restrictions of segregation, reflecting her firm belief that, in time, even the most entrenched systems would slowly but surely transform. 

 ***

Back in the zenana, I am now in front of the Bara Imambara, participating in one of the processions that begin inside the mahalsara. This procession is accompanied by a horse that is decked up in ceremonial regalia to represent the steed of Imam Husain, the Prophet’s grandson, martyred in the battle of Karbala. The horse is a Mewari stallion, gifted to the Mahmudabad family by the royals of Udaipur. A caretaker leads the handsome animal into the zenana, and as they walk by, I take full notice of the man, and suddenly find myself struggling to suppress a wave of laughter in the middle of this sombre mourning procession.

The caretaker is wearing a ghoonghat, a chequered cloth drawn over his head. This veil will prevent him from resting his eyes upon the women inside the zenana. I mull over, with some amusement, this far superior solution for men who complain of being ‘lured’ by the mere sight of women.

He holds the reigns of the horse, while the ladies chant elegies, led by a distinguished woman—the Raja’s first cousin. Gazing at her as she recites, I wonder if the erstwhile Rani resembled her—silver hair, pale skin, almond eyes and a look of utter serenity. I am suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of solidarity and admiration for Rani Kaniz Abid, who may have accepted purdah, but dreamt of freedom, both for herself and for others in her care. Who valued the need for mobility and opportunity, and believed in setting free all living creatures from all sorts of cages—the visible and the invisible.

source: http://www.readersdigest.in / Readers Digest / Home> Features / by Zehra Naqvi / July 16th, 2019

KARNATAKA :

Prof. A.M. Pathan, who headed two central varsities and introduced many new courses, to lay down office as CUK V-C on June 30

Prof A.M. Pathan

Abdul Jaleel Khan M. Pathan, popularly known in academic circles as Prof A.M. Pathan, would be laying down office as Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Karnataka (CUK) on June 30 after completing his illustrious service in the field of higher education in different capacities, including the rare honour of being the Vice-Chancellor of two Central Universities and serving as Vice-Chancellor of Karnatak University, Dharwad, for two consecutive terms.

During his 14 years as the Vice-Chancellor of Karnatak University, Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad, and Central University of Karnataka in Gulbarga, Prof. Pathan had set new standards to improve the quality of education and extend the reach of higher education to all sections of society.

A reputed geologist, who specialised in ore geology, he had completed his undergraduation and postgraduation in Karnatak University before doing his Ph.D. in Bangalore University. A bright student throughout his career, he was awarded the Wrangler Dr. D.C. Pavate Award for scoring the highest marks in B.Sc and won the same award in the M.Sc examinations of Karnatak University.

Prof. Pathan strengthened every institution that he led and was sensitive to the social engagement of the institution with its stakeholders. Life Fellow of the Mineralogical Society of India (MSI), he is presently its Vice-President. He had also held the post of President of the Association of Indian Universities by virtue of being the seniormost Vice-Chancellor.

Market-friendly courses

Dr. Pathan, who served as the Vice-Chancellor of Karnatak University for two terms from July 1996 to July 2002, was responsible for improving and strengthening the infrastructure of various departments and providing state-of-the-art laboratories and had introduced several vocational and market-friendly courses such as seed technology, tissue culture, food processing, corporate secretary, international economic and business, and biotechnology.

As the second Vice-Chancellor of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University, a Central University established by an Act of Parliament, he improved the reach and quality of the distance education offered by the University, benefitting more than 1.56 lakh learners in140 study centres in all the States and Union Territoriesof the country. A study centre was also established in Saudi Arabia for the benefit of the expatriate Urdu learners and he initiated steps to establish similar study centres in the U.K. and the U.S.

Prof. Pathan was responsible for introducing CBSE education in Urdu medium in the model schools established by the university in the educationally backward and Urdu-speaking majority areas such as Darbhanga.

He was a member of the site selection committee constituted by the Union Government and the UGC for establishing the Central University in the educationally backward Gulbarga district.

As the first Vice-Chancellor of the CUK, Prof. Pathan introduced many new courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels and was responsible for introducing a unique integrated course for the students coming out of PUC. The Central University of Karnataka also offered PG and Research programmes in English, Kannada, Hindi, Economics, Social Works, Commerce, Applied Geography and Geoinformatics, Psychology, Mathematics, Physics, and MCA, and a diploma in educational counselling.

Prof. Pathan opened the doors of the CUK for girl students hailing from the economically weaker sections by waiving the course fee and hostel fees.

The CUK also offered merit-cum-means scholarship to the extent of 20 per cent of the tuition fees collected in each course and a scholarship of Rs. 5,000 per month in addition to annual contingency of Rs. 12,000 to all the Ph.D. scholars in the University.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> Education Plus / by T V Sivanandan / June 25th, 2012

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :

Aligarh :

On the occasion of International Women’s Day a seminar on ‘The Rights and Duties of Women in Islam’ was organised by 3S Classes at Medical Road. Speaking in the seminar as Chief Guest President, Sir Syed Awareness Forum, Prof. Shakeel Samdani of Aligarh Muslim University said that the rights which were given by the Islam to the women about 14 centuries ago are still not available to the non-Muslim ladies. The Prophet of Islam (SAW) has done great favour to the women at large that can never be forgotten by the history. He said that the majority of allegations which are labelled against Islam are relating to women’s rights and it is said that Islam neither gives any rights to women nor liberty but the situation is otherwise. The Islamic Sharia gives complete liberty to women and they are allowed to do every work within the limits of Sharia. Islam gives the equality not similarity. Of course Islam does not permit the so called liberty of the west  which permits nudity, obscenity, selfishness and frailty. 

Replying the criticism of Islam he said that in western countries the rate of divorce and wife beating is the highest but the situation in Muslim countries and Muslim societies is much better. The provision of divorce provided  by Islam is not a ‘Zehmat’ but ‘Rehmat’, if it is exercised in accordance with Quran.  Even in India the dowry related deaths and the petitions relating to divorce are less in Muslims. As far as polygamy is concerned various reports of government of India have revealed that Muslims are less polygamous than non Muslims. In his marvellous  speech Prof. Samdani said that the three women of Islam Hazrat Khadija (RA), Hazrat Fatima (RA) and Hazrat Ayesha Siddiqa (RA) have no parallel in women’s history and these three women have shown a clear cut path of  sacrifice and success which will be remembered till the day of judgement. The life history of Hazrat Ayesha (RA), the beloved wife of Prophet of Islam is full of sacrifice and service for the cause of Islam and after the demise of Prophet of Islam (SAW) she lead the Muslim world intellectually and spiritually for decades.

Managing Director of 3S Classes, Imran Khan said that Islam has given all the rights to the women but there is a limit of those rights. Islam has accorded the best status to  motherhood and in this way enhanced the status of women which has no parallel in the history.   

Mrs. Anjum Tasneem of Uday Singh Jain Girls College threw light on the history of women’s day and said that on this day  seminars, symposiums, conferences and processions are organized but the desired results are not achieved. Women are still being oppressed and harassed. While citing various reports she said that the laws are not balanced and the freedom which has been given to the women are immoral, unethical, unreasonable and un Islamic. That’s why instead of relieving them from hardship, their problems are increasing day by day. She advised the audience to turn towards the Islamic laws and lead their lives accordingly. 

Mohd. Usama of Madarsa Arabia Tameer-e-Millat, Aligarh said that if the Muslim women want peace and dignity in their lives they should lead their lives in accordance with Sharia. They should also create an Islamic environment within the family.

Other speakers of the seminar included, Suhaib Salahuddin Siddiqui, Mohsin Jamal and Furqan Ahmad. The program was a great success in the sense that a large number of non Muslim ladies and teachers attended the program. In this program a book on ‘ Indo Islamic Culture’ authored by Imran Khan was released by the Chief Guest and other dignitaries.

The seminar was attended among others by Gaurav Sharma, Swati Yadav, Monika Singh, Poornima Singh, Ayesha Samdani, Hilal Asghar, Uzma Almas, Abu Khuzaima, Asma Alisher, Huda Khan Nadim Ahmed, Abdullah Samdani etc.

source: http://www.milligazette.com / The MIlli Gazette Online / Home> Community News / March 10th, 2015

Hyerabad, TELANGANA / Kalaburagi (formerly Gulbarga), KARNATAKA :

A former footballer and a veteran sports administrator, Hakim suffered a stroke and was being treated at a hospital in Gulbarga.

picture: SAI / Hakim received the Dhyan Chand award in 2017

Former Indian footballer and Olympian Syed Shahid Hakim passed away at the age of 82 in Gulbarga, Karnataka, on Sunday morning.

SS Hakim, who represented India at the 1960 Rome Olympics, was being treated at a hospital after suffering a stroke two days back.

“He suffered a cardiac arrest at 8 AM today and passed away at 8:30 AM,” Sadia Syeda, wife of Hakim, told Sportstar.

SS Hakim played an integral role for the development of football in India both as a footballer and a coach. He was awarded the Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games in 2017.

Born in Hyderabad, SS Hakim was the son of legendary coach Syed Abdul Rahim, who guided India to two Asian Games gold medals and the semi-final of the 1956 Melbourne Olympics

During his playing days, SS Hakim won the Santosh Trophy in 1960 while plying his trade for Services football team and continued to play till 1966. He also played for City College Old Boys and Indian Air Force at club level.

The highlight of SS Hakim’s international career was the 1960 Rome Olympics. The Hyderabadi was a member of the Indian team, coached by his father.

India failed to make it past the group stages at Rome but famously held France to a 1-1 draw.

SS Hakim turned to coaching after his playing days, following the footsteps of his father.

A former assistant coach of the Indian national team, Hakim managed the Durand Cup-winning side of Mahindra and Mahindra in 1998 and also coached Salgoacar and Bengal Mumbai FC.

Along with coaching, the Hyderabadi was a FIFA referee and officiated at the 1988 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

A former squadron leader of the Indian Air Force, Hakim also held the role of Regional Director of Sports Authority of India, Kolkata.

Hakim ‘saab’, as he was fondly called, is survived by his wife and two daughters.

source: http://www.olympics.com / Olympics.com / Home / by Aarish Ansari / August 22nd, 2021

Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

New Delhi :

The All India Football Federation condoled the death of former India midfielder DMK Afzal, who passed away, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. Afzal is survived by his wife.

An excellent midfielder of his times, Afzal was a part of the gold medal-winning India team at the 1962 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. Afzal has two appearances in the India shirt, making his debut against the Republic of Korea in the group stage of the 1962 Asiad.

Condoling Afzal’s death, AIFF President Shri Kalyan Chaubey said, “D.M.K. Afzal was a fine midfield maestro of his times, and served the beautiful game with the utmost passion and dedication. I extend my sincerest condolences to his family in this sorrowful hour.”

At the domestic front, Afzal has the distinction of winning the Santosh Trophy with Andhra Pradesh in 1965. With his club, Andhra Police, he won the Durand Cup (1961), Rovers Cup (1962, joint winners), and the DCM Trophy (1965).

He later moved to Kolkata with East Bengal, and won the Calcutta Football League (1966), IFA Shield (1966), Rovers Cup (1967), Durand Cup (1967), Sait Nagjee Trophy (1968), Kerala FA Shield (1968), and the Bordoloi Trophy (1968).

WEST BENGAL :

Changemakers of West Bengal

Kolkatta :

The people of Bengal have a strong tradition of scholarship, literature, and debate. They are known for their deep appreciation of music, poetry, cinema, theatre, painting, and social service. The Changemakers from the Muslim community are only adding to the high values cherished in this region.

Halima Khatun

Halima Khatun has dedicated herself to uplifting marginalized communities, particularly women. She guides and mentors women who struggle to establish themselves despite adversity. Her first significant intervention was with women from fishing communities in the Sundarbans, standing alongside them, addressing their issues, and consistently supporting their struggles.

Her organization has helped over 700 bidi workers obtain official identification. Many families resort to marrying off young daughters in the hope of survival, a practice Halima fights to prevent. Known for her fearless interventions, she has successfully stopped numerous child marriages, often with police assistance, earning comparisons to a “Dabangg” — a fearless enforcer.

Sattar Master

Abdus Sattar has dedicated the majority of his life to the cause of education. Hailing from the Jhalongi block, he is affectionately known across Shantipur, Domkal, Islampur, and surrounding areas simply as “Sattar Master.”

Abdus Sattar has become a revered figure because of his boundless compassion and dedication to the welfare of others.

Imaran Nahar

Imaran Nahar from Pandua in the Hooghly district is preserving a treasure trove of lost folklore. Over the years, he has documented more than five hundred fairy tales from various sources. In the face of a modern, indifferent society, centuries-old proverbs and oral traditions from rural Bengal are vanishing.

While some proverbs found their way into grammar books, most survived only through spoken tradition. Nahar has painstakingly rescued over three thousand nearly-forgotten Bengali proverbs, reviving a crucial link to cultural memory.

Hafizur Rahman

Hafizur Rahman has set a shining example of humanitarian service. Through his organization, girls from both Hindu and Muslim communities have received training to become self-reliant. Under his guidance, sewing machines have been provided to impoverished girls, fostering interfaith harmony and empowerment.

Yet, Rahman’s work does not stop there. Every last Sunday of the month, his organization hosts doctors to provide free medical checkups, eye tests, and medicine to those in need. He also facilitates local employment initiatives to prevent people from seeking low-wage work far from home, ensuring sustainable livelihoods for the community.

Sheikh Baharul Islam

According to Sheikh Baharul Islam, founder and current editor of Sojag Mancha, the organization has quietly traversed many milestones over the years. When asked about the motivation behind Sojag Mancha, he explains, Sojag Mancha was founded so that we could step forward, even if in a small way, to help those in need.” Islam adds, “Most NGOs remain focused on securing their own survival, but we chose a different path.

We dared to invest our own resources in education, and that courage has made us widely recognized. Guided by selfless service, our organization continues to move forward at lightning speed, driven by the desire to make a difference.”

Golam Faruk

Social worker Golam Faruk began his journey driven by a commitment to human welfare. His organization, Rights for All, has been actively working to make Kolkata cleaner, while also conducting anti-drug campaigns with the support of the South Division of Kolkata Police on International Anti-Drug Day.

Faruk ensures that disadvantaged children have access to educational trips and facilities, while his organization serves as a beacon for justice, inclusion, and human dignity.

Muhammad Nurul Islam

Under the leadership of Muhammad Nurul Islam, a courageous team has chosen the challenging path of spreading education at all levels, often navigating routes where no one has tread before. Their mission is clear: to empower historically marginalized minority communities, transforming them into confident, educated societies.

They aim to uphold quality and excellence in education while continuously supporting talented students who are socially and economically disadvantaged. Guided by principles of fairness, equality, and transparency, they have steadily advanced this cause.

Jahangir Mallik

Thanks to Jahangir Mallik, thousands of people can earn their livelihoods directly or indirectly. A native of Bulbulitala in Burdwan, Mallik founded J.M. Bazar in 2019. His roots, however, are deeply entwined with Shantipur. In 2006, he started selling sarees from a small stall in Ghosh Market. Through perseverance, intelligence, and honesty, he now owns two large counters in the same market, having reached remarkable heights by the age of 40.

Despite his success, he has never forgotten his humble beginnings. Driven by social responsibility, he continuously supports those in need. Hundreds of rickshaw drivers earn their daily wages directly through his initiatives, while thousands more depend on him indirectly, demonstrating the remarkable scale of his impact.

Matiar Rahman

Saving the world from disaster has become the most pressing challenge of our time. Rising to meet this challenge with relentless determination is Bengali scientist Matiar Rahman. A senior scientist at the University of Cambridge, Rahman, together with Shubhajit Bhattacharya, developed the Artificial Leaf — a device that produces liquid fuel and oxygen using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.

Published in Nature Energy, this breakthrough transforms atmospheric CO₂ into ethanol, propanol, and other fuels while releasing oxygen. Since the fuels are generated from excess carbon dioxide, the process is net-zero, offering a renewable solution that could play a pivotal role in reducing atmospheric CO₂ in the near future.

Mostaq Hossain

Mostaq Hossain, one of West Bengal’s prominent industrialists and education enthusiasts, is widely recognized for his philanthropy. His initiatives have earned his village a notable place on India’s map. Deeply compassionate and committed to education, Hossain is also devout in his faith.

Through community-run residential schools, he promotes education without discrimination, fostering moral development and social responsibility.

He ensures that knowledge reaches everyone — regardless of religion, class, or background — guiding students to become responsible and empathetic citizens. With limited resources and immense dedication, he has planted the seeds of these ideals across more than 50 residential schools, nurturing the next generation.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home / posted by Aasha Khosa / August 30th, 2025