Farheen Masood with her family.The Telegraph Online Edugraph
Summary
In the heart of bustling Kolkata, where the cacophony of life reverberates through narrow alleyways, there lies a tale of grit, determination and unyielding hope.
Meet Farheen Masood, a champion of resilience whose journey from humble beginnings to corporate corridors is as inspiring as it is extraordinary.
In the heart of bustling Kolkata, where the cacophony of life reverberates through narrow alleyways, there lies a tale of grit, determination, and unyielding hope. Meet Farheen Masood, a champion of resilience whose journey from humble beginnings to corporate corridors is as inspiring as it is extraordinary.
Chapter 1: A Dream Ignited
She was raised in a modest household by hardworking parents who were filled with aspirations – her father a security guard and her mother a homemaker.
“My mother could not complete her schooling although she was a good student. That is why she was always keen on us (she and her two siblings) completing our education. Despite our financial struggles, she instilled in us the belief that education was the key to unlocking a better future. My mother became my source of inspiration,” reminisced Farheen, her voice reflecting the unwavering resolve that would come to define her journey.
Farheen giving tuition to a child in her neighbourhood.The Telegraph Online Edugraph
Chapter 2: Echoes of Empowerment
As the days unfolded, Farheen found inspiration within the corridors of AK Fazlul Haq School and Khalsa English High School. It was there that she discovered her passion for public speaking. “What I am today, in terms of my confidence in speaking and everything else, is due to the education I received in my schools. I used to participate in monthly debates and extempore competitions and my teachers would always motivate me. That helped sharpen my communication skills,” she shared with us in words that echoed the profound impact of her formative years.
Busy with her art and craft engagements.The Telegraph Online Edugraph
Chapter 3: A Path Revealed
Today Farheen stands tall empowered with a Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) degree with specialisation in Analytics and Marketing from Praxis Business School and working as a Management Trainee (Operations) at DHL Global Forwarding. So what inspired her to pursue studies in this field?
She recalled, “Though I initially opted for the science stream in my plus 2, I soon realised that my heart was not in it. That is when my uncle guided me to consider management studies. He told me about all the career opportunities that would open up for me if I did a PGDM/ MBA degree; and that would help me achieve the success I had always dreamed of.”
A shot from her convocation ceremony day.The Telegraph Online Edugraph
Chapter 4: Praxis: A Journey Within
At business school, amidst the nurturing learning environment, Farheen’s metamorphosis began. “After joining , I was made a Placecom member. I was responsible for coordinating the students’ placement process, acting as a bridge between them and our college’s placement cell. It gave me the opportunity to connect with various HR heads, thereby helping me make connections. I felt more confident through meeting and speaking with new people. Moreover, I learned management skills which gave me the confidence to handle challenging situations,” she said while recounting the perks of studying in a truly enabling educational environment.
Farheen posing with her teacher.The Telegraph Online Edugraph
Chapter 5: The Tapestry of Experience
Further into the conversation we learned that, in her bid to craft a successful career path, alongside excelling in her PGDM programme at Praxis, Farheen had also gained real world experience through an array of internships with reputable brands spanning fundraising, sales and digital marketing. “Internships gave me practical training before entering the corporate workplace. I had done fieldwork too. That opened up different aspects of business management to me. I met new people and expanded my network. Also, I learned that if one has an idea, one needs to voice it. Not wait for the person on the other side to ask,” she affirmed, emphasising the importance of hands-on learning.
Farheen with Charanpreet Singh, Co-founder and Director, Praxis Business School, Kolkata.The Telegraph Online Edugraph
Farheen with Praxis management.The Telegraph Online Edugraph
Chapter 6: Words of Encouragement
While Farheen gazed upon the gamut of her achievements, we asked what would her advice for young people who are striving against life’s challenges be.
“One should not stop dreaming!” she proclaimed, her words infused with the determination of a go-getter. “Always be eager to learn, stay kind and just keep going. The avenues will open up sooner than later,” she said confidently.
As the sun set over the city of Kolkata, casting its golden hues upon the distant horizon, Farheen Masood appeared before us as an embodiment of the indomitable human spirit!
From humble beginnings to soaring heights, Farheen’s journey reinforces the transformative power of education yet again and serves as a source of hope for generations to come, irrespective of their challenging circumstances!
source: http://www.telegraphindia.com / The Telegraph Online / Home> Edugraph> Career / by Sejuti Roy / April 17th, 2024
Professor Badiur Rahman, former Head of the Department of Arabic and Persian, University of Calcutta, a well-known educationist, celebrated writer, accomplished journalist, prominent Islamic scholar and a beloved teacher passed away in Kolkata on September 19, 2023.
He was scion of an illustrious and religious family of district Hooghly of West Bengal. His father Abdur Rahman was also an MBBS and associated with Tablighi Jamat.
He got his basic education at Darul Uloom Pandua, Hooghly, West Bengal. Thereafter, he did Alim in 1967 and Fazil in 1969 respectively from Madrasa Alia, Calcutta. He derived considerable benefits from a galaxy of eminent Islamic scholars over there. Especially, he achieved immense academic gains from noted Islamic scholars like Maulana Abu Mahfuz Karim Masumi and Maulana Rahatullah Azhari. After that, he did his B.A. (Hons) in 1974 and M.A. in 1976 respectively from University of Calcutta. He also did L.L.B and Ph.D therefrom.
Professor Badiur Rahman was an institution in himself. He was a familiar figure among the intellectual circles throughout India. Due to his extraordinary knowledge and being a paragon of morality, he carved a niche in the temple of fame. He had a say at the University of Calcutta. Despite being an Islamic scholar, he considerably impressed all faculty members, including VCs of University of Calcutta. Because of his profound knowledge of different languages, noble qualities and sublime norms everyone held him in high esteem.
Visiting Professor of Alia University, Kolkata, Dr. Rahman was also on the Senate and Syndicate of Calcutta University and Ph.D. Communities, Calcutta University and Alia University. He was also Ex-Chairman of PG Board of Studies in Arabic, Calcutta University, and U.G.B.O.S in Arabic, Kalyani University.
My acquaintance with Professor Badiur Rahman I think it was during the summer of 2009 when I first met him. The meet was actually regarding my Ph.D admission at University of Calcutta. Dr. Masihur Rahman, now professor at Alia University, Kolkata introduced me to him. Since then till his last breath, I remained in touch with him. I am fortunate enough to have done my Ph.D. under his supervision and guidance. He always treated me like his brother. Whenever I met him, I gained immense inspiration from him. Despite being a celebrated scholar, he was devoid of arrogance.
As a Teacher Professor Badiur Rahman started his teaching career as a lecturer at the University of Calcutta in 1983 and retired in 2016. Even after his retirement, he kept on teaching as a visiting faculty in the University of Calcutta and Alia University, Kolkata. He always proved himself as a selfless and dedicated teacher. He was an embodiment of all sublime qualities and virtues necessary for a good teacher. His method of teaching was unprecedented. It was his sword which he wielded so effectively that very few persons could match him. During lectures he pointed out such subtle points as students could not help without being impressed with him. He left an indelible mark in the domain of the teaching profession.
Undoubtedly, he was a beloved teacher. He was fondly described as B.R. Sir by his students. Scores of students quenched their thirst for knowledge from him. His talk was very touching. He met everyone cheerfully. His deep knowledge of comparative studies made him popular among his contemporaries. His learning was varied and profound. His personality was many-sided and balanced.
Right from the beginning, he was laborious and punctual. He was a man of transparent heart. No doubt, his extraordinary scholarship and erudition brought him wide reputation and fame. His main mission was to spread education. He left a galaxy of pupils behind him who impart education and work in various fields in and out of India. In fact, it is an everlasting tribute to him.
Dr. Badiur Rahman and Dr. Taha Husayn Dr. Rahman was an ardent admirer of Dr. Taha Husayn. He had vast knowledge about Dr. Taha. He did not only study all his books but he digested them. He also wrote a book titled, “Essays On Dr. Taha Husayn” published by Mazhar Education and Welfare Society, Malda.
Maulana Alauddin Nadwi, Head of the Department of Arabic, Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow wrote in the Preface of the said book, “To a great extent Dr. Badiur Rahman tried to introduce Dr. Taha Husayn in the Introduction to his book. The author regards Dr. Taha as a born critic. He presented Taha’s thoughts in a lucid way. To clear his viewpoints, he propounded various references from Dr. Taha’s books. Besides, he holds Taha as a moderate critic to the core.”
He had also done several research works on the first Nobel Laurate in the Arabic language Dr. Naguib Mahfouz.
Dr. Badiur Rahman and Rabindra Nath Tagore
Like Dr. Taha, Dr. Rahman was also a fan of Rabindranath Tagore. He wrote various articles and short stories on Tagore’s life and works in Arabic. And thus he introduced him in the Arabic World.
It should be noted that Dr. Rahman participated in different national and international seminars and exhibited his scholarly caliber there.
Because of his outstanding and remarkable services to the Arabic language and literature, he was conferred the President Award in 2018.
As a Writer Dr. Rahman was a prolific writer. He wrote several books on different subjects. Some of his major publications are:
History of Arabic Literature (Pre-Islamic Period)
Textbook for B.A. Arabic (Hons.) Calcutta University
Textbook for B.A. General, Calcutta University
Essays On Dr. Taha Husayn
Besides, he had 31 research articles in Arabic, English, Urdu and Bengali published in different literary journals. He had earned distinction in Belles Letters, short stories, poetry in English, Arabic and Bengali. He had long experience of research guidance in Arabic. He had examined about 26 theses and 15 M.Phil dissertations of various universitas of India and abroad.
Truly speaking, the comprehensive knowledge and intellectual brilliance of Dr. Rahman had been acknowledged by his contemporaries.
Describing his yeomen services, Professor Mohammad Noman Khan, former Head of the Department of Arabic Delhi University stated that the passing away of Dr. Badiur Rahman was a personal loss to him. He played a leading role in spreading the Arabic language in West Bengal. He gave new impetus to the students of W.B.
Professor Sanaullah Nadwi, Head of the Department of Arabic said, “Dr. Badiur Rahman was a highly qualified person and he was an emblem of morality. Everyone who observed him very closely would testify it. He also described his outstanding contribution in the field of education.
Similarly, Professor Ashfaq Ahmad Nadwi Head of the Department of Arabic Banaras Hindu University stated that Almighty Allah bestowed upon him different qualities. His personality was a marvellous amalgamation of teacher, writer and guide par excellence. Besides, he was a righteous, God-fearing and pious personality.
Dr. Rahman’s death caused a great vacuum. His myriad contributions to promotion and propagation of the Arabic language and literature will always be remembered. He is survived by his wife.
Thousands of his admirers thronged to attend the last rite of the departed soul. He was buried at Ghobra-1 Graveyard, of Park Circus Kolkata. May Allah adorn his grave with luminosity and refulgence and grant peace to his soul. Aameen!
[The writer is Faculty Member, Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow]
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News / by Dr. Obaidur Rahman Nadwi / Radiance News Bureau / September 24th, 2023
Rukhshi Kadiri Elias (Third from left) with her team of Taajira
“Empower the men to empower the economically empowered women,” jokes Rukhshi Kadiri Elias, an articulate lady with her mellow voice igniting the conversation. She is the founder of Taajira – (The Businesswoman), a massive network of entrepreneurial women creating a revolution, not only in Kolkata but in other places bringing two different kinds of women together, to work together and empower each other.
Warm eyes, glowing skin with her royal demeanour, and her energy kindles hearts, which is probably why she was able to garner a massive community of thousands of women that all started in 2019.
Born and brought up in a caring home, Rukhshi helped her father with his business, looked after his office in his absence attended to his phone calls, and set up his appointments. At that time she was in the college. During her school and college days, she always stood up for friends.
Good at maintaining humans relationships, she remains in touch with her schoolmates at the Loreto School in Bowbazar and today 35 of her childhood friends are joined in by a WhatsApp Group.
Since 1974, the friends have encouraged each other, and met each other’s emotional needs, and financial difficulties, where some were going through midlife crises. Rukhshi made a special effort to initiate these get-togethers.
At the Taajira exhibition Titliyaan
Speaking to Awaz-The Voice, she recounts one of Taajira’s inspiring stories, “One incident shook me. One day, a girl reached out to us on Facebook. She was a victim of domestic violence and in a state of shambles. As I shared this with some of the administrators in our group “Taajira-The Businesswoman”, having now reached over 32,000 members, I was hesitant to approve her post publically. Some of the legal advocates said she needed immediate legal help. While that was right, I said that she presently needed strong emotional support, because she would have to pay a lawyer if she went the legal way.
“We decided to reach out to her and we reached her home and counseling made the husband realize his mistake. I finally approved her Facebook post and I was stunned to find a rush of support for this girl from hundreds of other women with similar stories. This was a big eye-opener to me that domestic violence is a huge unspoken issue in many homes. Most of the women do not know their legal rights and continue to live in abusive situations for years, incapacitating their ability to even work.
“After this incident, Anuradha Kapoor who founded Swayam, a feminist organisation dedicated to advancing women’s rights did an online talk on Taajira’s Facebook group which was a great success. The happy end of this girl’s story is through Taajira, she got into a flourishing resin art business and her husband changed realizing his failings, and supports her now, and she is a transformed woman – what a miracle!”
I asked her who her greatest inspiration to start Taajira was, she replied, “Way back then in my college days, Noor Jahan Shakil, President, of All Bengal Muslim Women’s Association used to take me along with her on her outreaches to the slums of Kolkata which jolted me out of my comfort zone. I suddenly realized there was a big world out there where millions were still suffering and living in deplorable unhygienic conditions. She had two centers – one for vocational training, tailoring, and fashion designing, actively involved with Muslim women, bringing them out of the four walls of their homes into the world, and teaching them about hygiene and health. I still connect with them helping them to create events.
“Noor Jahan Shakil is an amazing lady, now way beyond 90 years, still very agile and interested in what we are doing, coming forth with suggestions and it was her life that inspired me to think beyond the limitations of my home.”
Rukhshi Kadiri Elias
The story of the inception of Taajira was set in 2019 when Rukhshi Kadiri Elias found herself being added to many WhatsApp groups all seeking some sort of sense of identity apart from their homes. It was at that point that Rukhshi said, “Instead of adding me to different WhatsApp groups, let us get together on one platform, let’s set up a Facebook group.” The group aimed to help women set up businesses that networked together because the seller is also the consumer, so in some way, they all needed each other. The biggest challenge of this group was getting women, who were not tech-savvy to learn to use social media and basic skills.
Their first meetings started in Rukhshi’s home, later, went on to be hosted in their newly formed restaurant, and later, also others offered their halls.
There was a conglomeration of all kinds of women from different strata of society with different needs, from restaurant owners to maids.
There are two groups in Taajira, one group is an elite group who made brand names for themselves through Taajira, and the other group is the economically deprived.
The Elite group helps the economically weaker women with startups, not with money but with goods to the other group to help launch their businesses and out of the profits of the retail rates, they pay back the elite group only at the wholesale rates so that they make a large marginal profit.
There are also intense training programs at the Tajara Elite Club where makeup artists, teams, stylists, bridal packages, ladies who make their organic herbal products, sari drapers, henna designers, masseurs, seamstresses, and even taught driving, grooming, polishing, and other crafts.
At their monthly meet, they pair up, and here the weaker women are imparted skills. During the pandemic, garments were sold online, but they now have their showrooms and stores, so the elite group needed salesgirls, managers, accountants, chefs, and other staff.
She said,”50% of our staff from our restaurant Shaikh’s is from Taajira. While we started as a group to financially empower women, even men were getting jobs. Husbands, sons, and brothers as chauffeurs, chefs, cooks, and other such help so the entire family gets help.”
She said, “We have a legal panel with lawyers and advocates, another panel for counselling for those who need emotional help, doctors who help women with their illnesses, lady police officers who help women with their paperwork, food licenses, and advice.
We have a marvelous doctor who runs The Soul Clinic, Dr. Shabtab Elahi who unlocks the healing power of yoga, with her set of yoga trainers, and focuses on weight loss.
Rukhshi Kadiri Elias with Taajira members
Taajira members from the Wellness Center hold nutritious tea parties with healthy snacks. The focus on hygiene, health, mental well-being, and financial stability is a big boost to Taajira’s growth because we are not just a workforce but a caring community and like a large family with a very personal touch.”
Mysteriously, as Taajira was established in 2019, it seemed a divinely appointed timing as they helped hundreds of families during COVID-panic-driven days in 2020 and beyond to tide through this rough season and come across safely. She says that Taajira was the only online portal open those days for help to the public. Food was the biggest need during COVID-19, and home-cooked food was delivered directly to homes. Since there was no bread in the markets, the ladies in Taajira started baking bread, making thalis (meals) supplying the ones trapped at home and without food.
In one instance, a member of Taajira from the UAE send an SOS message to Taajira to reach out to her septuagenarian parents stranded without food. The Taajira chef delivered food for free until a maid could look after them. Incredibly, the Taajira team delivered not only food, but also medicines, and other assistance to families, and college students were given money and food. In this great season of caring, Taajira grew to be a more community-focused and family-hearted organization.
Taajira’s recent big venture was Titliyan, an annual big exhibition, held once a year, with 111 stalls in the year 2022 and 175 stalls in 2023 and close to 10,000 people visited it.
Rukhshi said with a note of pride that many exhibition curators are now getting their ideas drawn from Taajira members getting 90% of their income through their wares in these exhibitions. She said, “I am, after this appointment on my way to an exhibition in Khidirpur.”
Rukhshi’s journey to create Taajira also required her supportive family, husband, and two sons, who incidentally are great sportsmen, swimmers, footballers, and hockey players, and her wonderful daughter-in-law. She proudly shares the addition of her grandson to the home, now six months old whom she is very involved in taking care of while her daughter-in-law, who is a counsellor in Loreto, goes to school.
All family members proudly pat each other’s backs for their accomplishments. Their recent achievement was their famous restaurant, Shaikh’s, a 42-seater lavish but affordable restaurant launched three years back by her sons, with its cutting-edge culinary excellence seated in the Park Circus area in Beckbagan, near Quest Mall, famed for its aromatic rich Indian, Middle Eastern flavors drawing flocks of people.
As a graduate of Fine Arts and a diploma holder in fashion design, she honed her skills to help the processing of Taajira smoothly. Rukhshi says that the journey to making Taajira a reality has only been possible with the assistance and dedication of her panel of moderators, such as Zainab Saigal, Shumaila Khalid, Ifra Nadeem, Sujata Latif, and Sumaiya Munir applauding the strength of networking together. She said, “We have a strength of 33000 women, now, so we need at least six women to herd them!”
An encouraging moment arrived when the globally connected Calcutta University asked Taajira to suggest a few names of their women to train guide and support them technically. These ladies were picked up and it was a good venture of collaboration to bring profit to both.
Shaikh’s restaurant
On another occasion, a lady who makes chocolates got a huge order from the American Consulate to supply them with 500 boxes of chocolates during Christmas, another lady got a massive order for jute bags and a lady who makes momos and other delicious nutritious snacks now gets regular orders from The American Consulate, business avenues that transformed their incomes and lives.
Recounting one amusing incident, Rukhshi said, “One day, I received a call from a lady announcing that she wanted to work on an online business, but she was not tech savvy. The lady also mentioned that due to her arthritis and other problems, she was unable to work outdoors but needed the money to maintain herself and pay for her medicines. After giving her some ideas, I asked her, “Ma’am, how old are you?” and she replied brightly, “I’m only 73!” I visited her and got her in touch with an Anglo-Indian seamstress who used to stitch nighties, so the lady was able to get into an online trading business and sell nighties to meet her financial needs.”
While membership to Tajeera is free, there is a fee to join the talk shows. She mentioned that there are women who broke away from Tajeera and started their businesses for their reasons, but this was never the aim of Taajira whose power lay in massive networking to support thousands to lakhs together. She said, “Everything is changing fast. Eating habits changed where people now are more into fast foods, apparels changed from saris to most women now in jeans and kurtis, society is transforming quickly.”
She said, “In a strange twist of fates, the men who once mocked the efforts of Tajeera exclaiming it was a taboo for their women to work outside the home are now accepting women working outdoors, and even standing alongside and helping them, and some are even staying at home and looking after the children while their wives are out selling their wares at grand exhibitions,, isn’t it incredible! Things have changed so much in just a few years. Each day, we are moving towards a brighter light and now society is changing so much that when women don’t work, people ask, “How come you’re not working?”
She said emphatically, “Taajira has two ideologies – to help the poor and to economically empower women and we are starting to network a revolution!”
The day is too short for her and she said, “I still have not arrived, we are still on the way, one target is related to another and then it opens another dimension.”
Rita Farhat Mukand is an independent writer.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Story / by Rita Farhat Mukund / February 24th, 2024
Her hard work paid off and she eventually clinched success on her third attempt. She cleared both her Prelims and Mains and went on to top the interview round as well.
IAS Zainab Sayeed
New Delhi:
Do you happen to know who holds the prestigious title for achieving the highest marks in the interview round of the UPSC exam over the last decade? If you’re guessing it’s Tina Dabi, Srushti Deshmukh, Kanishka Kataria, or Shruti Sharma, you might be surprised.
It’s none other than Zainab Sayeed who stands as the record-holder for securing the highest marks in the UPSC interview round. This remarkable individual from Kolkata attained an outstanding score of 220 out of 275 marks in the interview segment. Her remarkable achievement took place in 2014 when she successfully navigated the UPSC Civil Services Exam, amassing 731 marks in the main examination.
Zainab clinched the All-India Rank (AIR-107) and to this day remains unparalleled in terms of interview performance. However, Zainab’s journey with UPSC wasn’t without its challenges. She encountered setbacks in her initial two attempts, failing to clear even the Prelims in her first endeavours.
Despite these early setbacks, Zainab refused to be deterred and remained steadfast in her belief in herself. Her relentless dedication and perseverance eventually paid dividends, culminating in her triumphant success on her third attempt. She not only cleared both her Prelims and Mains but also emerged as the top performer in the interview round.
According to Zainab’s account, the interview lasted for approximately 25 minutes and revolved around a diverse array of topics, including current affairs, international affairs, foreign direct investments, and discussions on the European Union.
It’s noteworthy that Zainab hails from Kolkata and completed her graduation in English literature from St. Xavier’s College. Subsequently, she pursued her MA in mass communication at Jamia University, Delhi, graduating in 2011.
Following her post-graduate studies, Zainab made the decision to embark on the rigorous journey of UPSC exam preparation. Despite facing disappointments in 2012 and 2013, she persisted and ultimately tasted success in 2014.
source: http://www.zeenews.india.com / Zee News / Home> India> UPSC Success Story / by Zee Media Bureau, edited by Mahi Mishra / February 13th, 2024
Chhowsia, Islampur (Uttar Dinajpur District), WEST BENGAL :
Mohammad Masroor Alam during a campaign
Mohammad Masroor Alam’s life took him through a different route in Gujarat in 2001 when he was enrolled for a computer course and the horrific Bhuj Earthquake shook the state on 26 January at 08:46 in the morning killing 20,023 people, injuring about 167,000 while bringing about 340,000 buildings down to rubble.
As a young man, he was shaken by the massive devastation. Stirred by the voluminous urgent need for assisting hands, he rose out of compassion and got involved with a team of people to help the people ravaged by the wreckage. The victims were people from all communities – Hindus, Muslims, Christians, etc. living in makeshift tents.
They all received food, utensils, clothes, blankets, and many other provisions through the efforts of Masroor Alam and all the others in the busy team.
A group wedding organised by Masroor Alam’s group
In a turbulent world of survival of the fittest where each looks for their own, it’s hard to find people like Masroor Alam.
The 34-year-old social activist is the son of Md Rakimuddin and Najrun Nisha of Chhowsia, in the Uttar Dinajpur district in Islampur, West Bengal. He has five brothers and one sister and his parent’s deep values on humanity instilled an indelible root of compassion in him.
He held degrees of M.A. and LLB at the time of being in Gujarat to study computers at the time of the earthquake.
Md Masroor Alam shared, “It felt good not only to give and relieve them from their sufferings but also add a blanket of warmth to our hearts, and we also felt better and happier when we did good deeds for them.”
Victims of cylinder blast
The urge to start a proper Non-Government Organization to help the needy started churning in his heart. He said, “I saw people using NGOs for their benefits, just to meet their own needs without really helping the deprived people, I saw it as a sort of corruption in one way. I wanted to help the people desperately crying for help because I noticed they were overlooked many times. I also believe we must help all people equally, not looking at religion, caste, or race.”
In 2007, Md Masroor Alam became the President of the All India Raza Committee. They held a massive Blood Donation Camp in 2007 during April with a total of 152 blood donation camps and the work involved was stupendous.
During the time of the floods that engulfed the Kishanganj district, he and the team reached out to 26 villages serving them cooked hot khichdi (rice and lentils porridge) as well as giving them lentils, rice salt, wheat flour, sugar, tea leaves and other commodities.
Md Masroor Alam with members of his group at a health camp
It was a tenuous hard labour pushing through swarming waterlogged regions which threatened to sweep away anyone at a moment. The grateful victims called them messengers of good tidings. In another instance, during a gas cylinder blast in the Islampur area, where 37 families were burnt and two men were struggling to live, Masroor Alam and the crew gave them all the help and provided their requirements during that difficult time.
One particular defining time for Md Masroor Alam was working with politicians and understanding how much help they too give during times of disaster. At that time, they helped people to get their ration cards and gifted warm blankets and food to members of some caste communities.
Sometimes, a village would suddenly catch on fire either due to dry twigs or some sudden accident and the group would rush to those areas to help with food, plates, utensils, glasses, and even pressure cookers as some families had their entire homes burnt to ashes.
Masroor Alam (In white Kurta-Pajyama) with a volunteer
The time of COVID-19 pandemic heightened food insecurity in India, leading to a hunger crisis affecting extensive rural regions and certain urban areas with job losses and reduced incomes. Activists monitoring coronavirus-related fatalities have reported that over 300 individuals have lost their lives due to starvation, exhaustion, and accidents apart from dying from the pandemic.
During this time, Md Masroor Alam and the team visited the people in the village and advised them to stay indoors, taught them about masking and sanitation, and gave food to over 8000 families, mostly labourers and truck drivers.
Another help they rendered in 2014 was organising and funding ten poor Muslim girls’ mass weddings and in 2015, they assisted six girls, which was a big financial relief for their parents.
Masroor Alam expressed that ever since he was a child, he was deeply concerned about the suffering of others and always wanted to do something significant to make a difference.
While he was studying computers in Gujarat, after the Bhuj Earthquake, his life was steered in a new direction and he started to get more deeply involved in helping all people of all communities during times of distress giving dal, rice, atta, tea leaves, sugar and many such food commodities during famines and earthquakes as well.
Feeding those in need
The beautiful aspect of Md Masroor Alam’s life and help is his along with the team’s outreach to all people of all communities without ever thinking of the differences of religion or caste. This is the language of humanity.
All India Raza Committee runs an old people’s home where the very poor beggars, sick, and old people can live in dignity. Most of them are rescued from the grips of begging out on pavements, streets, and near garbage dumps.
He says that Islampur is still an impoverished region, underdeveloped and there are many poor people there. During the winter, it is very cold and the NGO started to give warm clothes and blankets to the poor families.
Masroor Alam (in the center) holding a meeting with his volunteers
As the president of All India Raza Committee which is a Sunni Muslim Islamist group based in Maharashtra, India formed in 1978 by Alhaj Mohammed Saeed Noori. Md Masroor has reached out to help people in all parts of India such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, West Bengal, and many other states.
Inspired by the Holy Quran which says in Surah 17:70, “Because everyone is created by God Almighty, the Maker of all, humans must treat one another with full honour, respect, and loving-kindness.” In another ayat, it is written, “Help one another in acts of piety and righteousness.”
Md Masroor Alam is inspired by this one line, “Be certain that you do not die without having done something wonderful for humanity.”— Maya Angelou. This is the philosophy by which he lives and those waves resound loudly wherever he goes sending out a good message.
Rita Farhat Mukand is an independent writer in West Bengal
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Rita Farhat Mukund / February 01st, 2024
Mohammed Imtiaz, right, and his nephew Mohammed Shahbaz Reyaz are seen at their Pen Hospital in Kolkata on Nov. 30, 2023. (Mohammed Shahbaz Reyaz)
Pen Hospital in Chowringhee Lane in Kolkata was established in 1940s
It is increasingly catering to young people rediscovering fine writing instruments
The nondescript facade with a fading nameplate misses the attention of passersby at Chowringhee Lane in Kolkata, remaining a go-to place only for connoisseurs who still cherish the old-fashioned art of handwriting.
In its quiet and quaint interior, a visitor can try thousands of vintage and high-end fountain pens from brands like Montblanc, Parker, Pilot, Visconti, Wilson, Waterman, Pelikan, or Sheaffer, and watch as Mohmmad Imtiaz brings them back to life.
The Pen Hospital represents a bygone era in an age of instant electronic messaging, but it still draws lawyers, academics and collectors from across India and, lately, also young people who have been increasingly attracted to fine writing instruments.
Established in the 1940s by Imtiaz’s great-grandfather Mohammed Shamsuddin, the shop has stayed in the family ever since. Imtiaz’s partner behind the counter is Mohammed Shahbaz Reyaz, the son of his late brother.
“Despite the popularity of high-tech laptops and iPads, pens are also getting popular and that’s the reason I have roped in my nephew into the business. My son will join, too,” Imtiaz told Arab News.
“There is a renewed interest in fountain pens among the new generation. Today, half of my customers are younger people and this gives me hope.”
Depending on the model, it costs between 25 cents and $60 to have a pen “treated” at the Pen Hospital. Sometimes, parts of older or rarer pens need to be procured from different sources.
Imtiaz repairs seven to eight pens a day on his “operation table” — the shop’s counter.
“Sometimes the workload is so high that some customers have to wait a week for an appointment,” he said.
There used to be many such shops during the time of Imtiaz’s great-grandfather and grandfather, but most ceased to exist in the 1990s, when cheap, disposable ball pens hit the mass market in India.
Now, Imtiaz believes his Pen Hospital is the “only shop in eastern India” that still deals in the trade, which began to thrive again only a few years ago.
“Things started taking up after the COVID-19 pandemic. Long periods of lockdown forced many people to read and write, and people started coming with old fountain pens for repair,” he said. “Some people discovered vintage pens in their cupboards. They have not used them for decades.”
His shop has a special value for collectors like Sarthak Ganguly, a media professional, who has been visiting the Pen Hospital for almost 20 years.
“The Pen Hospital is the only place in Kolkata where you can look for some nice vintage pens,” he said.
“Here you will get a fountain pen that can cost you from $1.20 up to $1,200. Many fountain pen collectors, like me, have at least 1,000 old and new fountain pens. Most of my pens have been collected from the Pen Hospital.”
In a city like Kolkata, known as the cultural capital of India, writing with a pen brings together craftsmanship, style and a touch of nostalgia — something that younger people are increasingly fond of.
It is mostly the new generation of collectors that Ganguly sees at the shop in the morning.
“The young generation is buying fountain pens and that is really heartening,” he said.
“The Pen Hospital not only has nostalgic value, but also it is a pleasure to visit such an iconic shop. It reminds you of history.”
source: http://www.arabnews.com / Arab News / Home> World / by Sanjay Kumar / December 13th, 2023
Mamoon Akhtar with students at the Samaritan Mission School in Tikiapara
Innumerable NGOs are helping the needy across the country in different ways. What makes the Samaritan Help Mission in Howrah, which adjoins Kolkata across the Ganga, exceptional is the way in which people of different faiths, nationalities, private initiative, official assistance and corporate help have combined to nurture a vibrant island of hope.
The Samaritan Mission does its work in Tikiapara, a huge slum that runs alongside the railway tracks connecting Howrah Station. It is 80 percent Muslim, poor and intimidated by crime. The mission was founded and is led by Mamoon Akhtar, 46, its secretary, and most of its work is housed on land belonging to the Belilious Trust.
Mamoon’s (everybody calls him so) father was a skilled worker and keen that his son get a good education. So he put Mamoon in one of the area’s leading schools, St Thomas. But he had to leave after reaching Class 7 under humiliating circumstances because his father was out of a job and could not pay the school fees. Mamoon finished high school through open learning and, with his father departed, supported his family by doing odd jobs and offering private tuition. Not being able to complete his formal schooling, enabling others to do so and in the English medium became the driving passion of his life.
Two incidents shaped him. One day, he found a man beating up a woman because she refused to be a drug pusher. Mamoon tried to stop him and got beaten up himself. He was finally rescued by other locals who knew him and called him “Sir” because he taught children. The little boy whose mother Mamoon had tried to save caught up with him and simply said, “I want to study.” He asked the child to come to his house and soon he was running evening classes for 20 children in a spare room. To keep doing so, Mamoon went around the community seeking help and enlisted the services of local girls who had completed school as teachers at `100 per month.
Then, one day, he spotted a newspaper clipping which pictured a lady singing with a group of children. She was Lee Alison Sibley, Jewish wife of someone with the US consulate in Kolkata. Mamoon wrote to her, seeking help; she replied that he should ask the local community. Mamoon wrote again. Eventually, she came, saw what he was delivering from a single windowless room, was overwhelmed, wrote out a cheque for `10,000 and asked a local journalist friend to write about his work. It highlighted the fact that Mamoon taught children from all communities. The article roped in Ramesh Kacholia of Caring Friends Mumbai. Ramesh Uncle thereafter became a permanent mentor.
With what Mrs Sibley gave, Mamoon set up Samaritan Help Mission in 2001, the name inspired by the biblical story he had learnt in school. When Mamoon canvassed for additional help from the community around him he also reaped a bonus — a strong community connect. In 2007 the informal school became the Samaritan Mission School, accredited and recognised by the West Bengal government. Today it is a co-educational English-medium school, affiliated to the state board for secondary education, with an enrolment of 1,300. The big thing is ‘English medium’; Mamoon knows the difference that makes.
Now switch to I.R. Belilious Institution on Belilious Road, covering two acres of land bequeathed by a Jewish couple, Rebecca and Isaac Raphael Belilious (they both departed by 1910, childless), with a football field, basketball court, a water body, a two-storied school building and a bigger one coming up which will take classes up to Class 8. The whole complex comes under the Belilious Trust Estate. As a child Mamoon swam there, to later see the water body turned into a municipal garbage dump, the government school virtually defunct, the whole space gone derelict and a den of drug pushers.
In 2014 Mamoon and a small group of friends started canvassing the residents of Tikiapara and eventually, on 14 November, Children’s Day, a meeting of a thousand people was held at I.R. Belilious Institution. Also present were the trustees of the institution, the local MLA and the Howrah police commissioner, Ajay Mukund Ranade. The meeting decided to revive the institution, after some debate of course as to why a madrassa should not be started instead of an English-medium school. But Mamoon prevailed and from the next day began the physical clean-up job by the locals through shramdaan with help from the municipality. The police did their own kind of clean-up. In December the trustees and the police commissioner decided to start an English-medium school, also open an evening school, name the effort the Rebecca Belilious English Institution, and hand over its management to the Samaritan Mission.
As you enter, to the left is a prominent sign indicating it is a banking kiosk of the State Bank of India. The place is filled with women, 7,500 of whom from the adjoining slum have accounts there. A biometric point of sale device enables cash dispensation for those who have Aadhaar registration. Along with education, financial inclusion is also taking place right there. The Samaritan Mission also works as a banking correspondent of Indian Overseas Bank.
Right after the bank outreach is the Rebecca Belilious Charitable Dispensary which treats over 200,000 outpatients a year with help from Howrah government hospital doctors. In it there are well-equipped rooms for ophthalmology, dentistry, cardiac care, gynaecology and general medicine. Why is the place not teeming with people and why is it a bit dark? The reality of non-metropolitan India catches up. There is a power cut on.
All the facilities and construction are fairly new and don’t seem heavily used. The grants are coming but how accessible is the entire facility? The question is answered when I spot in another corner a door marked Jan Aushadhi, an initiative by the Indian government to make available cheap essential generic drugs to all. Inside, the shelves are stacked with medicines and two staffers busily fill prescriptions. All the elements that make up a complete out patient facility are present. Too few people overall? It is a hot midday during Ramzan fasting.
In another corner of the complex is a narrow hall with two rows of sewing and embroidery machines with girls working on them. An instructor is explaining to one of the girls how to work on what looks like a pocket which has to be fixed onto the garment. This is the vocational training centre.
Another doorway bears a key message, a skill development centre facilitated by two police commissioners, Ranade and D.P. Singh. It captures the active and supportive role that the local police played in the work of the Mission.
Next to it is being built a drinking water plant which will use the reverse osmosis process and ration daily entitlements through smart cards. No service is rendered free, explains Mamoon. A token fee is levied to make people realise the value of what they are getting.
After these facilities there is a clean water body (it has been snatched back from extinction) and beyond it is an astro turf football pitch, enabled by the CSR programme of Chevrolet GM. At a second campus 10 km away in Bankra, Ambuja Cement helps run a vocational training centre and the Tata Trust a centre to facilitate the integrated use of technology in education to revive government schools.
You realise CSR funding helps but it is an additionality. The Mission’s lifeblood comes from its community ownership, aided by faceless philanthropy, all explained to you by a balding, energetic Mamoon, despite undergoing Ramzan fasting, who is fluent in English and Bengali but prefers Hindi if you have it too.
As my tour ends Mamoon makes a critical point. At one stage an Islamic organisation was ready to help but wanted the project to have an Islamic character. Mamoon declined. He says his Mission knows no creed and he is trying to bring about active give-and-take between the two main communities in Tikiapara which live peacefully but separately, a bit aloof from each other. Twenty percent of the slum-dwellers are Hindus but they make up 30 percent of the students of the Mission. That additional 10 percent is a badge that Mamoon can wear with pride.
source: http://www.civilsocietyonline.com / Civil Society / Home> Spotlight / by Subir Roy, Kolkata / July 03rd, 2017
In a conversation with FII, Moumita Alam discusses how she began writing poetry, and what it is like being a Muslim woman in a Hindu majoritarian state and how the voices of certain minorities have been silenced throughout Indian history.
Moumita Alam is a teacher based in West Bengal whose political poetry, over the past few years, has gained incredible popularity in South Asia due to its powerful messages and themes. As a Muslim woman, through her poems, essays and opinion pieces, she attempts to bring out the atrocities faced by the women of her community alongside critiquing the larger issue of rising Islamophobia in India. Her first and only book, The Musings of the Dark was published in 2020.
In a conversation with FII, Moumita Alam discusses how she began writing poetry, what it is like being a Muslim woman in a Hindu majoritarian state and how the voices of certain minorities have been silenced throughout Indian history, particularly in West Bengal ever since the 1947 partition.
FII: You have, over the past few years, used your poetry to both raise awareness about and protest against the Islamophobia propagated by the ring wing in our country. Would you like to shed some light on what your writing journey has been like?
Moumita: I began my poetic journey after 2019. In 2019, on the 5th of August, the abrogation of Article 370 happened. I had a friend who lived in Kashmir, so I lost connection with him. He was an aspiring advocate who would regularly speak with me. I, as a teacher and a single mother, would share my life journey with him in return. But in 2019, when I could no longer talk to him, a sense of guilt began haunting me — how could a land become a prison where the people couldn’t even make a phone call to the ones in the outside world?
At some point in time, I thought of writing a letter to him, but receiving a letter from here could land him in trouble. He was much younger than me but was my only friend who would listen to my feelings, my happiness, my sorrows. So, I began writing.
I am against the use of the term “migrant labourers,” because India is our own country, so how can its citizens be called migrants? — to come on the grounds and walk for miles and miles to reach their homes.
Moumita Alam
That same year, in December 2019, the Anti-CAA-NRC movement started and we suddenly became aware of our religious identities. Everyone around me would ask me, “Are you legal? Are you a Bangladeshi?” But, believe me, I was born and raised in West Bengal. I have never even seen or visited Bangladesh. Every Muslim I know — whether practising or non-practising — was being asked this question. So, after my Kashmiri friend, I lost my other friends too because their questions would hurt me. I wrote about those feelings too.
Source: Moumita Alam’s FB
And then again in March 2020, we saw how the unplanned lockdown forced the workers of the unorganised sector — I am against the use of the term “migrant labourers,” because India is our own country, so how can its citizens be called migrants? — to come on the grounds and walk for miles and miles to reach their homes. I could not sleep for days because I live in a village and many of my relatives and fellow villagers used to work in Kerala and Delhi as labourers. So, I also started to write poems about their plights and sufferings.
One of my friends asked me to send my poems for publication, which had never crossed my mind because I stay far away from Delhi and its so-called “English literary circle.” But I still emailed a publisher who agreed to publish and then, my first and only book, The Musings of the Dark came out in August 2020.
FII: Since your poems usually focus on the theme of gendered Islamophobia or the issues that Muslim women face in our country, what is it like being a Muslim woman in a country governed by the right-wing?
Moumita: In 2021, I got to know that a few right-wing fanatics had created an app to sell Muslim women and had named it ‘Bulli Bai.’ I was so disturbed after reading the news about this because this is such a heinous thing to do — how can anyone do this in a democratic country like India?
So, I wrote this poem, “I am a Muslim woman and I am not for sale.” This poem was translated into many languages — in Telugu, Assamese, Bengali, Tamil, Kannada, and others — and was also published on various platforms.
If you follow the news, you would know that in 2022, hijab was banned in schools across the country. Even if I don’t wear hijab, you can’t ban other women who do from getting an education. As women, we are a minority in many ways — first, as Muslims in this country and then, because of our gender. We have to bargain our choices and sometimes, we have to compromise in front of our families by saying, “I will work hard, I will wear a hijab, please let me go to the doors of education.”
When a man is interpreting religious scriptures for you, he will — whether consciously or unconsciously — view religion through a patriarchal lens. They might not allow us to gain an understanding of the equal rights that Islam gives to Muslim women.
Moumita Alam
After becoming independent, I, as a Muslim woman, can decide for myself whether or not I wish to wear a hijab. But, you can’t put a blanket ban on hijab like that.
While I do write poems on the rising Islamophobia in our country, I also write about the oppression we Muslim women face within our own communities. Look, our society is based on patriarchal notions which means that even a lot of religious preachers are men. When a man is interpreting religious scriptures for you, he will — whether consciously or unconsciously — view religion through a patriarchal lens. They might not allow us to gain an understanding of the equal rights that Islam gives to Muslim women.
FII: Have you ever faced censorship for having political themes and highlighting the various injustices particularly on the basis of religion, in your work?
Moumita: Thankfully, we still have some platforms that provide a space to people like me where we can raise our voices. I am thankful to the Editor of LiveWire, who recently resigned. She was an immense pillar of support for me because she never censored my work — she either accepted it or denied it from being published, but never censored it. Even the Editor of Outlook is brilliant that way.
Source: Moumita Alam’s FB
Sometimes, however, my poems get rejected by other platforms because they say my work is too political, but I think we are living in a time during which one can’t be apolitical. If you are, then you are indirectly standing with people who are unleashing injustice towards minorities.
FII: As a poet who writes in both English and Bengali, you have often talked about how the voices of certain minorities have been neglected even within Bengali literature and poetry — an example of which can be the Marichjhapi massacre in 1979. Is there anything that you would like to discuss about the domination of certain elite classes and castes in Bengal?
Moumita: You might have noticed that for the non-Bengalis, West Bengal is equal to Kolkata — all of Bengal is just Kolkata for most people who aren’t from Bengal. This suggests a very Kolkata-centric attitude that most people have about Bengal. The literary world is, of course, not an exception — it’s so Kolkata-centric that people like me who are living in the margins find it almost impossible to reach the centre that is Kolkata.
Also, the Bengali literary world has been dominated by upper-class, upper-caste people for a very long time. So, they write about only those issues that they know about and that suit their narrative. Things are changing, some voices are getting spaces. However, we still have a long way to go. »
FII: When we usually talk about the India-Pakistan partition, the discussion inevitably gets centred around the division of what is present-day Punjab with little being said about how the refugees of Bengal, particularly the oppressed even among the displaced, were impacted. As someone who has written articles on this theme for both English and Bengali publications, can you tell us a little about your understanding of the same?
Moumita: Yes, I agree with you that the pains and sufferings of the Bengali refugees haven’t found expression in the so-called mainstream literature, particularly English literature. When I’m talking about “Bengali,” I mean both Hindus and Muslims. The plights of the oppressed class like the Namasudra community who were forced to migrate to West Bengal from the then East Pakistan is missing from the literary narrative. Equally, even the traumas and voices of the Muslims who stayed back while the other members migrated to East Pakistan are missing from the literary imagination.
Source: Moumita Alam’s FB
Most importantly, after partition, no political establishment tried to heal the wounds of the refugees. We all understand how the various European governments attempted to heal the wounds of the holocaust survivors after the second world war, but the same did not happen in India, even though the partition is often compared to the Holocaust.
Instead, every political party tried to gain political mileage from the religious fault lines. If I am not mistaken, nothing much has yet been written about internal migration. How many partition museums do we have?
FII: Every time your poems about the Babri Masjid demolition or about Kashmir get published, there are a lot of derogatory things that are often said by right-wing people— such as a lot of Kashmiri Pandits who end up claiming that their own stories need to be heard over yours. Since you have been doing what you believe in for so many years, is there any advice that you’d like to give to the young girls of our country about how they can voice their thoughts fearlessly even when they are intimidated?
Moumita: We are living in a critical juncture of time. As witnesses of this time, we can’t let the fascists win. How are they winning? They are winning through their narrative — a narrative of hatred towards minorities, towards women. We have to tell our own stories, we have to counter their narrative by our narrative.
So, here is my message for all women:
I wish you,
Oh women,
A savage fury
To throw all the
Dos and don’ts
Under a ravaging bus.
And begin from the beginning
All-new, all equal.»
FII: You write and publish your creative works and political thoughts as a freelancer, which means there is very little for you to gain from it as a poet. If anything, your poems and articles have mostly just led people to threaten you. What is it that motivates you to continue writing even when things don’t entirely work in your favour?
Moumita: Silence is not an option. The hatred that engulfed my friends still haunts me. I am a villager and I know how common people are suffering every day. The silence of the intellectual people saddens me. I want to jolt them, wake them up from their hibernation.
I am a villager and I know how common people are suffering every day. The silence of the intellectual people saddens me. I want to jolt them, wake them up from their hibernation.
Moumita Alam
You know, potatoes are the only profitable crop in my village. This year, the poor farmers incurred a heavy loss and couldn’t repay the loans they had to take from private microfinance companies at heavy interest rates. I asked a very old farmer how they plan to survive after this loss? And he replied, “Next year we will get some profit.” I was just amazed at his belief and relentlessness. I believe we can bring a change. We have to hope because we don’t have any other option.
The interview has been paraphrased and condensed for clarity.
source: http://www.feminisminindia.com / Feminism In India / Home> Interview / by Upasana Dandano / June 09th, 2023
We are happy to announce that TCN’s SEED Fellow Sufi Parween has won the 13th Laadli Media Award for her exceptional contribution to gender-sensitive reporting.
Mursalin’s act went viral on social media platforms and hundreds turned up at his residence to praise him.
Mursalin with members of his family (Photo | Special arrangement)
Kolkata :
When Class V student Mursalin left his Malda home on Thursday afternoon to fish in a ditch beside the railway tracks, all his concentration was focused on the water. But as he looked around for a few seconds, his attention shifted to a large crater under the railway track, which was caused by heavy rainfall in the north Bengal region in the past few days.
Seeing part of the track having no support beneath it, Mursalin sensed danger. On hearing the whistle of the speeding Silchar-bound Kanchanjungha Express as it was skipping the nearby Bhaluka Road railway station, the 11-year-old boy took off his red T-shirt and started waving it as fast as he could to draw the attention of the train driver.
Spotting the boy on the track waving his red T-shirt, the motorman applied the brakes and the train came to a halt. The driver examined the crater, sent an SOS and railway officials arrived. Repair work was carried out to fill up the crater and the train left.
Mursalin’s act went viral on social media platforms and hundreds turned up at his residence to praise him.
“It was drizzling and I crossed the railway track and came to the ditch for fishing. I was busy catching fish but after a few minutes, when I could not catch a single one, I just looked around. I saw the soil and stones under the railway track were washed away because of rain, I felt it could pose a threat to a train. At the same time, I heard the train’s whistle. I did not spare a moment. I took off my red T-shirt and started waving it standing on the railway track,” said the boy.
Mursalin’s mother Marzina Bibi said her son returned home and narrated what he did. “I feel proud of him. His act saved a train mishap. Railway officers also praised him,” she said.
Railway officers said the crater under the tracks had not been noticed. “After examining the crater, the railway officers from nearby Bhaluka Road station took steps to fill it up as early as possible. We appreciate the boy’s presence of mind and his bravery,” said a railway official.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Express News Service / September 27th, 2023
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