Tag Archives: Muslim Women of Uttar Pradesh

AMU Professor Saima Yunus Khan gets First Copyright from Government of India for her work on Dental Caries

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH:

AMU Faculty Becomes First Indian To Receive IADR Fellowship

Prof Saima Yunus Khan, Chairperson, Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Dr. Z.A. Dental College, Aligarh Muslim University has been awarded the Copyright by the Government of India for her original innovative work on an evidence based Indian Caries Risk Assessment tool for the children up to 6 years of age.

She started to work on the project in 2021, on receiving the John Clarkson Fellowship from the Prestigious International Association for Dental Research.

Being the first Indian to receive this fellowship, she worked in collaboration with Dr. Gerald Niznick, College of Dentistry, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences University of Manitoba, Canada.

According to Dr. Saima, the CRA tool would be beneficial to the Indian children as it addresses the risk factors of early childhood caries of Indian preschoolers. It’s a small compact tool form which can be used with ease by the masses in hospital or field settings.

The Dean, Faculty of Medicine and the Principal, J.N. Medical College, Prof Veena Maheshwari, and the Principal, Dr. Z. A. Dental College & Hospital, Prof R.K. Tewari congratulated Prof. Saima on her exemplary achievement.

source: http://www.amu.ac.in / AMU, Aligarh Muslim University / Home> Public Relations Office (headline edited & additional pix edited) / April 02nd, 2024

From UP to Hyderabad: Journey of MMA fighter Khushboo Nishad

Allahabad, UTTAR PRADESH / Hyderabad, TELANGANA:

Khushboo has been practising different forms of martial arts for about 11 years.

Leaving her home and family behind in Uttar Pradesh, 23-year-old Khushboo Nishad secretly travelled to Hyderabad two years ago under the guise of a job transfer to become a mixed martial artist. Within a short period of time, she earned a silver medal at a national-level amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) tournament.

A native of Allahabad, Khushboo has been practising different forms of martial arts for about 11 years now. She started with Judo at the age of 12, moving on to master the South Korean art of Taekwondo for another three years. Khusboo’s father taught her Karate.

Mastering different styles of fighting consequently developed her interest in the fastest-growing combat sport- Mixed Martial Arts. Khushboo said she tried learning MMA in UP, however,”I couldn’t find the level of training I was looking for,” she told Siasat.com.

She started her own research, some ‘asking around,’ and concluded that the best training she could find was in Hyderabad under the guidance of Sheikh Khalid. Moreover, Khalid taught MMA in a traditional form.

Khusboo never told her family about her dream to become a mixed martial artist. “I worked for Radisson in Ludhiana for eight months in order to save money and persue my goals,” she added.

Knowing very well her family would not allow her to go to Hyderabad, Khusboo told them she was transferred to the city of pearls by her company.

Narrating an incident that led to this decision Khushboo said, “One day my father saw a video where I was punched on my face by my coach. Disturbed, he immediately called me back.”

Khusboo was studying at Amity University, Lucknow at that time.

To keep her father happy, Khusboo studied hard and secured a top rank in her college. However, she still nourished the dream of becoming a mixed martial artist.

“I am extremely grateful to the person who recommended Sheikh Khalid to me. I have learned so many new things here,” she concludes adding that she has fallen in love with the city.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Usama Hazari / July 28th, 2022

IIT Kanpur professors Bushra, Nitin awarded INSA Fellowship for 2023-24

Kanpur, UTTAR PRADESH:

Professor Bushra Ateeq is Special Senior Fellow, and teaches at the Department of Biological Sciences and Bio-Engineering (BSBE) of the IIT Kanpur.

IIT Kanpur professors Bushra, Nitin awarded INSA Fellowship for 2023-24

Kanpur: 

Two professors of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, Bushra Ateeq and Nitin Saxena, have been awarded with the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Fellowship for the year 2023-24.

Professor Bushra Ateeq is Special Senior Fellow, and teaches at the Department of Biological Sciences and Bio-Engineering (BSBE) of the IIT Kanpur.

Professor Nitin Saxena, Founding Coordinator of the Center for Developing Intelligent Systems (CDIS) at IIT Kanpur, is from the Computer Science and Engineering Department of the institutions.

“I am delighted to share that two distinguished members of our faculty, Prof. Bushra Ateeq from the Department of Biological Sciences & Bioengineering, and Prof. Nitin Saxena from the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, have been honoured with the prestigious Fellowship of the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) for the year 2023-24”, Director IIT Kanpur, Abhay Karandika, wrote on social media platform X, earlier known as Twitter.

“The INSA Fellowship recognizes the research of scientists from diverse fields and supports them to further their research with necessary assistance”, he added.

Professor Bushra Ateeq

Dr. Bushra Ateeq joined Department of Biological Sciences and Bio-Engineering (BSBE) at the IIT Kanpur in February 2013. She was trained as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan’s group at Michigan Center for Translational Pathology, University of Michigan. Prof Bushra also served there as a Research Investigator (Junior Faculty) before joining IIT Kanpur.

Prior to this, she was a postdoctoral trainee in Dr. Shafaat Rabbani’s group at McGill University, Montreal. She served a brief stint as a Research Associate at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi. She received her Ph.D. from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

Dr. Ateeq is primarily interested in exploring the genetic and epigenetic changes that initiate cancer and its progression by employing novel strategies and approaches. Her overarching goal is to explore the molecular events that drive cancer and facilitate the process of acquiring resistance towards chemotherapeutic drugs, in hopes that these discoveries can lead to the development of more effective therapies against specific causative pathways or alterations.

Professor Nitin Saxena

Professor Saxena has completed Bachelors in Computer Science from IIT Kanpur in 2002 and completed PhD under Manindra Agrawal in 2006. His interest area is Computational Complexity Theory, Algebra, Geometry and Number Theory.

Professor Saxena is a visiting Graduate Student in Princeton University (2003-2004) and National University of Singapore (2004-2005); a postdoc at CWI, Amsterdam (2006-2008) and a Bonn Junior Fellow (W2 Professor) at Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, Bonn (2008-2013).

source: http://www.ummid.com/ Ummid.com / Home> Education & Career / by Ummid.com news network / September 18th, 2023

Who was Nishat un Nisa Begum who discarded purdah during freedom movement

UTTAR PRADESH:

“I appeal to the youth of this country that they sit at the feet of this goddess (Nishat un Nisa Begum) to learn the lessons of independence and perseverance.” Famous Indian writer Brij Narayan Chakbast wrote this in 1918 about the freedom fighter Nishat un Nisa Begum.

People knew more about her husband Maulana Hasrat Mohani, who coined the slogan Inquilab Zindabad (Long live revolution). Historians have kept Nishat, like many other women, at the margins of historical narratives. She existed not as a protagonist but as a supporting actor in a play that had her husband as the protagonist.

This happened even though Hasrat admitted that he would have remained an apolitical editor if he had not married her. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad likened her to “a mountain of determination and patience.” Mahatma Gandhi also acknowledged a key role in the Non-Cooperation Movement. By no stretch of the imagination, she was a dependent woman and owed her existence to Hasrat.

Born in Lucknow in 1885, Nishat was home tutored, as was the custom of those times. She knew Urdu, Arabic, Persian, and English. Even before she married Hasrat in 1901 was teaching girls from backward sections of the society at her home. Marriage exposed her to the world of politics. Nishat and Hasrat were among the first Muslims in India to join Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s extremist group of Congress and open a Swadeshi shop in Aligarh. In 1903, the couple started a nationalist Urdu newspaper ‘Urdu e Mualla’. The British did not like it and jailed Hasrat in 1908. After his release, the couple resumed the newspaper. The newspaper had only two employees – Nishat and Hasrat.

Hasrat was again jailed during the First World War. Nishat, who like other Muslim women of her times, used to take a veil, came out in public to defend her husband in the court trial. She wrote letters to leaders, and articles in newspapers, and removed her veil while visiting courts. To go out of one’s house without a purdah was a courageous act.

Hasrat’s friend Pandit Kishan Parshad Kaul wrote, “She (Nishat) took this courageous step at a time when the veil was a symbol of dignity not only among Muslim women but among Hindu women as well”.

In those times Congress and other organizations used to raise public funds to help the families of jailed freedom fighters. Nishat declined to accept her share from it. Pandit Kishan Parshad recalled later that in 1917 when he once visited her in Aligarh he saw her living in abject poverty. Being a friend of Hasrat, he offered her money. Nishat told him, “I am happy with whatever I have”. She later asked him if he could help her in selling the Urdu books printed by their defunct press.

Kishan Parshad told Shiv Prasad Gupta, another prominent freedom fighter from Lucknow about Nishat’s condition. Gupta didn’t take a moment to write a cheque to purchase all the books from Nishat.

When Edwin Montagu visited India in 1917, Nishat was among the representatives of the All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) to meet him. In the meeting, she demanded that all the freedom fighters be released from jail.

Nishat had abandoned the purdah for good. In 1919, she attended the Amritsar Congress session after the Jallianwala Massacre and impressed everyone with her passionate speeches. A Muslim woman, without purdah and participating in politics at par with her husband, she was noticed as a “comrade of Hasrat.”

Nishat and Hasrat were sure that asking for concessions from the British was futile. They moved a resolution for Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) and not a dominion status at the Ahmedabad session of Congress in 1921 as the party’s goal. Nishat spoke in support of the motion. The resolution was defeated as Mahatma Gandhi opposed the idea. Eight years later, Congress adopted the Purna Swaraj as its goal.

Hasrat was again jailed in 1922 and this time Nishat attended the Congress Session at Gaya without him. She eloquently opposed the participation of Congress members in the Legislative Councils. She said those who wanted complete independence from British rule could not dream of entering the assemblies formed by them.

According to Prof. Abida Samiuddin, Nishat’s politics did not depend on Hasrat alone. She was the first Muslim woman to address a Congress Session. Her work for the popularisation of Swadeshi, the All India Women Conference, correspondences with the nationalist leaders, articles in newspapers, public speeches, and other political activities are proof that she carried her identity in the Indian Freedom Struggle. She was active in workers’ movements till her death in 1937.   

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Saquib Salim / May 14th, 2023

Ghazal Khan”s dedication helped disabled cricket come of age in India

Agra, UTTAR PRADESH:

Ghazal Khan with a trophy
Ghazal Khan with a trophy

“I dedicated my second life to specially-abled people; especially helping the wheel-chair bound cricketers make their careers. Nowadays they are the talk of the town; they are scoring runs and playing well,” Ghazal Khan, CEO of Divyang Cricket Control Board of India (DCCBI), says.

Ghazal Khan, 28, from Agra, Uttar Pradesh, is the youngest woman in the world to be involved in the promotion of wheelchair cricket. She is also the Vice Chairperson of the International Council of Wheelchair Cricket and the Secretary of International Affairs of the International Cricket Council for the Physically Challenged.

Ghazal Khan narrated an incident from her childhood that changed the course of her life,

At the age of 21, Ghazal had a close shave with death. “On 22 December 2015 when I was preparing for the examination of the second semester of the MBA my blood pressure suddenly fell. I was riding a scooter when it happened. I fainted and fell off it. I opened my eyes after 9 days in the ICU of a hospital in Agra.”

Ghazal Khan with the winning team after a tournament

Ghazal spent 20 days in the ICU. He was told that she was in critical condition and on a ventilator for 2 days. Doctors had declared her almost dead and given her only a 2% chance of survival.

“I was reborn on December 24 that year on my birthday. I had been in a coma for 9 days. My face was sewn up to close the injuries. I lost the beauty of my face. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t recognize myself.”

After this experience, Ghazal wondered why she survived even after doctors had given her a 2 percent chance.

“I asked myself, why did He (Allah) save me..? During this period, I received several calls from disabled cricketers from my father’s association.”

Ghazal Khan with her father Haroon Rashid (right) and another official

Ghazal’s father Haroon Rashid was a famous pacer of the Indian team. He too met with a mishap and had to give up cricket on doctors’ advice.

He founded the Divyang Cricket Control Board of India (DCCBI) to enable cricketers facing disabilities to pursue their interests. He is the general secretary of the Board and Ghazal the CEO.

Ghazal says, “I volunteered to help them during the first Asia Cup in 2015. It also helped me develop a good relationship with disabled cricketers.

“I realized that I had lost the beauty of my face, but they lost their body parts and yet they are very happy and thankful to the almighty. So, why should I be ashamed of my ugly face?

 “I realized that Allah has saved me for a reason; I decided to prepare for UPSC civil services examination and become an IFS officer.

“I was sure of cracking the examination on the first attempt. However, I day before my preliminary exam, I fought with my fiancé. Thereafter I became depressed and was diagnosed with severe clinical depression. 

Ghazal Khan posing with officials and the winning team

“Suddenly I behaved like a child of 8-9 years’; had a loss of memory. Biologically, I was 23 but mentally I was 8 years old. I had lost all senses.

 “One day while playing with the wheelchair cricketers before the IWPL tournament, a miracle happened. I felt normal. It was a pleasant shock for my family.”

Ghazal decided to work for the disabled cricketers. “This was the moment when I realized why Allah saved me. From that day till now I have given all my time and energy to Divyangjan’s cricket.

Ghazal is also Vice President of the International Council for Wheelchair Cricket (ICWC) and is secretary, International Affairs in the International Council for the Physically Challenged Cricket (ICPCC).

Almost four years ago she launched the Divyang Premier League DPL T-20.

Ghazal says she aims to elevate disabled cricketers to the status of others. Due to her efforts, on the lines of IPL, the Divyang Premier League IPL was played between 6 teams in 2021 at the Sharjah International Cricket Stadium in Dubai.

Ghazal Khan with players

She gives the credit for her success to her father.

Ghazal Khan said she is also influenced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She was impressed by Modi’s remarks in o address ‘Mann Ki Baat’ on December 27, 2015, which said that physically challenged people have a divine ability and for this, they should be called Divyangjan and not disabled.

Ghazal Khan recently received the Global Excellence Award from the Samarth Seva Sansthan of Rajasthan. Last year she received the Icons of Asia Award.

Ghazal Khan told Awaz-The Voice that she is also planning to work for women’s disability cricket, improving the commentary of the game and setting up a sports business industry.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Onika Maheshwari, New Delhi / March 29th, 2023

Mother of India’s hockey sensation Mumtaz Khan says her daughter equal to 100 sons

Lucknow, UTTAR PRADESH :

Mother of India's hockey sensation Mumtaz Khan says her daughter equal to 100 sons
Mumtaz Khan of India Women’s team in action against Wales during Junior Hockey WC (Image: HI)

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) April 4 (ANI):

India stunned Germany in the Junior World Cup Hockey pool match after doughty Mumtaz Khan’s powerful drag-flick sent the ball crashing into the nets to send the girls in blue in frenzied celebrations while joys of her mother, Qaiser Jahan, who sells vegetables in Lucknow, knew no bounds.

Mumtaz Khan, 19, is now India’s new hockey sensation, taking her team to the top league while her dribble and powerplay with her stick awing the opponents.

Lucknow, the city of Nawabs and also hockey-lovers, is showering love and appreciation on Mumtaz’s family, which ekes out a livelihood as vegetable vendor.

With the hockey stick, Mumtaz Khan is not only shattering India’s powerful opponents, but also the age-old patriarchal taboos. Her mother is jubilant that Mumtaz Khan, one of her six daughters, has given a resounding slap to all those who taunted her in the past for having only daughters.

“People often made remarks that I only have daughters. Mumtaz has made us proud, and broke the social stigmas,” said Qaiser Jahan, while speaking to ANI at her vegetable shop in Lucknow.

My daughter is equal to 100 sons, said Qaiser Jahan.

While Qaiser Jahan managers to earn Rs 300 daily, she went beyond her means to support Mumtaz Khan pursue her dreams to wear the blue jersey and represent India on astroturf.

The financial strain proved insufficient for Mumtaz Khan to fly with the girls in blue to South Africa to play for the country.


Mumtaz Khan along with other under-19 Indian girls in blue is taking the team to newer heights, with a quarter-final berth sealed. Besides beating the formidable Germany by converting the penalty shoot, Mumtaz Khan had also taken India to an unassailable lead with a 3-1 scoreline with a brilliant field goal in the 41st minute against Wales in the FIH Women’s Junior World Cup at Potchefstroom in South Africa. India finally won the match 5-1.

Her father Hafiz Khan, a vegetable vendor, has all been supportive of Mumtaz Khan’s passion for hockey.

Mumtaz Khan’s journey as a hockey player began when she went to Agra to participate in a race and was spotted by Neelam Siddiqui who trained her at KD Singh Babu Stadium’s Sports Hostel.

“I feel very proud that my daughter is playing for the country. We are getting a lot of respect because of her,” said Mumtaz’s mother.

“I feel proud that my sister is an international hockey player. Despite poverty, our parents have raised us to make us capable to do something for ourselves,” said Farha Khan, Mumtaz’s sister. (ANI)

This report is auto-generated from ANI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.

source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> India / by ANI / April 04th, 2022