A delegation of the Aim India Forum (AIF), led by Founder President Shaikh Muzaffer, held an introductory meeting with Emmadi Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Consul General of India to Dubai and the Northern Emirates, at the Consulate General of India in Dubai.
Muzaffer was accompanied by AIF Convener Mohammed Azeem, Vice President Mohammed Niyaz, Secretary of Community Welfare Ismail and Coordinator of Community Welfare Jangam Balakrishna.
The meeting focused on introducing the forum’s objectives and ongoing community initiatives and discussing ways to strengthen support for Indians living across the UAE.
Key issues discussed included the welfare of blue-collar workers, labour awareness, community awareness programmes, assistance to distressed Indians and initiatives for the wider Indian community.
The AIF delegation also stressed the need to create greater awareness among Indian nationals about their rights and responsibilities, government services, legal procedures and available support mechanisms.
Speaking during the meeting, Shaikh Muzaffer said, “We don’t want to be another organization that comes to the Consulate with problems; we want to come with solutions.”
He said the forum’s vision was to ensure that the Indian community becomes the most informed and updated community in the UAE. This includes greater awareness about labour rights, government services, legal procedures, safety, financial literacy and other issues affecting Indian nationals.
Muzaffer also appreciated the leadership of Consul General Emmadi Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, describing him as an energetic, dynamic and passionate leader with an interest in understanding community issues and engaging with different stakeholders.
He expressed confidence that further opportunities would emerge to strengthen community outreach and welfare initiatives under Reddy’s leadership.
The AIF team conveyed its willingness to work with the Consulate General of India and other relevant authorities on initiatives aimed at supporting Indian nationals in the UAE.
The meeting concluded with both sides expressing their commitment to continued engagement and cooperation on the welfare, awareness and empowerment of the Indian community.
The forum reiterated its guiding principle: From Problems to Solutions — From Awareness to Empowerment.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / August 22nd, 2026
When President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Teachers Awards, 2026, on 48 teachers from across India, on Saturday, the recipients included four Muslims, who had instilled values and teachings in the minds of their pupils beyond the classroom.
The recipients of the award included Mohammad Zafar Alam from Odisha, who is credited with transforming the lives of the tribal children in a state where hunger and deprivation was once identified with the life of the indigenous people.
The other awardees are Dr Iftikhar Khan, from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh; Mohammad Ayaz Raina, from Rajouri, (J&K); and Mohammad Mustafa Kamal, from Kargil, Ladakh.
The awardees were selected from 27 states, seven Union Territories and six institutions under the Central Government. The list comprises 26 men and 22 women. The award is presented annually to teachers who have made outstanding contributions to school education and brought positive changes to the lives of students.
Mohammad Zafar Alam
Mohammad Zafar Alam, Principal of Eklavya Model Residential School Karanjia in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, has been honoured for his contribution to providing quality education to tribal children in remote area.
Mohammad Zafar Alam (In blue jacket) at the annual day function of school
The school, located at Banuria (Tato), operates under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The residential and co-educational school was established in 2017-18 for Classes 6 to 12. It has around 410 students and an overall capacity of approximately 480.
Under Alam’s leadership, the institution seeks to prepare Scheduled Tribe students not only for school examinations but also for admission to higher and professional educational institutions and future employment opportunities.
Eklavya Model Residential Schools were established to address the shortage of quality educational opportunities in remote tribal areas. They have been developed broadly along the lines of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, with an emphasis on educational standards, residential facilities and competitive opportunities for tribal students.
The National Teachers Award to Alam therefore also draws attention to the important role of educators working in remote tribal regions, where access to quality education can have a transformative impact on the lives of young people.
Dr Iftikhar Khan
For 25 years, Dr Iftikhar Khan, an art teacher at Government Inter College, Ballia, has been providing free art education to poor and underprivileged children at his home.
The initiative began in 2000, when Dr Iftikhar recognised that talented children from economically weaker families in Ballia had limited opportunities to receive formal training in fine arts or prepare for entrance examinations to leading institutions.
Alongside his regular teaching responsibilities, he began conducting free classes at home every Sunday. His students have come not only from Ballia but also from Gorakhpur, Mau and neighbouring Bihar.
He also organises special painting workshops during the summer holidays, providing children with regular practice and individual guidance. His training goes beyond basic painting: he prepares students for admission to higher educational institutions in the field of fine arts.
Dr Iftikhar Khan with his students
More than 200 students have progressed to higher education and careers in fine arts under his guidance. Some are now working with leading companies in India, while others are promoting Indian art abroad.
One of them is Ballia’s Neeraj Singh, who developed an interest in painting after seeing an exhibition by Dr Iftikhar at the Dadri fair in 2007. When Neeraj expressed his desire to learn, Dr Iftikhar trained him without charging a fee.
Neeraj subsequently secured admission to the Faculty of Visual Arts at Banaras Hindu University on his first attempt and completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He later obtained a diploma in Production Design from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, and went on to work as a production designer on several films.
According to Neeraj, Dr Iftikhar’s guidance changed the course of his life. Had he not encountered the teacher at the exhibition, he believes he might never have pursued fine arts.
Dr Iftikhar’s philosophy is simple: talent should not be limited by a person’s financial circumstances. What matters is recognising that talent and giving it the right direction.
His commitment to this principle is reflected in an unusual practice. When the parents of one of his students insisted on giving him guru dakshina, he declined money and instead asked them to plant a tree.
Since then, he has encouraged students who wish to offer him a gift to plant a tree in a public place and care for it until it grows. For him, a student’s contribution to society is the finest gift a teacher can receive.
Mohammad Ayaz Raina
Mohammad Ayaz Raina, a Botany lecturer at Government Higher Secondary School Dalhori in Rajouri district on the Line of control in J&K, has spent 13 years in the education sector, combining classroom teaching with student guidance, educational activities and innovative methods, including the use of technology.
His contribution is particularly significant given the geographical challenges of Rajouri, a border district where many schools are located in hilly and remote areas. Limited infrastructure, connectivity and transportation can make teaching more difficult, yet Raina has remained committed to improving educational opportunities for his students.
His efforts have previously earned him several honours. He received the National Information and Communication Technology Award in 2017 and the Best Teacher Award of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir in 2021. He has also received the Global Teacher Award 2021 and the Global Best Educational Poster Award 2020.
Mohammad Ayaz Raina with his students
These recognitions reflect his interest in combining conventional teaching with educational technology and creative approaches.
Raina described the National Teachers Award as a collective achievement rather than a personal accomplishment. He credited his students, fellow teachers, educational institutions, family members and others who supported him throughout his journey.
He said a teacher’s success is never the result of individual effort alone, but also reflects the hard work of students, the cooperation of colleagues and the support of family.
Mohammad Mustafa Kamal
Mohammad Mustafa Kamal, a resident of Wakha village in Kargil district, Ladakh, has been recognised for his contribution to education in one of the country’s most challenging geographical regions.
Kamal is posted at Middle School Lanakrchy Thang Sankoo. He also serves as District President of the General Line Teachers Forum, Kargil Ladakh.
In this capacity, he has played a role in popularising the Model School initiative through the teachers’ organisation.
Mohammad Mustafa Kamal (Right) in his school
His commitment to students became particularly visible during the Covid-19 pandemic, when conventional classroom teaching was disrupted. Kamal continued to support students through video and radio classes.
He currently serves as the Nodal Officer for Class 9 and Class 10 Tele and Radio Classes in the School Education Department, Kargil, in addition to his teaching responsibilities.
His educational services have previously been recognised with the Asian Education Award in 2020. He was also among three teachers from Kargil district nominated by the District Selection Committee for the National Award in 2020.
The school’s approach extends beyond academics. Sports, skill development and the preservation of local arts and culture form part of its educational programme, with the aim of developing students’ creative, physical and practical abilities alongside their academic skills.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Aasha Khosa / September 06th, 2026
Started as a local bi-weekly newspaper, Madinah soon commanded a massive subcontinent-wide circulation. While most newspapers at the time focused on major colonial urban centres such as Lahore, Delhi or Calcutta, Madinah instrumentalised its place of inception—Bijnor—as a political shield.
‘Madinah,’ a bi-weekly newspaper founded in 1912 by Mohammad Majeed Hasan, began in his courtyard in the small qasbah of Bijnor in the Northwest United Provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh). Its inception is later recounted in a dream narrative published in Madinah’s silver jubilee edition in 1939, which describes how Hasan dreamt of “a bright moon shining in the sky, being eclipsed by another moon appearing from behind and drifting away from it, becoming brighter as the dream continued.”
Hasan had been working as a journalist in Lahore while also preparing for a career as a judge. He is said to have had the dream shortly after abandoning his training and returning to Bijnor to continue working for the family newspaper Sahifa, whose modest readership had already begun to dwindle. Hasan later interpreted the dream as a sign that he should start his own newspaper, symbolised by a new shining moon.
Hasan’s first wife, Muhtarma Kaneez Fatimah, whose altruistic nature and firm belief in his venture compelled her to help him start the paper, sold her jewellery to support it. She later proved to be an intelligent and capable assistant in the newspaper’s production, despite being unable to read or write.
It was she who inspired the newspaper to include a separate women’s section named Akhbar-i-Nisvan on one of its last pages. The section frequently appeared during the newspaper’s first three years, from 1912 to 1915, and was intended to serve the interests of Muslim women by including editorials and creative pieces written by both men and women.
Soon, the paper had distinctly identified itself among its audience by creating a space for Muslim women, with a special focus on mothers, to discuss their issues through genres such as poetry and fiction.
The unlikely epicentre: importance of the Qasbah
Started as a local bi-weekly newspaper, Madinah soon commanded a massive subcontinent-wide circulation. While most newspapers at the time focused on major colonial urban centres such as Lahore, Delhi or Calcutta, Madinah instrumentalised its place of inception—Bijnor—as a political shield. In the same year as Madinah’s inception, Maulana Azad, at the age of 23, started the paper Al-Hilal in Calcutta, which was lauded among the Muslim elite and others for its publishing style and genre, soon reaching a pinnacle of readership.
In contrast, Madinah’s unique approach, which embraced the values of the gentry while also appealing to a broad readership beyond the traditional urban elite, distinguished the paper from the incessant urban cynicism that was becoming a prevalent theme throughout the landscape of production. Due to better readership and the greater availability of resources in urban areas, similar endeavours to Madinah redirected themselves to these spaces.
In its founding years, Madinah also addressed British officials, adopting varying strategic and bargaining stances against surveillance and strict government policies through explicit deference to colonial authorities. For instance, Hasan, the proprietor of the newspaper, cited the Ijazat (permission) of the Magistrate and Collector of Bijnor in its inaugural issue. This attentiveness to British intelligence provided the necessary immunity required for the functioning of the newspaper, unlike Azad’s Al-Hilal, which came under heavy scrutiny from the colonial government and had to cease publication by the end of 1914.
Newspapers in urban centres, such as Awadh Akhbar, persisted in their efforts to speak to a broad audience delineated more by language and culture than by religion, while papers such as Madinah reinforced an already rich discursive tradition surrounding religion and identity in the social crevices known as qasbahs (small towns). They also engaged with contested political themes debated by scholars and leaders, including the shaping of early narratives of separatism and communalism among Indian Muslims.
The success of Madinah can be attributed to the spatio-temporal advantages of the qasbah, which can be defined as a place of bureaucratic and market significance where a Muslim minority or majority lived alongside populations from other communities, alongside an influential enclave of intellectual vivacity and economic and political importance for Muslims. Scholar M. Raisur Rahman described qasbahs as “an alternative site for contestation with strong autonomous networks of culture, literature and religion”, while simultaneously defining them as a ‘unique space’ and a ‘microcosm of larger idealized national life’.
These spaces have been significantly important sites in the history of South Asian culture, shaping identities and literary traditions while remaining distinct from the typologies of urban environments, where modernity had already seeped through the sutures of cultural exchanges with the outside world.
Madinah and its role in politics
The political trajectory of Madinah transformed profoundly during the period of World War I, following the Balkan Wars. The paper broadened its purview by juxtaposing the localised ethos and culture of the qasbah with larger international crises, particularly the imminent dismantling of the Ottoman Empire.
Navigating the intricacies of a contested political landscape, Madinah supposedly guarded a global Islamic consciousness through its promotion of the Khilafat Movement and its shared affiliation with Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind. Consequently, its support for the Indian National Congress and its anti-separatist stance against Jinnah became apparent, aligning with Jamiat’s idea of Composite Nationalism, as Madinah continued to anchor itself in the secular, anti-colonial bedrock of Urdu journalism.
According to scholar Gyanendra Pandey, Madinah served as a vital barometer of Muslim public opinion across this shifting timescape. Driven by the ideological synergy of Hindu-Muslim unity during the Non-Cooperation and Khilafat movements, the publication commanded an astounding peak circulation of 12,500 copies by 1922. However, this radical nationalism invited severe repercussions from the colonial state, notably resulting in the paper being banned in Punjab following its courageous and explicit reporting on the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Following the ban, the paper was relaunched in August 1919 under a new name—Yasrab (Madinah in Arabic)—as an act of strategic defiance against the colonial government, with a couplet from Iqbal:
Khāk-i Yasrab az do ‘ālam khūshtar ast, Ā’e khunak shahre ke ānjā dilbar ast
(The dust of Madinah is better than both worlds, How wonderful is the city where the beloved is.)
As the landscape of production became increasingly fragmented by communal cynicism and the mass political momentum of the early 1920s waned, the paper witnessed a decline in readership, with circulation dipping to 6,500 in 1927 and further to 6,000 by 1931.
Despite this dwindling circulation, Madinah remained a formidable and persistent critic of communal separatism throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Engaging with the contested political themes of the era, the paper sought to dismantle the early narratives of the All-India Muslim League. Pandey highlights a remarkably bold editorial from the 1930s that dismissed the League as being “neither dead nor alive”, asserting that its existence was confined merely to “the brain and mind of Mr. Jinnah”.
By 1942, the newspaper had effectively transformed into an open town hall, enabling ordinary citizens to debate and largely resist the looming Pakistan movement from within the landscape of the qasbah.
The script and scripture
The prevalent Urdu script, Nastaliq, which had been used throughout South Asia for centuries and was imported from Persia, featured intricate details, ornamentation and a complex structural form forged through the meticulous amalgamation of the Naskh and Ta’liq calligraphic traditions. It became the most recognisable Urdu script and developed strong cultural and ideological ties with the Urdu language. However, due to the rise of globalisation and the growing demand to produce literature for the public, it became increasingly difficult to produce works in the script lithographically on a mass scale. By the end of the 1970s, Nastaliq began to advance with the help of Mirza Jamil Ahmad, who created more than 20,000 combinations to bring the script into the digital world under the name Noori Nastaliq.
By the time the digitisation process began, Madinah was already out of business, shutting down its press with its last issue in 1976. During the seven decades that the paper survived, its editors had no keys to the press and no screens to reflect upon. Instead, the issues of Madinah were produced solely by hand, by calligraphers and artists alike.
The Urdu script Nastaliq had been established as the standard for almost every copy of the holy book Quran in South Asia since the Mughal period. By the time Madinah began using the same script as its standard, it already carried connotations of purity, holiness and divinity within the cultural landscape. Combined with the organic practice of producing it by hand rather than by machine, the paper was considered by its readers to embody a deliberate resistance against illegitimate mechanisation and the rising industrialisation of the subcontinent, curating a new political discourse based on the cultural symbolism of the script.
By using and retaining lithographic practices in an era when other papers were increasingly relying on mechanical typography for efficiency, Nastaliq was perceived as a tactile and handcrafted discipline that preserved the inherent spirit of prose, shielding the paper’s contributions from the mechanical and indifferent processes of Western print capitalism.
The inevitable descent
By the 1940s, Madinah had begun engaging in intense print debates with the supporters and proponents of pro-Muslim League newspapers and writers, arguing in a polemical fashion that religion could not be the sole determinant of a nation’s survival. Despite the paper’s persistent efforts to resist the pro-League and separatist stance, it witnessed the partition of the Indian subcontinent into two parts. The social capital of Madinah was on the verge of collapse, as the paper saw affluent members of the Muslim community, who had constantly contributed to its production and editorials, leave for the other side of the border.
The Language Act of 1951 became a huge blow to the publishing house of Madinah, as Hindi was soon adopted as the state language in Uttar Pradesh, mandating officials and government offices to maintain all data in Hindi and extensively replacing Urdu in institutions under the newly formed Indian government. Although the apparent marginalisation of the paper’s foundational language and the loss of its social capital were significant blows in the paper’s history, they were unable to overshadow its continuing legacy.
Madinah, managing to survive, remained a prominent, albeit ageing, symbol of pre-Partition nationalist Muslim political identity, advocating for the preservation of Urdu heritage amid the growing socio-political shifts in Uttar Pradesh. At the same time, it continued to struggle against declining circulation as newer, faster-printed typographic dailies overtook the market. Its reports on the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the creation of Bangladesh vindicated the paper’s historical assertion that religion alone could not hold a nation together, while it also continued reporting on rising communal tensions in the country.
The prodigious endeavour was about to culminate in the years following the Indo-Pakistani War. Near the end of its operational life, the paper’s traditional lithographic format and qasbah roots struggled to attract younger, urbanised readers. The deteriorating health of Hasan finally caught up with him, leading to his death in 1972. The handling of the newspaper remained in the hands of Hasan’s family until its last editor, Syed Hasan, finally ceased publication, quietly closing the press in 1975.
References
Jones, J. (2023). Megan Eaton Robb: Print and the Urdu Public: Muslims, Newspapers, and Urban Life in Colonial India. New York: Oxford University Press, 2021; pp. xi + 247. Journal of Religious History, 47, 151–153. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9809.12917
Abduhu, G. R. (1973). The Educational Ideas of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. Sterling Publishers.
Rahman, M. Raisur. (2014). “Beyond Centre-Periphery: Qasbahs and Muslim Life in South Asia.” South Asian History and Culture, 5, 163–178. https://doi.org/10.1080/19472498.2014.883762.
Shehnaz Rahman, a senior advocate from Guwahati who once fought legal battles in the court room has taken to full time teaching. While her legal career gave her an identity, it was in teaching that she found her life’s purpose.
For Shehnaz Rahman, lecturer at the Bishnuram Medhi Government Law College in Panjabari, Guwahati, teaching is not merely a job but an integral part of her existence. Life led her to the courtroom and placed the law books in her hands; yet, she eventually returned to teaching to seek fulfilment of her sense of belonging.
For her, teaching is not just a chapter in her professional life; it is a call of the heart.
Shehnaz Rahman says even as a child, she had wanted to be a teacher. After completing her honours graduation in political science from Cotton College (now Cotton University), she enrolled at Delhi University and completed her doctorate.
Shehnaz Rahman , lecturer and senior advocate of Bishnuram Medhi Government Law College at a function
The primary purpose of earning her doctorate was to enable her to adopt teaching as a profession in the future. During that period, Shehnaz also obtained her law degree.
However, life does not always follow a planned course. Due to the lack of teaching opportunities during her doctoral studies, she began practicing law in court. Gradually, Shehnaz established herself in the legal profession. Yet, even amidst the demanding job of a advocate, she had kept her dream of becoming a teacher alive.
In a conversation with Awaz-The Voice, Shehnaz Rahman said: “In 1988, I had the opportunity to work as a part-time lecturer at B Barooah College. Shortly after, the then principal of the Government Law College located in Panbazar at that time, Mr Haren Kalita, invited me to teach as a guest lecturer. As soon as I got this opportunity, I accepted his invitation without a second thought. That is how my new journey began. From guest lecturer to part-time lecturer, and finally, in 1995, I joined the Government Law College as a full-time guest lecturer.”
Lecturer and Senior Advocate Shehnaz Rahman with the students
Balancing her legal practice in court during the day and teaching in the evening, Shehnaz realised that she was doing well as an advocate, her heart pinned for a role as a teacher.
She said, “The legal profession has its own appeal, but the satisfaction I derive from teaching is entirely different. Gradually, I understood that I could never give up teaching.”
This dual experience of teaching and legal practice shaped Shehnaz Rahman into a unique educator. With her courtroom experience, she has been able to introduce students to the world beyond textbooks.
Through court visits, legal awareness camps, practical learning or real-life case management experience, she explained all these aspects to students based on her own experiences. She says, “Students understand the subject more deeply when they engage with real-life situations rather than just reading from books.”
Lecturer and Senior Advocate Shehnaz Rahman with the students
However, the most emotional chapter of Shehnaz Rahman’s relationship with teaching lies hidden in a very difficult period of her personal life. While she was serving as a government advocate for the Meghalaya government, her husband suddenly passed away following a cardiac arrest. Within just an hour, Shehnaz’s life seemed to change completely.
She was deeply shattered. It was then that teaching seemed to bring her back to life. Gradually, going to the classroom, talking with students, listening to their questions and teaching them helped ease her sorrow and unrest.
She felt that teaching had become a mental strength for her.
Shehnaz said, “After my husband’s death, I was mentally devastated. But the work of teaching gave me the courage to live like a mother, a healer, a friend and a family member, and it helped me. Among the students, I could forget my sorrow for some time. This gave me new inspiration and enthusiasm to live. It provided new strength to face life. That is why I also call teaching a kind of therapy of my life.”
Today, many of Shehnaz Rahman’s students are lawyers, judicial officers and professionals in various fields. She said, “When any former student comes to me in court and says, ‘Madam, I was your student,’ the pride and satisfaction I feel at that moment cannot be compared to any professional success.”
Shehnaz Rahman believes that a teacher’s true success is not reflected in their own position or personal achievements, but in the success of their students.
“I always advise the new generation of law students to work honestly and with dedication.
Lecturer and Senior Advocate Shehnaz Rahman with the students
Shehnaz Rahman says that there is no substitute for fundamental books, laws, research and analysis in this era of digital resources. Therefore, both teachers and students must keep enriching themselves with new knowledge in tune with the times.
She does not support complete dependence on technology. That is why, the habit of reading, thinking and working independently should never be abandoned. She encourages students to read books, research journals and primary laws, to conduct research, to write themselves and to improve their skills in preparing legal documents. In her view, we must adopt new technology, but technology can never be a substitute for fundamental knowledge, reading, and analysis.
Shehnaz Rahman says she will never give up teaching.
She said, “For me, whether I will teach or not? This is not a question. Because I have already made my decision. Now the question is, where and how I will continue teaching. If tomorrow I cannot continue working at this college, I will still not give up teaching. I will continue teaching through training centers, private universities, law universities or any other medium. In whatever way I can, wherever I can, I will keep teaching students.”
The legal profession has given Shehnaz Rahman experience, identity, and professional success. But teaching has given her something even more valuable — ‘life’s purpose’. When life had deeply broken her, teaching helped her stand up again. And when the strength to move life forward was diminishing, she gained a new strength to live from among her students. That is why Shehnaz Rahman’s life can perhaps be summarised in one sentence: The court taught her law, but the classroom taught her life.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Munni Begum, Guwahati / September 01st, 2026
Stating that Mysuru is his native place and that he spent his student days in the city, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Rizwan Arshad said Mysuru had provided him a platform for his political foray.
He recalled that senior journalists, including Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra Founder-Editor late Dr. K.B. Ganapathy, had encouraged him during his early political career.
He was speaking at ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised by Mysuru District Journalists Association (MDJA) at its premises on Thyagaraja Road this morning.
“Mysuru is a special city and I have now got an opportunity to serve the people of the State as a Minister. Though power is not eternal, the things we do while holding responsible positions matter much in society. I left Mysuru for Bengaluru seeking greener pastures in politics and succeeded, becoming an MLA from Shivajinagar twice. I now have an opportunity to serve as a Minister and will serve the people of Mysuru to the best of my ability,” he said.
Commenting on his Ministry, Rizwan said as many as 4.5 lakh ration cards had been cancelled, of which 55,000 were now under review. He noted that strict measures had been taken to prevent the black marketing of ration articles, especially rice.
Asserting that modern technology would be used to prevent pilferage and theft of ration articles, he said the Department had launched a drive to install CCTV cameras at all godowns.
The Minister said major reforms would be introduced in his Department. He also said biometric-related issues would be rectified to ensure fair distribution.
Welcoming the RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent statement on communal harmony at an event in New York, Arshad said he believed that Bhagwat’s statement was more about changing the organisation’s image than bringing about real change.
Strongly condemning the ‘purification’ of the spot where AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge addressed a gathering at Haldwani in Uttarakhand, he said it was a classic example of untouchability still existing in the country.
Rizwan Arshad was honoured by the MDJA on the occasion. MDJA President K. Deepak, senior journalist T. Gururaj, former MDJA President C.K. Mahendra, MDJA office-bearers and others were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 02nd, 2026
Senior Unani physician, researcher and administrator with nearly three decades of experience assumes new responsibility
New Delhi:
Following the retirement of Dr. Ziaul Haq Siddiqui, Dr. Zaki Ahmad Siddiqui has taken charge of the Regional Research Institute of Unani Medicine (RRIUM), New Delhi, under the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.
All senior officers and staff of the institute, were present on the occasion. Dr. Zia’s long and dedicated services were acknowledged, while Dr. Zaki Ahmad Siddiqui was congratulated and extended best wishes on assuming his new responsibility.
Dr. Zaki Ahmad Siddiqui is a senior Unani physician, researcher and administrator with nearly three decades of experience in clinical research, drug standardisation, policy implementation and institutional administration in the AYUSH sector. He obtained his BUMS from A & U Tibbia College, University of Delhi, and MD (Moalijat) from Jamia Tibbia, Deoband.
Dr. Zaki began his professional career in 1996 as a Research Officer with CCRUM. During his nearly three decades of service, he has held various important responsibilities in research, clinical services, policy and administration. A significant part of his career, around 20 years, was spent at CCRUM Headquarters and the Ministry of AYUSH, where he handled important responsibilities relating to research, policy, administration and regulatory matters.
During his tenure in the Education Policy Section of the Ministry of AYUSH, he was associated with important policy and administrative matters concerning Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medical colleges.
From 2020 to 2022, Dr. Siddiqui served as In-charge of the Drug Standardisation Research Unit (DSRU), CCRUM, New Delhi, where he contributed to strengthening research and activities related to the standardisation of Unani medicines.
From 2022 to 2025, he headed the Unani Medical Centre at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, contributing to the delivery and strengthening of Unani clinical services in a major tertiary-care hospital.
In December 2025, Dr. Siddiqui was promoted to the post of Deputy Director and was entrusted with the responsibility of RRIUM, Mumbai. Subsequently, in April 2026, he was assigned the responsibility of Assistant Director, Hakim Ajmal Khan Institute for Literary & Historical Research in Unani Medicine (HAKILHRUM), New Delhi.
With his extensive experience in clinical care, research, drug standardisation and institutional administration, Dr. Siddiqui’s new responsibility at RRIUM, New Delhi is expected to further strengthen the institute’s research activities, Unani clinical services, drug standardisation and administrative functioning.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / August 31st, 2026
Inside a century-old building overlooking the streets of south Mumbai, a quiet effort is underway to save rare Persian and Urdu translations of Indian scriptures, the last surviving records of the country’s multi-cultural past.
The Karimi Library, housed within the 152-year-old Anjuman-I-Islam institute near the iconic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, has launched a restoration drive to rescue more than 32 sacred Hindu texts. These include the Mahabharat, Ramayan, Bhagavad Gita, and Shiv Puran, all printed between 1867 and 1896.
The library was established in 1898 after merchant Kazi Abdul Karimi Porbandari donated 4,500 valuable texts, and it was named after him. Padma Shri Dr Zahir Kazi, president of Anjuman-I-Islam, founded by Badruddin Tyabji in 1874, shared this history while speaking about the ongoing project.
The archive holds books, manuscripts, and newspapers in Sanskrit, English, Urdu, Persian, Marathi, Pashto, and Arabic, covering history, philosophy, theology, literature, and geography. It also features rare newspapers dating back to 1875, including the Jaipur Gazette, Ambala Gazette, and Cairo’s Al Kaira, alongside royal decrees from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.
“The books have become old and pages brittle. They need to be treated with special chemicals to weed out fungus and pests. Books that are not in good shape are pasted with special paper for preservation,” Kazi said.
A team of experts is handling the digitisation process, with pages being uploaded to Anjuman-I-Islam’s cloud account.
“These books reflect so much of tolerance. It is an eye-opener for Indians that the country’s heritage is very much there in this library,” Kazi said.
Library in-charge Mohammad Ghalib Mulla confirmed that more than 100,000 book pages and 70,000 pages from newspapers and periodicals have been digitised, leaving only 2,250 pages to complete the archiving project.
“The newspapers give details about the initial days of the freedom struggle, the social and political situation of those times, how journalism was, pro and anti-British,” Mulla said.
Several freedom fighters were part of Anjuman-I-Islam’s management, and the library witnessed many of their meetings, according to Kazi.
The library building is also undergoing renovation, with efforts to retain its original look and feel. “We intend to reopen the restored library by October 2, subject to completion of work. We also plan to host many national and international events in this library,” Kazi said.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Uncategorized / by Radiance News Bureau / August 31st, 2026
Bajpe Zakria, founder of the prestigious Al Muzain company, along with his son Zahid Zakria, Managing Director of Dune & Tides, met and congratulated Vipul Kumar, IFS, who recently assumed charge as India’s new Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
During the meeting at the Embassy of India in Riyadh on Tuesday (August 25), Bajpe Zakria presented a bouquet to Ambassador Vipul Kumar and held detailed discussions on strengthening India-Saudi Arabia economic relations, with a focus on trade, investment, education, industry and other areas of mutual interest.
Bajpe Zakria said that the discussions provided a positive platform to further strengthen the long-standing partnership between India and Saudi Arabia.
Ambassador Vipul Kumar had previously served as India’s Ambassador to the UAE and Qatar, where he also maintained a cordial relationship with Bajpe Zakria.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Gulf / by Vartha Bharati / August 26th, 2026
A 28-year-old Muslim author from Lucknow has earned a place in the Book of World Records for her book advocating equal rights for adopted children. Sumbul Siddiqui received her official certificate on August 8 for her book “Echoes of Resilience,” a work she began writing nearly a decade ago.
The book carries a clear social message: when a family adopts a child, that child deserves the same love, care, and equal rights as a biological child. Sumbul draws on her own life to make this case. At the age of 23, she discovered that she was herself an adopted child. By that time, both her parents had already passed away.
She says the love and belonging her parents gave her throughout her life became the foundation of her writing. She wanted to put that experience into words and share it with the world. Her parents never treated her differently, and she believes every adopted child deserves the same treatment.
Sumbul has authored two books so far. “Echoes of Resilience” took her roughly ten years to complete. She works independently in Lucknow and received her entire education in the city. Despite facing considerable personal challenges over the years, she did not step back from her goals.
She grew up with a childhood dream of becoming a Chartered Accountant. Alongside that, she always had a deep interest in reading and writing. That passion eventually led her to write her first book, though she never anticipated the recognition it would bring her.
Through her achievement, Sumbul wants to send a clear message to society. She urges families who adopt children to treat them without any discrimination and to give them the same rights and affection they give their biological children. For her, adoption is not simply about giving a child a home. It is about giving that child a complete sense of belonging.
At 28, Sumbul’s recognition in the Book of World Records marks a milestone she takes pride in, one that validates ten years of dedicated work and personal courage.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Pride of the Nation> Markers of Excellence> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / August 29th, 2026
The Human Welfare Foundation (HWF) has launched LEAD 100 — Leadership Excellence for Advancement and Development, a flagship national initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing exceptionally talented students from underprivileged Muslim and backward communities and preparing them for leadership roles in various sectors.
The programme was officially launched here in the national capital by Siraj Hussain (Retd. IAS), Chairman, Human Welfare Foundation; Syed Sadatullah Husaini, Former Trustee, HWF; T. Arifali, Chairman, Vision 2026; Mohd. Jafar, Vice Chairman, HWF; M. Sajid, General Secretary, HWF; Dr. SQR Ilyas, Dr. Hasan Raza and Mujtaba Farooq, Trustees of HWF; and P. K. Noufal, CEO, HWF.
Under the ambitious initiative, HWF plans to identify 100 exceptionally talented students over the first five years, selecting 20 students every year. The programme is designed to provide sustained educational and developmental support to the selected students, beginning after Class X and continuing through higher secondary, undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral education, at least up to the PhD level and, where feasible, beyond.
As part of the programme, selected students will undergo residential education in Delhi during Classes XI and XII. They will receive comprehensive academic support, financial assistance, personalised mentoring and career guidance, along with exposure to premier educational institutions and opportunities.
The initiative, however, goes beyond conventional academic scholarships. LEAD 100 seeks to develop students as future leaders by placing emphasis on critical thinking, communication skills, character development, ethical values and social responsibility.
The selection process will consist of a three-tier system comprising an admission test, an interview and a two-day residential camp. According to the programme’s objectives, the process has been designed to assess not only academic ability but also leadership potential, aptitude, character, commitment and the capacity to make a meaningful contribution to society.
The selected students will be prepared for leadership opportunities in six key areas — Public Policy, Law, Corporate Management, Social Enterprise, Technology and Civil Services. Through sustained mentoring, capacity building and exposure to intellectual and professional opportunities, the programme aims to help participants develop the skills and confidence required to excel in their chosen fields.
The initiative is based on the idea that identifying talent at an early stage and providing continuous support can help overcome financial and social barriers that often prevent talented students from reaching their full potential. Rather than limiting support to a particular stage of education, LEAD 100 proposes to accompany students throughout their academic journey and into their professional careers.
The HWF said the programme envisions creating a generation of ethical, competent, confident and socially committed leaders who can contribute meaningfully to India and respond to emerging social and national challenges.
The long-term objective of LEAD 100 is to establish a strong national talent pipeline by combining educational opportunity with leadership development. The initiative seeks to produce professionals who can combine excellence with integrity, leadership with social responsibility, and ambition with a commitment to the larger public good.
With its focus on sustained mentoring and leadership preparation, LEAD 100 represents an effort to move beyond short-term educational assistance towards a long-term model of talent development and nation-building.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> News> Society / by India Tomorrow / August 31st, 2026
