The season three of the business reality show ‘Shark Tank India’ will see a self-made entrepreneur Adil Qadri, who has introduced the Sharks to a desi way of using attars.
Despite failing school in fourth grade due to asthma, Adil’s business has processed a whopping 10 lakh orders, averaging 3,000 per day.
From a software repairer to an SEO expert, he’s now the face of a brand that’s putting Bilimora on the map. Indeed, Adil proceeded to establish a business, defying the odds posed by his asthma.
His brand ‘ADILQADRI’ introduces a new way of using attars, emphasising long-lasting effects and premium packaging. However, Rs 6 crore debt sparks conflict among the Sharks.
Talking about his experience on ‘Shark Tank India’, Adil Qadri (Founder and CEO) said: “Appearing on Shark Tank India with our brand ADILQADRI was a whirlwind, a roller coaster of emotions and opportunities. The intense pitch sharpened my ability to face sharks’ questions and honed my strategic thinking.”
“Their feedback provided invaluable insights for refining my business model. The experience underscored the importance of composure in high-stakes situations, molding me into a resilient and articulate entrepreneur,” he added.
‘Shark Tank India 3’ will soon air on Sony LIV.
–IANS / sp/prw
source: http://www.bhaskarlive.in / Bhaskar Live / Home> Entertainment / by IANS / January 18th, 2024
Amidst the busy roads of Gujarat that have thousands of cars passing by every day, there lies a neglected divider that holds reverence for many. A petal-strewn corner on a broken divider signifies the tomb of an Amdavadi poet credited for the advent of Urdu poetry that gave rise to a league of poets like Zauq, Mir, and Mirza Ghalib.
The poet in question is none other than the father of Urdu poetry, Wali Muhammad Wali, whose contribution towards uplifting Urdu poetry to being at par with its Persian counterpart is considered indispensable.
Challenging the notion that elite poetry can only be Persian, Wali opened up a world of poetic possibilities for Urdu poets and his influence can be seen in a piece penned by the Poet Meer Taqi Meer as a tribute to the Urdu Chaucer.
Khugar nahin kuch yun hi hum Rikhta-goi kay/ Mashooq jo apna tha, bashinda-e-Dakhan tha”
(It isn’t casually that I began dabbling in Urdu/I picked it from my lover, a native of the Deccan).
The poetic legend who died 300 years ago was buried in his family graveyard in Ahmedabad after his demise. Post Independence, Wali’s grave was separated from the graveyard and found itself situated in the middle of the road.
While the death and origins of Wani might be disputed, the razing of his grave has been linked to the communal past of Gujarat. Destroyed during the Gujarat violence of 2002, Wali’s grave was part of the riot that saw thousands murdered and the demolition of many significant Muslim shrines and Dargahs. Eliminating any and all signs of the Dargah, roads were built overnight and the atrocities of communal violence were swept under the layers of tar and repairs that ensued.
A Twitter user recently went searching for the shrine and impressively remarked on the presence of the Urdu poet’s legacy that remains etched in the mind of locals. Street vendors, shoemakers, and locals seem happy to guide and give precise directions to the grave for those looking to visit the shrine. Once an ornate shrine, the grave now portrays a sad picture of desolation and jarring neglect that can be blamed on the political powerplay as well as the ‘divide and rule’ ideologies that plague the nation.
One cannot miss the imprint of Wali’s work on Urdu poetry. It remains immortal in the hearts of people and keeps the light of consciousness alive.
source: http://www.homegrown.co.in / Homegrown / Home> #HGExplore / by Riya Sharma / August 08th, 2022
Also present at the event were Gujarat Congress MLAs Amit Chavda and Imran Khedawala, former Congress MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh, AMC leader of Opposition Shehzadkhan Pathan, and late Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel’s daughter Mumtaz Patel.
Arnazbanu Sipahi from Mehsana at the IMCR event on Saturday. (Express File Photo)
The Indian Muslims for Civil Rights’ (IMCR) Gujarat unit on Saturday felicitated 15-year-old Arnazbanu Sipahi from Mehsana, who was not called for a felicitation ceremony by her school despite holding the first position in the Class X board exams at her school, on Independence Day.
A former student of K T Patel High School, who had topped her school in Class X state board exams in March, Sipahi has now shifted to a nearby grant-in-aid school for her Class XI studies.
K T Patel High School principal has maintained that the August 15 award ceremony was organised by the school staffers and the school would felicitate Sipahi instead on January 26, next year.
Speaking to The Indian Express , Mehsana District Education Officer A K Modhpatel had earlier said, “I had checked with the school and learnt that the August 15 award ceremony for first three toppers from Class X and XII was organised by the teachers. They had collected funds to motivate school students. The girl and those who were not studying in the school (when the felicitation ceremony was held on August 15), will be awarded on January 26.”
Maintaining that she was “wronged” by the school, the IMCR – at a state-level conference on constitutionalism and secularism held in Ahmedabad – called Sipahi on stage to felicitate her in the presence of a host of Muslim leaders. Azam Baig, national general secretary (organisational) of IMCR, announced that he would personally fund Sipahi’s education, including higher studies.
Handing her a plaque and a flower bouquet on stage were former IMCR trustee and Congress leader Salman Khurshid, former member of Planning Commi-ssion, Syeda Saiyidain Hameed, as well as Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, among others.
Addressing the conference on the topic of ‘constitutionalism and secularism and the way forward’, Hameed cited Arnazbanu’s “experience” and the recent viral purported video of a Muslim boy being hit by his classmates upon being goaded by their teacher at a Muzaffarnagar school, as “examples where children are being discriminated against (on religious lines).” “We have to build a common front… work in an organised way (to counter the polarisation)… The Gujarat riots’ blueprint, which is now being attempted to be implemented elsewhere in India, we must not let it succeed.”
K Rehman Khan, former deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha , urged Muslims to be “givers” and not “seekers”, emphasising that they must empower themselves and “saving the Constitution should be the first priority”. “Only if the Constitution and secularism is saved, can we live a life of dignity,” Khan added.
Former Union minister Salman Khurshid said that “it is not acceptable that rule of law is replaced by rule of bulldozer”. He added that the “public must understand that what is happening today at someone else’s household can also happen at your household”. “We want that the majority speaks for the minority and the minority speaks for the majority,” Khurshid said.
Also present at the event were Gujarat Congress MLAs Amit Chavda and Imran Khedawala, former Congress MLA Gyasuddin Shaikh, AMC leader of Opposition Shehzadkhan Pathan, and late Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ahmed Patel’s daughter Mumtaz Patel.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News> Cities> Ahmedabad / by Express News Service, Ahmedabad (headline edited) / August 27th, 2023
The city of Preston in the UK has elected Gujarat-born Yakub Patel as its first Indian-origin Muslim Mayor for 2023-24 following the completion of Councillor Neil Darby’s term in office.
In his new role, Patel will chair council meetings, and act as ceremonial head representing the city at engagements throughout their year in office.
“I am honoured and delighted to become the Mayor of Preston, a city I am proud to call my home. I hope to make positive differences to the communities that I serve and also provide additional support through my Mayoral charities for the coming year,” Patel said.
Prior to his new role, Patel has been serving as the city’s Deputy Mayor since May 2022.
The long serving councillor has been undertaking civic duties and hosted the visit of the Royal Family in summer alongside the then Mayor.
“…It gives me great pleasure to be handing over the chains of office to the Mayor-elect, Councillor Yakub Patel. The last year has been the most outstanding experience of my life and it has been a huge honour to have been the Mayor of our fabulous city,” Preston’s outgoing Mayor Darby wrote in a tweet.
Birth and Migration to UK
Born in Bharuch, Gujarat, Patel graduated from M S University of Baroda with a degree in BA and MA in English Literature. He came to the UK in June 1976 and started his career in 1979 with Preston Corporation.
Patel also held roles as a Revenue Inspector, Traffic Inspector, Assistant Chief, Chief Inspector and Operations Manager before he retired on July 4, 2009.
Political Career
He has been involved in politics since the age of 10 when he started canvassing and delivering leaflets for his late father, who was a strong supporter and a member of the Congress party.
He was first elected as a Labour Party councillor for Avenham Ward in 1995 and was the first Muslim councillor in the history of Preston City Council.
In addition, Patel was also elected as a Lancashire County Councillor for Preston West Division during 2001-2009.
The new Mayor is also an active member of the local community and serves as a co-opted member for Preston Jamea Mosque and Preston Muslim Burial Society.
He is a school governor for Frenchwood Community Primary School. Rosemere Cancer, Preston Domestic Violence Services and Emmaus will be Patel’s Mayoral Charities for 2023-24.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> United Kingdom / by IANS / May 23rd, 2023
Razin Mansuri, 22, son of an air conditioner repairman and a resident of Ahmedabad, had scored 96.2 percentile in the Common Admission Test ((CAT) 2021 and was eligible for admission in IIM-Udaipur.
But Mansuri was not satisfied with his results so he decided to give it another shot and his efforts paid off as Mansuri scored 99.78 percentile making his chances for an admission in IIM-Ahmedabad or IIM-Bangalore quite high.
Mansuri completed his engineering in IT from Ahmedabad University in May this year. His father earns about 25,000 per month. Razin, his father Irfan Mansuri, mother Sabiha, and his younger brother Rehan live in a one-bedroom house in Juhapura.
Razin Mansuri
As my family’s economic condition is weak, right from high school I have mostly studied on scholarships. After completing high school from CN Vidyalaya, I took admission in Ahmedabad University and completed engineering in IT. I again got a scholarship in AU as my performance was good,” Mansuri told TOI. He said that after he completed engineering he was offered jobs with a Rs 6 lakh annual salary. “I did not take the offer as my dream was to get admission in IIM, preferably in IIM-A or IIM-B.
I started preparing for CAT and took the test in 2021. However, as I did not take any coaching I got 96.20 percentile. I was not satisfied with the result and decided to take the exam again in 2022,” Mansuri said.
He added that he enrolled for a coaching class for CAT 2022 as it charged him only half the fees. “It is an exceptional achievement given his family background and financial struggles. I am sure he will be a great student for any top IIM,” said Satish Kumar, head of the coaching class where Mansuri trained.
Once I pass out from IIM, I want to give back to society what I received from it. I want to help as many students as I can in their education,” Mansuri said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Ahmedabad News / by Bharat Yagnik / TNN / December 22nd, 2022
‘People feel it is lucky to have tea here. There is something charming, something random about this place which makes it cool,’ said Ritu, a student.
People eat at a vegetarian restaurant ‘Lucky Tea Stall’ built on a graveyard, in Ahmedabad. (Photo | PTI)
Ahmedabad:
To the outsider, the idea of an eatery built on a Muslim graveyard, run by a Muslim, serving pure vegetarian food and frequented by all communities seems an anomaly.
Not so for its customers though, many who believe that Lucky is actually lucky for them.
Like Sagar Bhatt, a devout Hindu and a resident of Dariapur, who makes it a point to stop by for a cuppa every morning after visiting the temple.
“It feels auspicious to have tea at this place. There is something special about this place,” Bhatt, sporting a red ’tilak’ on his forehead, told PTI while pointing to a grave.
On one wall is a painting by M F Husain, showing an oasis, camels and a ‘kalma’ – ‘La Ilaha Illallah Muhammadur Rasul Allah’ (There is only one God and he is Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet).
“It is the only tea shop boasting a Husain painting,” said a proud Abdul Rajak Mansury, who operates the tea stall.
Every night, the painting by one of India’s most valued artists is taken off the wall and kept away safely.
The six-decade shop in what is essentially a Muslim-dominated area is a common person’s eating joint, he said.
As the campaign hots up, the tea stall in Old Ahmedabad’s Jamalpur-Khadia is also an oasis of calm, far removed from the din and aggression of the Gujarat assembly election being held in two phases on December 1 and 5.
While the Congress has fielded Imran Khedawala, its sitting MLA, the Aam Aadmi Party has given a ticket to Haroon Bhai Nagori and the BJP is fielding a Hindu candidate, Bhushan Bhatt.
The AIMIM is also contesting the seat with Sabir Kabliwala in the fray.
Talk of ‘dhandha’ (business) supersedes ‘dharam’ (religion) at Lucky – so popular that the traffic light point is also called Lucky Chowk.
It is at the centre of several colleges and offices, and a big hit with students and office-goers.
According to Bhatt, a small-time construction contractor, economic issues and issues impacting his business matter more than religious sentiments.
“Sir, I am following my religion but from the government, I expect to further improve the economy so that my business flourishes. For us Gujaratis Dhandha sab se pehle (business comes first),” he said.
On the menu is the perennial favourite ‘bun maska’ and a range of Chinese and Indian dishes. No eggs are used.
College students Ritu and Tanya said the place is cool. “People feel it is lucky to have tea here. There is something charming, something random about this place which makes it cool,” said Ritu, a third year commerce student.
The first-time voter said better jobs and better business environment are bigger issues for her as a student and daughter of a businessman.
Tanya, studying chartered accountancy, agreed. “The business environment in maru Gujarat (my Gujarat) is its USP, it should not be get disturbed at any cost.”
Lucky started on a handcart under a neem tree, and expanded and developed around the graveyard as business grew, said Mansury.
The 26 graves have grills around them.
The staff clean them everyday and place fresh flowers on them.
Some people put ‘chadars’ on the graves seeking fulfilment of their wishes.
Representing the best of a syncretic India, may many more Luckys flourish and thrive, hope its customers.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Nation / by PTI / November 23rd, 2022
Gujarat Rashid and Ashrafi brothers on wheelchair crack JEE (Social Media)
It is often said that adversity brings out the best in man and these brothers from Borsad town of Anand are an example.
On Sunday, Mohammad Rashid Pathan qualified in JEE (Advanced) in the persons with disabilities (PWD) category despite being on wheelchair.
This has come as double joy to his family as Rashid succeeded the triumph of his wheelchair bound elder brother Ashrafi who qualified in JEE (Mains) in 2019.
source: http://www.thehindustangazette.in / The Hindustan Gazette / Home> News> Education / by The Hindustan Gazette / September 13th, 2022
Humaira Garasia, whose family roots are in Valsad, was .elected speaker of London borough of Hackney in May
Surat :
Rishi Sunak might be in news for being the frontrunner for the post of Prime Minister of the UK and he will create history if he is elected for the post of the country that once ruled India.
But Indian origin Humaira Garasia (25) has already created a history by becoming the youngest-ever speaker of council in London Borough of Hackney.
Garasia’s family is originally from Valsad and her father had migrated to the UK at a young age. Garasia was determined to enter active politics when she was 15 and wanted to represent the marginalised population.
She identifies herself as a Gujarati of Indian origin. She studied BA politics from the University of London. Her father Rafik Ahmed, a warehouse worker, is from Nana Taiwad in Valsad while her mother Najma, a housewife, is from Bharuch.
“I am the youngest-ever speaker/civic mayor of Indian origin in the whole of the UK and the youngest speaker to have ever been elected for the London Borough of Hackney,” says Garasia.
“I was elected at the age of 21 as a councillor in 2018 and completed a four-year term. I was the youngest person of Indian origin to be elected as a councillor then. I was successfully re-elected as a councillor in May 2022,” she added.
She said: “I will be working with leaders, residents and communities from across the borough to address issues of inequalities, while also helping to tackle long-term issues such as racism and discrimination. I will focus on providing support to the most vulnerable members of society and helping young people to feel both empowered and safe.”
Born and brought up in London, Garasia’s parents migrated around 35 years ago. Garasia visits Valsad every year with her family.
source: http://www.timesofindia.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News / by Yagnesh Bharat Mehta / July 23rd, 2022
Masarrat Mehboob Surti completed her master’s degree in accounting and financial management
Vadodara:
A Muslim girl student of M S University’s the Faculty of Commerce has not only passed her exams with flying colours but she will also have the distinction of being the only gold medalist in the university who will bag honours from the hands of President Ram Nath Kovind who be the chief guest at the university’s 66th annual convocation on January 22.
Although there are 160 gold medalists who will be conferred 263 medals this year, due to time constraint MSU has decided that only Chancellor’s gold medal will be conferred in presence of the President during the convocation ceremony. The rest of the gold medalists will be conferred their gold medals through a separate function – ‘We are Proud of You’ – which will be held at the convocation ground on the same day post the convocation ceremony.
Co-incidentally, the chancellor’s gold medal which is awarded through rotation, will be conferred upon Masarrat Mehboob Surti, who has cleared her masters’ degree. “I am very glad that I will have the honour to receive the gold medal from the hands of the President. My parents and the entire university have always supported me all through my studies,” said Masarrat, who after completing her M Com in accounting and financial management with 80 % has started working with a private firm in Gorwa BIDC.
“I am very proud with my daughter’s feat,” said Masarrat’s father Mehboobali, who runs a small shop at Mangal Bazaar area in old city from where he carries out embroidery job work.
“My daughter has always remained a topper throughout her studies,” said Masarrat’s mother Furkana, a homemaker.
Traditionally, all the gold medalists are conferred the gold medals during the convocation ceremony. But this year, as President Ram Nath Kovind will be available for only one hour, the university officials have decided to cut short the ceremony. After much deliberations, the university has decided that only the chancellor’s gold medal will be symbolically conferred during the ceremony on Monday morning.
Although commerce faculty which counts for nearly half of university’s total student strength is infamous for irregular classes, Masarrat says she was a regular student at the faculty. “There is a wrong notion that classes are not regularly held at the faculty. I cleared my exams and scored 80 % by attending classes at my faculty and by completing my studies on the same day itself,” she said.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Vadodara News / TNN / January 18th, 2018
The 16-year-old from Gujarat, who became the first Indian woman shuttler to claim the world no. 1 status in u-19 singles, beat second seed Susato 21-11, 11-21, 21-7 in 51 minutes.
India’s Tasnim Mir beat Indonesia’s Yosephine Susanto at the 30th Iran Fajr International Challenge 2022. (Photo | Twitter, @BAI_Media)
Shiraz :
Junior World No 1 Indian shuttler Tasnim Mir on Friday notched a three-game win over Yulia Yosephine Susanto of Indonesia in the final to claim the women’s singles title at the Iran Fajr International Challenge here.
The 16-year-old from Gujarat, who became the first Indian woman shuttler to claim the world no. 1 status in u-19 singles, beat second seed Susato 21-11, 11-21, 21-7 in 51 minutes.
Tasnim, ranked number 404 in the senior world rankings, lagged 1-3 early on but she soon clawed back at 5-5 before reeling off six straight points to create a huge gap, which her rival couldn’t bridge.
The Indonesian came out all cylinders blazing in the second game, jumping to a 9-2 advantage.
She kept moving ahead to roar back into the contest in a jiffy.
In the decider, Tasnim got her bearings back, zooming to 6-1.
She didn’t look back and shut the door on her rival to comfortably pocket the title.
En route to the title, Tasnim defeated Iran’s Nazanin Zamani, Armenia’s Lilit Poghosyan, Iran’s Fatemeh Babaei, India’s Samayara Panwar before outwitting top seed and World Number 71 Martina Repiska in the semifinals.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Sports> Cricket / by PTI / February 11th, 2022
