Dr. Syed Abdullah (extreme right) and his team of heroes of the Asian Hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
As devotees across the country were celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna in the early hours of Friday, nine newborn babies at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar faced a terrifying fight for survival.
At around 2:30 a.m., a fire broke out in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Asian Hospital in the Akashwani area on Jalna Road after an apparent short circuit in an air-conditioner. Within minutes, thick smoke filled the NICU and flames began spreading rapidly, trapping nine newborns inside.
Among them was a premature baby on a ventilator.
In those critical moments, Resident Medical Officer Dr Syed Abdullah and a team of nurses sprang into action. Risking their own lives, they carried the babies out of the smoke-filled NICU, one by one, and ensured that the critically ill infant continued receiving artificial ventilation during the rescue.
“The situation was very difficult. Initially, we thought there was a minor gas leak. But the moment a spark fell from the AC, we immediately tried to move the warmer aside, because the baby on the ventilator was right underneath it. That baby was very serious; it was a preterm baby,” Dr Abdullah recalled.
He said the situation deteriorated within seconds.
“We had just gone to move the warmer when the fire spread very rapidly. After that, the sisters immediately started picking up the babies and evacuating them. The baby on the ventilator had to be given artificial respiration through an Ambu bag. A nurse held one baby in her hand and also managed the other baby from the ventilator, while I was Ambu-bagging it. In this way, we safely evacuated all the babies.”
At one point, Dr Abdullah also attempted to pull the ventilator out of the danger zone. But the equipment was locked in place, while the flames continued to spread.
“After evacuating all the babies, I also wanted to save the ventilator, because a ventilator is a very expensive machine. So, I tried to pull the ventilator, but it was locked. The fire was continuously growing, and because of that, I had to leave the ventilator and rush to save another baby,” he said.
For the medical team, however, saving the babies was the only priority.
“I am happy that we succeeded in saving those babies. I never thought I would face such a situation in so few years of my service. By the grace and mercy of Allah, everything concluded safely and the condition of all the patients is now excellent and stable. All the babies have been safely shifted to Ghati and other hospitals,” Dr Abdullah said.
Nurses Turned Rescuers
The rescue was a collective effort. Nurses Kalpana Nalawade, Surekha Chavan (Mavshi), Rekha Ragade, Sandhya Jadhav and Archana Bhalerao joined Dr Abdullah in evacuating the newborns as smoke and flames spread through the NICU.
The warmer carrying the critically ill baby could not be moved because it was locked. With the fire intensifying, there was no time to wait. The nurses began lifting the babies in their arms and carrying them to safety.
For nurse Rekha Ragade, the incident remains etched in her memory.
“I was on duty as usual. I was checking what each baby needed; all this work was going on. Suddenly, I saw some colleagues running towards a corner of the NICU. What do I see? Smoke was coming out from there. By the time I saw it, a spark fell and the AC instantly caught fire,” she recalled.
For a moment, fear overwhelmed her. But the instinct to protect the newborns quickly took over.
“Seeing that sight, I too was scared for a moment, but I quickly composed myself and with the help of my colleagues, brought the children out. There was fear in my heart. My hands and legs had gone numb from panic. But we risked our lives and saved the lives of the babies,” she said.
Then came a deeply personal thought.
“I also have three children. As a mother, I only knew one thing: all those nine children are mine, and I have to get them out.”
58 Patients on the Floor
The fire broke out on a floor where 58 patients were present, including the nine newborns in the NICU, 36 patients in the general ward and 13 patients in special rooms.
The hospital alerted the fire brigade and police immediately. However, before emergency personnel arrived, doctors and nurses had already managed to bring the fire largely under control using fire extinguishers.
The nine newborns were subsequently shifted by ambulance to other hospitals for continued medical care. Four were admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital (Ghati), three to MGM Hospital, one to Muskaan Children’s Clinic in Azad Chowk and one to Day Care Hospital.
All nine babies are reported to be safe and in stable condition.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Fazal Pathan / September 07th, 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.
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
Professor Mohammad Mobin, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has been conferred the prestigious Professor B.P. Verma Memorial Award for 2025 by the Indian Chemical Society (ICS), recognising his contributions to research, development and innovation in Chemical Sciences and Engineering.
The honour marks a significant achievement in Professor Mobin’s academic career and reflects his sustained efforts towards advancing scientific research and translating innovation into meaningful technological and societal applications.
In a communication dated August 14, 2026, Prof. G. D. Yadav, President, Indian Chemical Society, conveyed the Society’s appreciation of Professor Mobin’s distinguished professional accomplishments, which have enhanced the stature of Chemical Sciences and Engineering and contributed to the advancement of Indian chemical and allied industries and society.
As part of the recognition, Professor Mobin has been invited to deliver the Professor B.P. Verma Memorial Award Endowment Lecture at the 63rd Annual Convention of Chemists (ACC 2026) of the Indian Chemical Society from December 14–16 at Graphic Era University, Dehradun.
Professor Mobin is presently serving as Vice Chancellor of Cluster University of Srinagar on deputation from AMU. His academic and research contributions span Chemical Sciences and Engineering, with particular emphasis on Materials and Corrosion, research innovation and technological development.
The Indian Chemical Society, one of India’s leading professional bodies in chemical sciences, has played a vital role in promoting chemical research, technology and industry while fostering collaboration among academia, research institutions and industry.
The Professor B.P. Verma Memorial Award adds another distinguished recognition to Professor Mobin’s achievements and brings pride to AMU and the wider academic and scientific community.
source: http://www.indiaeducationdiary.in / India Education Diary / Home> Educational News> University News / by iednewsdesk / August 17th, 2026
Sarah Sham, a fourth-generation Muslim entrepreneur from Mumbai and co-founder of Dubai-based luxury interior design firm Jea, has sparked widespread praise after sharing how she enforces strict work-life boundaries at her company, even at the cost of losing clients.
Sham, whose family business Essajees traces its roots back 130 years to her great-grandfather Abdul Kadir Essajee Sham, a trader of fine Iranian art tapestries, took to LinkedIn to outline the firm rules she applies across her design operations spanning 18 cities.
“We start at nine and close by six, five days a week. No weekend calls. No Sunday deadlines,” she wrote. “When a project runs behind, I hire another designer instead of asking my team to give up their weekend.”
Sham, a graduate of Art History from Duke and Oxford universities, admitted she once believed that good design required working through the night. Over time, she changed her approach after noticing that the best creative output came from well-rested designers, not exhausted ones.
“I started comparing creativity to a well instead of a tap,” she wrote. “Push too hard without rest, and it runs dry, no matter how skilled the person is.”
She acknowledged that the policy carried a real financial cost. Several clients left her firm in favour of teams willing to answer calls on weekends or work late nights. Sham chose to let them go rather than compromise her team’s working conditions.
“A tired designer does not run out of ideas all at once. The work slowly gets less interesting, and nobody notices until a client points it out,” she added.
Sham comes from a storied Muslim business family. Her ancestor Abdul Kadir Essajee Sham opened his Mumbai store in 1890, building a clientele that included Maharajas and royal families from India, Qatar, the UAE, Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Today, Essajees serves a new generation of buyers including venture capitalists, consultants and young couples.
Her LinkedIn post drew strong responses from professionals across industries. Many praised her for holding firm on boundaries when revenue was on the line, calling her approach a model for sustainable creative work.
Sham co-founded Jea after serving as principal designer at Essajees Atelier for 12 years, carrying forward a family legacy built on craftsmanship, honesty and respect for the people behind the work.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Features / by Radiance News Bureau / August 11th, 2026
Data shows West Bengal has the second-highest number of registered properties, while Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka also recorded large numbers
New Delhi :
The UMEED portal had recorded details of 7.99 lakh Waqf properties across India by August 7, with Uttar Pradesh accounting for the highest number at 1.52 lakh, according to data from the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
West Bengal ranked second with 1.31 lakh Waqf properties registered on the portal, followed by Kerala with 79,929 properties. Maharashtra had 71,947 properties, Telangana 63,982 and Karnataka 58,846.
The figures are part of the government’s effort to digitise Waqf property records and bring information relating to such properties onto a centralised platform.
According to documents from the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the process of entering details of Waqf properties on the portal began last year. The UMEED portal-2025 is intended to bring information about Waqf properties onto a single platform and improve transparency in their management.
Delhi Waqf Board had completed the entry of details of 3,233 Waqf properties by August 7.
At the other end of the list, the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu had recorded details of two Waqf properties by the same date.
The state-wise figures show wide differences in the number of Waqf properties recorded on the portal. Uttar Pradesh had the highest number, followed by West Bengal, Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana and Karnataka.
The government data also contains details of Waqf properties that were returned to the mutawalli or the person who had dedicated the property as Waqf.
Maharashtra recorded the highest number, with 9,292 properties returned to the Waqif, or the person who had dedicated the property as Waqf.
Kerala recorded 4,418 such properties, while 3,198 Waqf properties were returned in Gujarat, according to the ministry’s documents.
The data on returned properties is separate from the total number of properties whose details have been entered on the UMEED portal.
Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had earlier explained the purpose of the UMEED portal in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
According to the information provided by the minister, the Central UMEED Portal-2025 was developed following changes made to the Waqf law and was launched on June 6, 2025.
The portal was designed to record details of Waqf properties, facilitate registration of new Waqfs and improve transparency in the management and monitoring of Waqf properties.
Under the new provisions, details of all existing Waqf properties registered before the provisions came into force are required to be entered on the portal.
The government documents also state that technical problems were found in the portal during the initial phase of registration.
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick> India / by Team Clarion / August 16th, 2026
At 25, Zaid Khan is already running a business worth an estimated Rs 5 crore while pursuing his MBA at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore. The founder of Zedital Media Private Limited, a branding and media company, Khan recently shared his entrepreneurial story on The Crore Club podcast, hosted by Shreya Hegde.
His classmates at IIM Bangalore are preparing for annual job packages of Rs 25 to 40 lakh. Khan, by contrast, already leads a company offering Online Reputation Management, Content Distribution Management, and LinkedIn Profile Amplification Management services.
For students hoping to launch their own ventures, Khan offered two clear pieces of advice. The first is to start selling something, no matter how small. “Start selling something, whether it is a skill, a piece of advice, or any service, even if it is just for Rs 100 or Rs 200. It helps build confidence,” he said. The second is to build a strong online presence. “Content is the digital currency. Build your online presence because that is what creates opportunities,” he added.
Khan grew up in a middle-class family where conventional careers were strongly encouraged. “Everyone told me to become a doctor. The second option was engineering,” he recalled. During Class 12, he faced pressure to prepare for the NEET medical entrance examination. He chose a different path instead.
He began working with YouTube creators and took up freelance projects. A turning point came when he secured a freelancing assignment with a California-based influencer, earning Rs 1.24 lakh, his largest payment at the time. That experience convinced him a career outside traditional professions was possible.
Khan later completed a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Journalism at Graphic Era Hill University between 2019 and 2022 before joining IIM Bangalore’s Business Administration programme in September 2024.
His recognitions include Youngest Entrepreneur of Uttarakhand, Innovative Entrepreneur 2024, and Trailblazer in Digital Marketing Solutions.
His journey demonstrates that starting early, gaining real-world experience, and consistently building a digital identity can open professional doors well before graduation.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News /Home> Features> Pride of the Nation>Markers of Excellence/ by Radiance News Bureau / July 29th,2026
In a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and promoting business collaboration, the RIFAH Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), in collaboration with the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), successfully organized the RIFAH National Business Conclave-2026 on Sunday at the Dr. M. A. Ansari Auditorium, Jamia Millia Islamia, here on July 12.
The day-long conclave witnessed the participation of more than 500 businessmen, entrepreneurs, professionals, start-up founders, industry experts, and aspiring entrepreneurs representing 18 states and 50+ business sectors, making it one of the largest networking platforms for the community. The conclave served as a unique forum for exchanging ideas, building strategic partnerships, and exploring emerging opportunities in business, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
The inaugural session commenced with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Dr. Shaad Habeeb, Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, Jamia Millia Islamia, followed by the presentation of mementos to distinguished guests.
Welcoming the gathering, Prof. (Dr.) Rihan Khan Suri, Head of the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Jamia Millia Islamia, highlighted the importance of academia-industry collaboration in nurturing innovation and creating employment opportunities for India’s youth.
The conclave theme was introduced by Mr. S. Ameenul Hasan, Chairman of RIFAH Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who outlined the Chamber’s vision of creating a nationwide platform that empowers entrepreneurs through networking, mentorship, trade opportunities, and collaborative growth.
Several eminent personalities graced the event as guests of honour, including Syed Sadatullah Husaini, President, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind; Dr. Abdul Qadeer, Chairman, Shaheen Group of Institutions; and Dr. R. K. Bharti, Joint Director and Head of Office, MSME Development & Facilitation Office, Okhla, New Delhi.
The conclave also featured keynote addresses by distinguished business leaders from India and abroad.
Dr. S. Farooq, President of Himalaya Wellness Company, spoke on leadership, ethics and innovation in building globally respected Indian brands.
Mr. Haji Kamruddin, Founder and Managing Director of Servokon Systems Limited, shared his entrepreneurial journey and encouraged young entrepreneurs to pursue manufacturing and technological innovation.
Dr. Faiz Rehman Abbasi, Global Distribution Director, Barco, Dubai, delivered a keynote session on global distribution networks and expanding Indian businesses into international markets.
The Patron’s address was delivered by Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, Registrar of Jamia Millia Islamia, who appreciated the collaborative efforts of RIFAH and the university in promoting entrepreneurship among students and young professionals.
Following the inaugural session, delegates participated in an extensive networking session over high tea before reconvening for technical and business sessions.
One of the major attractions of the conclave was the Industry Zone Introductions, where members from different sectors introduced their businesses and explored sector-wise collaborations. The session encouraged business matchmaking and opened new avenues for partnerships among entrepreneurs from different parts of the country.
Sponsor presentations showcased innovative products and services while highlighting opportunities for collaboration between established businesses and emerging enterprises.
After lunch and prayer, participants engaged in pre-scheduled B2B meetings, enabling focused discussions on investments, joint ventures, distributorships, and strategic alliances.
Dedicated sessions on New Businesses & Startups encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly students of Jamia Millia Islamia, to transform innovative ideas into successful ventures through mentorship and institutional support by Syed Mumtaz Mansoori (President, RIFAH Karnataka).
Another engaging session featured the sharing of active business leads, where entrepreneurs exchanged live business opportunities and explored practical collaborations across industries.
An opportunity sharing session further enabled participants to discuss business prospects, resources, partnerships, and collaborative ventures available in Delhi and across India.
The conclave concluded with closing remarks by Mr. Mirza Afzal Baig, General Secretary, RIFAH Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who emphasized the Chamber’s commitment to creating a strong national network of entrepreneurs and promoting inclusive economic development.
The Vote of Thanks was delivered by Mr. Sultan Salahuddin, State President, Delhi, RIFAH Chamber of Commerce and Industry, expressing gratitude to the guests, speakers, partner institutions, sponsors, volunteers, and participants for contributing to the grand success of the conclave.
At the end of the occasion, Syed Yonus, Convenor of the Conclave & RIFAH Tamil Nadu Chapter, reiterated the Chamber’s vision of creating one of India’s most vibrant business communities by connecting entrepreneurs, professionals, start-ups, investors, and industry leaders under one platform.
The conclave concluded with renewed enthusiasm, stronger business relationships, and a collective commitment to promoting entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable economic development.
The success of the RIFAH National Business Conclave 2026 was made possible through the generous support of its esteemed sponsors. Shaheen Group of Institutions joined the conclave as the title sponsor, reaffirming its commitment to education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Al Saba International supported the event as the Gold Sponsor, while FNG, Synergy, Lively Mart, Larron Textures & Paints, Guide Alliance CIE, and Mattress World partnered as Silver Sponsors. Their invaluable support played a significant role in bringing together over 500 business leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, and aspiring entrepreneurs from across the country, creating a vibrant platform for networking, knowledge sharing and business collaboration.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Economy / by India Tomorrow / July 14th, 2026
Awais Ahmed, a young entrepreneur from Aldur in Karnataka’s Chikkamagaluru district, has emerged as one of India’s leading figures in the private space sector after his company, Pixxel Space Technologies, became the first Indian space start-up to secure a NASA contract for supplying hyperspectral Earth observation data.
The 28-year-old founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Bengaluru-based company attributes his journey to a childhood shaped by curiosity, encouragement from his parents and a lifelong fascination with space science.
Growing up in Aldur, Awais spent hours reading children’s science encyclopaedias on planets, nebulae, black holes and the solar system. His father, Nadeem Ahmed, who runs a pharmacy in the town, regularly bought him science books from local libraries and bookshops. His mother, Ghazala Tashfeen, also encouraged him to pursue the subject that interested him most.
After completing his schooling in Aldur and Sangameshwar Pete, he moved to Mangaluru for pre-university education before joining BITS Pilani, Rajasthan, where he studied mathematics and manufacturing engineering. During his engineering years, he participated in a student satellite programme alongside ISRO scientists, an experience that deepened his interest in satellite technology.
A defining moment came in 2017 when Awais led Hyperloop India at the SpaceX Hyperloop Competition in Los Angeles. The team qualified among the finalists and presented its project before visiting SpaceX facilities. Meeting Elon Musk and witnessing private space innovation strengthened his resolve to build a career in space technology.
Before completing his degree in 2019, Awais founded Pixxel Space Technologies. The company has launched nine hyperspectral satellites, including six in 2025. The satellites collect detailed Earth observation data that supports agriculture, environmental monitoring, energy and natural resource management through advanced imaging technology.
Awais said the company has raised ₹960 crore from investors. He credited policy support for private participation in India’s space sector for helping young companies grow. Today, Pixxel employs 275 people, with most of its workforce based in India and others working in the United States and Europe.
His father recalled the family’s sacrifices to support his education, including taking education loans and pledging gold. He said watching his son’s dedication and achievements has filled the family with pride. Awais, who is now married to a doctor, continues to pursue his goal of building space technology that serves humanity while contributing to India’s growing presence in the global space industry.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Markers of Excellence> Personality> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / July 20th, 2026
Razee Anwer said the Software was successfully run for the students of J.A.T. Campus for demonstration purpose.
Malegaon:
As different government departments with the help of top IT firms race with time to make India go Digital and paperless, an engineer based in Malegaon has developed a Software that if implemented can halve the burden of Sub District Magistrates (SDMs), also called as Prant Officers, and Tahsildars across India.
Razee Anwer Faizee, an expert who runs a Software Development and Consultancy firm in Malegaon, has come out with an IT solution that connects the Prant Office in a City or Tahsil with schools and colleges and makes issuance of Caste, Domicile and Nationality certificates fast, smooth and more secure.
While domonstrating the Software, Razee Anwer showed how students’ data is imported with the help of the Software developed by him, accessed online by the SDM and Tahsildars, Digitally signed and then distributed to students through the respective schools and colleges.
“The entire Software works online”, he said.
“An authorised person in a school or college needs to import students’ data using our Sofware, take printout of the list of students, sign and stamp an undertaking saying the students in the list are registered and bonafide students of his or her school or college, and click on a button to send the data to SDM or Tahslidar for further verification and issuance of Caste, Domicile and Nationality certificates”, he added.
“The SDM or Tahslidar using his or her User ID and Password will log in to our Software, verify the list of the students available online with the one signed and stamped by school authorities and Digitally Sign the certificates – one by one or in bulk, if satisfied”, Razee said.
“In case the SDM or Tahsildar has any doubt regarding the data of any student or if supporting documents have any error or are incomplete the officer can send such data back to the respective school or college with his or her remark”, Razee said.
Explaining the reason behind developing the Software, Razee Anwer said, “The idea came to my mind when I visited Malegaon Prant Office for some work few months before. During every visit, I found the Prant Officer and Tahsildar busy signing thousands of certificates utilizing most of their time which could have been otherwise used for some other administrative work.”
“I also came across many parents who for not knowing the exact procedure to get these certificates issued for their wards fall prey to the middlemen and agents who charge them hefty amount”, he added.
“I thought linking the schools with the Prant Office will not only save valuable time of the officers but also help these poor students who are paying huge amounts for a ceritifcate which is actually issued by paying nominal processing fes”, he added.
Razee Anwer, who is also Head of the Department (HoD) of Computer Science of J.A.T. Arts, Science and Commerce College, Malegaon, said the Software was successfully run for the students of J.A.T. Campus for demonstration purpose.
“Using the data of the students of J.A.T. Campus a demonstration was done in front of the top government officials. On their advice, some changes were also incorporated to make the Software user friendly and secure so as to block any misuse from unauthorised access”, he said.
“The same Software with a little tweaking can also be used by Civic and Municipal bodies for issuing Birth Certificates and by schools and colleges for issuing Leaving Certificates”, Razee Answer who has recently launched a School and College Management Software, said.
SDM Malegaon Ajay More, who saw the demonstration of the Software and also helped with useful tips to make the Software a success, said it will reduce the burden of the officials by more than half if implemented at Prant Offices.
“The Software really makes our job simpler. I am talking with the concerned department at the State Headquarters in Mumbai to see how it is implemented”, he said while talking to ummid.com.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Science & Technology / by Zohair M Safwan Faizee / January 17th, 2019
