In a district-level speech competition organized by the Umeed Foundation, Malkapur’s Al-Huda Urdu Girls School and Junior College student, Nazifa Namus, emerged victorious, securing the first position.
Daughter of Tariqullah Khan, Namus impressed judges and spectators alike with her eloquence.
She was awarded an honorary certificate and a cash prize of eleven thousand rupees.
The event, held on Sunday, garnered attention from dignitaries such as Abdul Karim Salar, President of the Education Society, and Rajesh Akde, a prominent member of the Provincial Assembly.
Also present were Maulana Ashfaq Qasmi, Haji Rasheed Khan and senior police officials from the city.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Education / by Zaina Aman (headline edited) / Radiance News Bureau / March 06th, 2024
Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi fondly refers to girls as Bharat ki Beti. One such Bharat ki Beti Uzma Fatima, 26, an assistant engineer at the Srisailam Power Plant in the Telangana State left a blazing trail of bravery as she saved 4 of her colleagues from the fire reportedly caused due to short circuit a few days ago.
Modi also says: Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (Save girl child, educate girl child). Young Hyderabadi Uzma’s bravery can make us say: Beti Padhao, Beti Bachaati (Educate girl child, she will save you)!
Thousands of girls have been raped and burnt to death. Many others have been burnt to death for dowry. But when girls get a chance, they save the families and the nation. Uzma Fatima was a notch higher in the sense that she saved those 4 colleagues, who were not even her own family. She put humanity first!
Uzma Fatima’s father Mohammed Zubair runs a footwear business at Chappal Bazar in Hyderabad. He has three daughters and a son. The elder daughter is married. Uzma Fatima was his second daughter and was unmarried. His youngest daughter is in the eighth standard.
Mohammed Zubair’s son Mohammed Minhaj who is a degree college student told that his family is in a state of shock due to the sudden tragedy. According to him, Uzma Fatima was working in Srisailam Power Station as an Assistant Engineer for the past four years. The CCTV footage of the fire accident shows that Uzma had come out of the fire engulfed place. According to the survivors, she saved 4 (four) of her colleagues. She went back to bring out the other assistant engineers trapped there. She could not come of the tunnel along with eight other colleagues. The brave engineers perished in the fire.
It may be recalled that women were finally given combat roles in the Indian Army after a long struggle. Uzma’s sacrifice proves that women are second to none in bravery. Women are our best bet to save our country within and on our borders. Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi proved her bravery in the battlefield against the British. Every girl in our country is a potential Rani Laxmi Bai. They prove it when they get chances. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi may certainly be feeling proud about the sacrifice of Bharat ki Beti Uzma Fatima.
A fitting tribute to Uzma’s memory would be institute a gallantry award her name and also rechristen Srisailam Power Plant as Uzma Fatima Power Plant. It will not only generate electricity but it will also generate bravery for our future generations of girls to emulate.
The Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) should pay tribute to Telangana’s daughter Uzma Fatima by naming a major road in Hyderabad after her. The Malakpet Railway Station near her residence can be named as Uzma Fatima Railway Station. Are Modi ji and KCR Garu listening?
source: http://www.beyondheadlines.in / Beyond Headlines / Home> Real Heroes / by Dr. Ahmed Moinuddin Siddiqui / August 25th, 2020
Following the Islamic principle that ‘if your neighbors sleep hungry while you are there, then you are not a true Muslim,’ neighbours in Pune Kondhwa in Maharashtra have replicated the initiatives of “Roti Bank” (bread bank) across many Indian cities and soup kitchens run by religious organization in the West, to address the hunger in the IT hub.
“Ark Charitable Trust’ was launched in August 2019 when many people in the city had lost jobs or livelihoods due to the COVID and hunger was rampant.
The trust was set up by a Kondhwah couple Aliya Shaikh and Nasir Shaikh from their house. The trust has been running a “Roti Bank” to and feeding widows and destitute women who are forced to wander around in search of food of alms to buy it.
Gradually, the Shaikhs realized that feeding people was a temporary solution to the problem of poverty and they started focusing on its root – lack of education. The trust got involved in educating children wandering on streets picking trash and leftover food and enrolled them in various schools
The trust has also provided job works to many widows whom they came in contact with while distributing food.
The Trust distributes food among people of all castes and religions.
Aliya Shaikh says she completed her 12th from Abeda Inamdar College in Lashkar area of Pune.
“I wanted to study, but I got married early, so I could not and then I realized what if I did not study? I can teach the girls living around me. My children today are doing well; studying in schools but what about those who do not have money? That is why I am trying to ensure that no one’s education stops due to financial constrains.”
Nasir also completed his schooling from Moledina High School in Lashkar area. Though he joined class eleventh he had to drop out due to financial problems at home. He started working as a commercial painter.
Nasir says, “Food satisfies the hunger of the stomach, while education satisfies the hunger of the mind. That is why both are considered basic needs.”
After seeing the work of Nasir and Aliya, a neighbor Ayesha Shaikh also joined them.
Ayesha, 65 has retired from a good position in a multinational company. Aliya, 30, works as a beautician and Nasir, 40, is a building contractor. All three work for ‘Ark’ while handling their business and family responsibilities.
In many weddings a lot of food is left over. To ensure this food doesn’t end in trash bins of the city, the Trust has displayed boards in key points in the city with this statement printed on these: ‘If you have leftover food, contact us… We will deliver this food to the hungry stomachs.’
‘Ark’ also gets financial support from various people and institutions on their auspicious occasions.
The three started this work from their homes without any funds. For the first eight days, Aliya used to cook food while Nasir distributed it. For the next eight days, Nasir took to cooking and Aliya to distribution. They would alternate their responsibilities ensuring that no single person has to take workload.
Aliya says, “We kept reaching out to the needy. As the work progressed, other people came forward to help us. Some started helping us financially, other by donating rations like oil, grains, etc.”
Soon many others more people had joined Ark.
Nasir empathises more with poor and says they are very sensitive. Instead of doling out food, the trio started a ‘Roti Bank’ to give dignity to those needing food.
Nasir says, “The work of ‘Roti Bank’ is not a one-day job. We cannot do one program in one month and then do the next program the next month. It has to be continuous work.
“It’s a challenge to feed their children and send them to school. But it’s also satisfying to see that someone’s life is changing because of you.”
“We have seen people cooking using paper as the only fuel. We have seen them struggling to satisfy their hunger,” says Ayesha. Food is provided to 50 families every day through ‘Ark’. Children’s education fees are paid.”
Aliya, Ayesha and Nasir deliver food to the people of Kondhwa, Bhagyodayanagar area. But the needy people of Hadapsar and Katraj area are not able to reach them every day, nor is it possible for Aliya, Ayesha and Nasir to take food boxes there every day.
So all three of them go to that area and distribute enough ration for at least two months on the basis of the given identity card. They also offer ‘Sehri’ and ‘Iftari’ facilities during Ramzan. A satisfied Ayesha says,
“It is a pleasure to be able to reach out and help the needy. Because of the work of Aliya and Nasir, I am associated with a good organization.”
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Chhaya Kavire, Pune / April 04th, 2024
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
Dr Begum Fatima Shahnaz being conferred the Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters), the second highest French civilian honour by the French ministry of culture for her significant contribution to arts and literature, on Thursday. ( Photo: DC)
Hyderabad:
The multifaceted Dr Begum Fatima Shahnaz was conferred with Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters), the second highest French civilian honour by the French ministry of culture for her significant contribution to arts and literature, on Thursday.
The Jawaharlal Nehru gold medal winner for writing in her teens, Dr. Shahnaz was felicitated at a special investiture ceremony at Alliance Française by Consul General of France, Bangalore, Thierry Berthelot.
The teary-eyed Shahnaz broke into French as she thanked the distinguished guests and shifted to English after a minute or two.
“I didn’t realise I was speaking in French, it comes so naturally to me and I sometimes think in French too,” said the actor, writer, humanitarian, journalist, theatre & art director, professor and journalist.
Talking about the significance of the honour, she said, “France has supported me, and through me, it has supported the Indian people. A Hyderabadi being honoured is an honour to all my people. This places huge responsibility on me, as a citizen of India.”
She also spoke about France and its relationship with Hyderabad and recalled her college years there.
Hailing from royal Indian dynasties, Shahnaz is an actor from the Institut d’Arts Dramatiques Rene Simon in Paris, and is associated with Broadway in New York. She completed her education with a stint at the legendary French school of cuisine, the Cordon Bleu and hopes to bring a new dimension to ‘nouvelle cuisine’ through innovations in Indo-French culinary arts.
Her works include Golconda, Khaki-poems on Pulwama, Saraswati, Shards, Prince of Tears, The New York Poems, Kaleidoscope Eyes, Tiger in the twilight, among several others.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation / by DC Correspondent / May 19th, 2023
Javed Shaikh filling potholes of the roads in Pune
‘Make a sacrifice for others’ happiness; God will surely reward you..’. Such remarks are read in the stories of Saints and Sufis. However, some people around us are silently walking this talk. Javed Shaikh, a young man from Pune, Maharashtra, is one of them.
Javed’s work has changed the lives of many people and inspired others to be changemakers.
Pune is a bustling city that shines in the night under the impact of electricity. However, some bastis in this city continue to remain enveloped in the darkness and inconspicuous. Those living in the brightness of electricity often tend to overlook the dark houses and huts.
While most tend to ignore these dark spots, Javed Shaikh was drawn to them.
Javed lives in the Yerwada area of Pune. In his locality when he spotted human dwellings without electricity, he knocked at the doors and inquired why the inmates lived in darkness. Their reply invariably was: “We have no money to get an electricity connection; the connection has been removed due to non-payment of bill.”
Javed Shaikh gifting a solar panel to a beneficiary
It made him sad; the helplessness of poor people was overwhelming. He decided to use his knowledge to help them. He thought of using solar energy to get these people rid of the cycle of paying electricity bills.
Growing up in Pune, the 34-year-old Javed had grown up with frequent power disruptions due to shedding by electricity suppliers. He graduated from the Sinhagad College of Engineering, Pune.
Philanthropy was always part of his family’s culture and therefore he too was keen to contribute to making a difference in society.
As against the tendency to seek a job after completing studies and setting down, Javed started his business like his uncle Sadiq Sheikh whom he always admired.
Javed lives with his mother, wife, and elder sister. Like Javed, his sister Wazia also wanted to do social service. Therefore, both the siblings set up the ‘Yusuf Foundation’ in memory of their father. The Foundation was set up in 2020 during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
With the idea that the Foundation must start with fulfilling the basic needs of the people, he paid attention to the missing electricity in the lives of the poor.
He started researching low-cost options for providing electricity and zeroed in on solar energy. He thought that if solar panels were installed at the roof of each house, the poor could get electricity and also rid of the recurring bills.
Javed started from his neighborhood. To begin with, he chose families where either the male head was missing or non-working due to unemployment or disability.
Initially, the foundation installed solar panels on the houses of 10 families.
The solar panels were selected to provide continuous power for eight hours on a single charge. The inmates of the houses could use electric bulbs, run fans, and also charge their mobiles with it.
Javed Shaikh and his sister serving people
When the first solar panel lit a bulb in front of a big crowd, people instantly called Javed “Allah ka banda: (Allah’s man). However, his help is not for people of a specific religion. Poverty is the sole criterion for the foundation to provide solar panels to the people.
Yusuf Foundation took another initiative to fill the potholes on the main roads, which are dangerous and have resulted in many accidents.The problem of potholes becomes even more deadly during the rainy season. The Yusuf Foundation filled potholes on many busy roads of Pune with the help of modern technology ‘cold mix’. This saved many lives. His initiative was greatly appreciated.
On the plans of the Yusuf Foundation, Javed told Awaz-the Voice that he would like to work on the environment.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Yusuf Foundation distributed essential items like facial masks, food, and water in large quantities to the needy. It also organised a competition for orphans in the Azam Campus College in collaboration with the Center of Arts, Pune.
Javed is responsible for raising funds for such programs.
Javed keeps a part of his income from business aside from social work. The families believe in giving back to society and thanking the Almighty by helping others.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Panmamd, Pune / February 10th, 2024
The ladies’ wing of Sahebaan Welfare Trust (SWT) hosted the inaugural session of the ‘Community Welfare Talks Series 2024’ at Senate Hall, Inland Ornate Complex, in the city on January 21, with Siraj Ahmed, Managing Director, Inland Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, inaugurating the event.
Ahmed, in his inaugural address, lauded the efforts of SWT at initiating the talk series for the benefit of the community members as well as the society at large.
Meraj Yousef, Executive Director, Inland Buiders, who spoke on the occasion, pledged his support towards community welfare activities of SWT.
Educationist and Motivational Speaker Obeida Shoukath, who was one of the speakers of the day, spoke on the challenges faced by students on campus and the remedial measures while the second speaker Dr. Mohammed Noorulla, Senior Unani Consultant at the District Wenlock Hospital, Mangaluru, explained on the occasion the history and benefits of AYUSH, the Indian Alternative Medicine system, and the services available at the Ayush Hospital in the city.
Syed Siraj Ahmed, Secretary of SWT, welcomed the gathering on behalf of the President, Afroze Assadi Saheb. The program was ably compered by Zaiba Khatib.
The Qirat was read by Fariha Fathima and Ayesha Shahnaz.
The event was conducted by the Ladies’ Youth Wing of the SWT under the leadership of Amreen Khatib, who was ably assisted by Aliya Imtiaz and Rifaa Sheikh, with the support extended by Ayaan Sheikh and Luqman Tonse.
Umme Kulsum proposed the Vote of Thanks.
Senior Sahebaan Community members and SWT trustees Althaf Khatib, Rafik Assadi and Imtiaz Khatib were present on the occasion.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / January 26th, 2024
Bibi Tabassum and Suraiya Quraishi who embroidered the Quran.
Bengaluru :
This is a miracle. An awe-inspiring phenomenon took place in this city a few days back, as two sisters- Bibi Tabassum and Suraiya Quraishi- embroidered the sacred Quran onto 604 pages of plush velvet cloth.
Showing excellent craftsmanship, they used needles and threads to meticulously prepare an embroidered holy Quran. This embroidered Quran, prepared under the watchful guidance of an Alim-e-deen (religious scholar), is not only easily legible but also heavenly captivating.
Bibi Tabassum, the younger of the two sisters, holds a great fondness for doing embroidery ever since she was a child. In the beginning, she used to embroider only small verses of the Quran, but one day, an idea graced Bibi Tabassum’s mind – to intricately embroider the entire holy Quran. This took her on a laborious journey, one fueled by love and devotion.
Expressing extreme gratitude to Allah for giving them the opportunity to prepare this embroidered Quran, Bibi Tabassum says that she aspires to gift this embroidered holy Quran to a library in the holy city of Madina.
Venturing on this embroidery voyage of the Quranic verses along with her elder sister Suraiya Quraishi, Bibi Tabassum started with the first inaugural Surah of the Quran i.e. Surah Al-Fatiha, and continued diligently. The last surah- Surah An-Nas marked the culmination of their hard labour.
This embroidered holy Quran is divided into five volumes, and each volume consisting of six chapters. It went through a meticulous binding process by the skilled hands of its creators.
Initially, in the detailed process of embroidery, Bibi Tabassum used to inscribe the verses of the Quran with a pencil on the velvet cloth, followed by both the sisters intricately weaving threads along those sacred lines.
Carrying on the demands of daily life, both sisters, driven by unwavering dedication, used to finish their household chores and then engage in the embroidery work of the holy Quran.
To ensure the utmost accuracy of the embroidered work, a learned religious scholar closely scrutinized each verse upon the completion of a page. Bibi Tabassum says, ‘After completing every page of the embroidered holy Quran, we would show that to our scholar and do any correction if required.”
In the aftermath of this big achievement, family members are thoroughly elated for the two sisters. They say that the two sisters have utilized their time for a very noble endeavour. Extending heartfelt gratitude, they thank Allah for the manifestation of this lovely artwork, which stands as a testament to the beautiful blending of devotion and artistry.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> News> Society / by India Tomorrow (headline edited) / February 05th, 2024
Amtul Suhail, Executive Director at 2nd Generation at Allerton in South San Francisco, CA, is one of one hundred Indian Muslim women across the globe to receive a nomination from Rising Beyond the Ceiling for her contributions and accomplishments in the field of early childhood education.
Rising Beyond the Ceiling is a non-profit organization focused on supporting and promoting Indian Muslim women and their leadership and contributions in their respective fields. Each year they spotlight one hundred Indian Muslim women who have made their mark in countries across the world. All the women have done their initial studies in India, but later moved to other countries where they received accolades and success in their professions.
“I am elated. This is a pure and pleasant surprise,” said Amtul. “I have been working for decades to make a difference in the community by helping one child, one family, one group and mission at a time. I never expected anything in return.”
Working the field of education since 1985, she migrated to the United States in 1990, leaving behind her family on a quest to pursue her dream of caring for and teaching children. Amtul joined Bright Horizons in 2013 and is currently the Executive Director at Bright Horizons Allerton where she oversees the center operations and its programs.
“My passion is children. Every single thing I do, I think “how would this impact a child?’’ This passion that drives me is because of my mother who always taught me what I call the ’golden rule‘ – when things go wrong, you do not go wrong,” said Amtul. “I lead with honesty, transparency, accountability and joy. My mom encouraged me to choose a career to work with children so I can make the difference for children and adults in the community where I work and live.”
Amtul has a Masters in Mass Communication from Aligarh Muslim University. She also volunteers her time and talent for her University Alumni Association of Northern California. She is a guiding force behind the alumni association’s mission and has been involved as a coach and student trainer.
Amtul adds: “My vision is to foster love and compassion for early childhood educators. When they decide to join the education field and under my supervision, they feel empowered, autonomous and committed. I truly believe that consistency and continuity of care is extremely important.”
To learn more about Rising Beyond the Ceiling, visit here.
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