“I wondered if there is something I can do. My vehicles have been lying in the garage for months now, why not use them, I thought,” said Najeeb.
Najeeb in front of his tempo traveller that was recently converted into a Covid care ambulance by attaching first-aid kits and stretchers
Kochi :
At a time when the state is grappling with the second wave of Covid, a Kochiite who owns a fleet of tempo travellers has decided to convert his vehicles into Covid-care ambulances, given the shortage of facilities in the district.
Recently, Najeeb Vellakal who hails from Thrikkakara himself faced a crisis when he couldn’t get a vehicle to drop his Covid positive staff to his hometown in Palakkad. He converted one of his 20 tempo travellers under Zainul Travels into a Covid ambulance to drop his staff. “I removed all the seats except the long one in the back.
I bought a PPE kit for the driver and separated the driver’s cabin using a plastic sheet and dropped the Covid positive person in Palakkad,” said Najeeb, who has been in the vehicle rental business for over 20 years. The incident, however, left him pondering over the struggles of common people during the pandemic. “I wondered if there is something I can do. My vehicles have been lying in the garage for months now, why not use them, I thought,” said Najeeb.
“It costs around Rs 10,000 to convert a traveller into an ambulance by adding stretchers, fixing oxygen cylinders and first aid kits,” he added. On a trial basis, the Ernakulam mayor suggested converting one vehicle into a Covid ambulance.
“I am willing to convert the rest of my 15 vehicles into Covid ambulances if they agree,” Najeeb said. He also said that the ambulance will only charge an affordable rent from people, enough to pay the driver and get fuel. The 43-year-old has been working at Kakkanad Infopark arranging transportation for its employees. His business has been dull since work-from-home became the new norm.
You may contact Najeeb on 7907034416
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Good News / by Aishwarya Prabhakaran, Express News Service / April 28th, 2021
This year, he and his team have set up a control room in order to coordinate and communicate effectively with those in need of help.
Amid the crisis, the demand for the supply of oxygen cylinders has increased manifolds. While 3 months back, he was answering 50 calls for oxygen daily, now it has shot up to 500-600 calls every day, the report said.
Shahnawaz and his team explain the procedure to help fix the oxygen cylinders and after usage, the empty ones are sent back to them. So far the team has helped over 4,000 people, he said.
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India is battling a health crisis unlike anything seen before. The massive surge in COVID-19 cases has left the country reeling and gasping for breath as hospitals remain overwhelmed.
With an increased shortage of medical oxygen, hospital beds and the anti-viral drug Remdesivir used in the treatment of coronavirus, the healthcare system is barely able to cope up with the rising caseload.
Representational Image/PTI
At such a time, good samaritans are keeping the morale high as they are selflessly working to ensure they provide assistance in any way they could. Some are going out of their way to make a difference and that stands right for Mumbai’s Shahnawaz Sheikh.
Known as the ‘Oxygen Man’ in his locality of Malad, he has been working tirelessly to help make the supply of oxygen available to patients through just a phone call. Working with a team, Shahnawaz has also set up a ‘control room’ to streamline the efforts, India.com reported .
Mumbai Mirror
Shahnawaz was also in the news last year after he sold his SUV to start an oxygen supply scheme which today continues to save lives amid the coronavirus pandemic.
This year, he and his team have set up a control room in order to coordinate and communicate effectively with those in need of help.
Amid the crisis, the demand for the supply of oxygen cylinders has increased manifolds. While 3 months back, he was answering 50 calls for oxygen daily, now it has shot up to 500-600 calls every day, the report said.
Screengrab/YouTube
Shahnawaz and his team explain the procedure to help fix the oxygen cylinders and after usage, the empty ones are sent back to them. So far the team has helped over 4,000 people, he said.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra, the worst-affected state in the country, reported 67,468 new Covid cases and 568 deaths – the most in a day – linked to the virus in the past 24 hours.
source: http://www.indiatimes.com / India Times / Home> Trending> Human Interest / by Basit Aijaz / April 24th, 2021
Pyare Khan, a Nagpur-based businessperson, has spent 1 crore rupees to buy 32 tonnes of oxygen and supply them to Covid care centres in the city.
Last week, he had sent a tanker carrying 16 tonnes of oxygen to the city from Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. He has again sent another tanker carrying the same amount of oxygen to Nagpur.
Khan is associated with transport business. He is the owner of Amshi Transport.
Several Muslims have been at forefront in the ongoing battle against Covid-19. Several of them have played their role in various ways during the pandemic.
Muslim men in various cities have performed last rites of Hindu Covid victims. Danish Siddiqui and Saddam Qurashi are among them. They have cremated over 60 bodies so far in Bhopal.
India is witnessing an acute shortage of oxygen and other basic medical facilities required for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
Commenting on the current situation, the Supreme Court on Thursday said that India is facing a ”national emergency-like situation”. The court asked the Centre to put in place a “national plan” on issues including supply of oxygen and essential drugs for the treatment of patients infected, and method of vaccination.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Featured / by Muslim Mirror Staff / April 24th, 2021
The Issa brothers own the Euro Garages chain of petrol stations as part of their EG Group business
The Issa brothers, whose parents moved to the UK from Gujarat in the 1970s, own the Euro Garages chain of petrol stations as part of their EG Group business.
London:
Indian-origin billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa have acquired a popular British fast food chain, Leon, as part of what they described as their goal to grow their foodservice operations in Britain.
The Issa brothers, whose parents moved to the UK from Gujarat in the 1970s, own the Euro Garages chain of petrol stations as part of their EG Group business. Last year, they acquired leading UK supermarket chain Asda from US owners Walmart as part of the strategy to expand their non-fuel business.
Leon, Founded by John Vincent, Henry Dimbleby and chef Allegra McEvedy in 2004, pitches itself in the category of “naturally fast food” with a focus on creating a healthy menu that tastes good, in a sustainable way. The acquisition is said to be worth an estimated 100 million pounds.
“Leon is a fantastic brand that we have long admired. As established entrepreneurs in the foodservice retail market ourselves, we have a huge admiration for the business that John and the Leon team have built over the years, and firmly believe that their culture and values closely align with our own,” said Mohsin and Zuber Issa, co-founders and co-CEOs of the EG Group.
“The acquisition of Leon presents EG Group with a fantastic opportunity to further develop the menu offer, the various concession formats including drive-throughs, and will enable us to significantly build on the existing network by exploring opportunities across our own sites along with other strategic locations,” they said.
With an extensive network of over 70 restaurants, Leon has 42 company-owned restaurants operated on leasehold locations, with a strong presence in London as well as other large cities across the UK.
In addition, it has 29 franchised sites at key strategic transport hubs (mainly airports and train stations) across Britain and five other European markets, principally the Netherlands. Leon has also made itself accessible to consumers at home and generates significant revenue from its branded cookbooks, own brand groceries and provision of home delivery ready meals.
“In some ways this is a sad day for me, to part company with the business I founded 17 years ago in Carnaby Street (London). But I have had the pleasure of getting to know Mohsin and Zuber across the last few years. They have been enthusiastic customers of Leon, going out of their way to eat here whenever they visit London,” said John Vincent.
“They are decent, hard-working business people who are committed to sustaining and further strengthening the values and culture that we have built at Leon, a business that has my dad’s name above the door.
“Mohsin and Zuber will not just be superb custodians of the Leon brand, through EG Group they have the vision, investment appetite, foodservice expertise and network scale to take Leon to many more people and places,” he said, adding that he is confident the brand will “flourish” and expand its appeal outside of London under the new ownership.
Prior to the addition of the Leon store network, EG Group said it already operates over 700 foodservice outlets in the UK and Ireland of which 310 operate from standalone premises.
Despite the impact of COVID-19, the company said its foodservice business accounted for 46 per cent of the gross profit of the UK and Ireland division in 2020. The group’s foodservice brand portfolio includes other third-party brands such as Starbucks, KFC, Burger King, Greggs, Sbarro, Cinnabon and Subway.
The Issa brothers added: “EG Group continues to identify innovative partnerships and acquisitions that complement our existing consumer offer and enable us to stay at the forefront of consumer trends, particularly in foodservice.
“Our equity investment in Leon is to strengthen our own participation in the fast-growing contemporary foodservice segment. This acquisition aligns with our commitment to being a committed foodservice operator globally, delivers financial benefit to our underlying business, and supports broader commercial strategies to be able to better realise further growth opportunities.”
Founded in 2001 by the Issa family, the EG Group employs over 44,000 people working across more than 6,000 sites across Europe, US and Australia. The brothers, Mohsin and Zuber, were each conferred with a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2020, for their contribution to business and charity.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
source: http://www.ndtv.com / NDTV / Home> Indians Abroad / by PTI / April 19th, 2021
The Luqma Studio started by Safa Society provides a platform for like-minded women to network and exchange ideas.
There aren’t many places for women to hang out and unwind in Hyderabad. But now, they can boast of a women-only space. Yes, Darulshifa, the heart of the old city, offers such a legroom for them. At Luqma Studio, they can let their guard down and relax — leaving their worries behind.
The unique initiative is the brainwave of Safa Society, the city-based NGO, which aims at socio-economic empowerment of women. The one-of-a-kind studio provides a much-needed platform for women to engage in dialogue, network and exchange ideas. No, Muslim women are not making a beeline to the studio as yet. That will take some time but the very idea of women-only area has gone down well with the fair sex.
Those who dropped in at the inauguration of the studio, along with the Luqma kitchen, last week were pleasantly surprised at the idea of women having a place of their own. “Don’t we need such a place in the #MeToo era,” remarked a young woman pleading anonymity.
The all-female studio is well-furnished and has room for about 25 persons. The pink-coloured walls are decked up with art portraits of women. Adjacent to the studio is the spacious Luqma kitchen, the food brand of Safa, aimed at turning ordinary women into foodpreneurs. “We want Muslim women to make use of the studio and engage in meaningful discourse. They can also showcase their talent here,” says Safa Society president, Rubina Nafees Fatima.
Rubina Nafees Fatima
The studio can be an oasis for women seeking rest and relaxation. They can order something sizzling from the kitchen next door and chit-chat leisurely, something the presence of men would hinder. The homely ambience only adds to the pleasure. There will be special events with prominent women from different fields addressing them on a range of subjects.
There are many myths about Muslim women. What adds to the confusion is people judging them through the prism of stereotypes. “Women from different communities can now intermingle and discover each other,” says Rubina.
With its safe and supportive environment, will Luqma Studio open up new vistas for women?
source: http://www.telanganatoday.com / Telangana Today / Home> Features> My Hyd / by J S Ifthekhar / April 04th, 2021
Uzma Nahid addressing the first IMEN summit and Startup Showcase held in Pune on Februray 07, 2016 (ummid.com [Uzma Nahid addressing the first IMEN summit and Startup Showcase held in Pune on Februray 07, 2016. Also seen in the photo are Architect Nafisa Kazi, Sameena Razzaq and Farah Deeba. (ummid.com photo)]photo)
Pune (Maharashtra):
A new initiative aimed at driving Muslim involvement in India’s startup and technology economy hosted by Indian Muslim Entrepreneurs Network (IMEN) in Pune last Sunday ended in double delight when it showcased the upcoming business opportunities along with success stories of Muslim female entrepreneurs and young achievers.
The event, brainchild of Chicago based Indian American Tausif Malik, was organized in association with Pune based trainers Anees Kutty and Gaffar Asim Malik.
Started with National Anthem at about 09:00 in the morning, the event ran throughout the day before ending at 06:30pm, uncovering the inspiring stories of Muslim female entrepreneurs and achievers, and also sharing the experiences of Muslim change-makers who have dedicated them for years for the social, educational and economic empowerment of the Muslims in India.
Besides sharing their success stories, the ‘Role Models’ – as the organizers introduced them, also urged the ‘would be’ entrepreneurs to gear up and prepare to take the benefits of the ‘Start-up India Action Plan’ unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This is an emergency like situation for Muslims, especially the Muslim women. In the situation when we have limited opportunities, it is high time we develop business skills in women so as to fruitfully utilize their skill and talent for the empowerment of the community”, Uzma Nahid said while participating in the panel discussion titled “Role of Women in Business & Community”.
“A huge number of Muslim men and women artisans are skilled and talented. But they are unorganized and hence are vulnerable to exploitation. We should adopt areas dominated by such people, form small groups and establish small scale and cottage industries for them”, Uzma, founder of India International Women’s Alliance (IIWA) which has more than 3000 women members, said.
The views were endorsed by Architect Nafisa Kazi, Educationist and one of the youngest Headmistress of School Farah Deeba and senior journalist Sameena Razzaq, with each one of them adding valuable inputs to the idea mooted by Uzma Nahid.
Participating in another panel discussion Managing Director of Exhicon and Executive President, Imamia Chamber Of Commerce & Industry MQ Syed appealed the young entrepreneurs to use their talent effectively to maintain quality and present innovative products of world-class quality.
“There is no discrimination if you have talent and skill, and there absolutely no challenge and competition to quality”, he said.
Highlighting the importance of business and entrepreneurship in Islam, MQ Syed said, “The Holy Quran gives 9 out of 10 marks to business and trade while discussing the livelihood. Jobs and service have the least priority for us”, Syed, who has mentored over fifty start-ups, said.
Stating that the Muslim community is wasting their energies on useless issues MQ Syed said, “We might have problems with Israel. But, instead of boycotting Pepsi to corner Israel, we should produce a product better than Pepsi.”
Mariyah Rehmani, author of e-book titled ‘The Hijab And Its Purpose: Understanding the veil’ taking the question from Maryam Asif Siddiquee, the winner of ‘Gita Champions League’. (ummid.com photo)
Detailing the key features of ‘Start-up India Action Plan’, Aleem Faizee, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Awaz Multimedia & Publications and Founder Secretary of Malegaon Industries & Manufacturers Association (MIMA), said if implemented properly the plan is the best suitable for Indian Muslims.
“Everyone suffered due to ‘inspector raj’, and lengthy and tiring bureaucratic procedure in India. But, Muslims were worst sufferer of this menace. The Start-up India Action Plan has many features to end this problematic and unhealthy regime”, he said while opening the Start-up showcase session.
“If implemented properly, the Start-up action plan will surely open the doors of opportunities for Muslim entrepreneurs in India”, Faizee, who is instrumental in establishing a mini Textile Park in Malegaon, said.
Irfan Pathan, founder of ‘Coffe Addict’, showcased the ‘soon to be launched’ product by giving history of coffee and elaborating on the role of Muslims in spreading the coffee drink. During the presentation, he was supported by Khan his cousin and team member.
The event was also addressed by, Managing Director of Idafa Investments Pvt. Ltd. & Rehbar, Regional Head, West India Ashraf Mohamedy, Mariyah Rehmani, teenager who authored e-book titled ‘The Hijab And Its Purpose: Understanding the veil’, Serial Entrepreneur, Mentor and Investor Altaf Rehmani and Program Facilitator UNCTAD-Empretec Program for India Nasser Mehdi.
Among the organisers, Tausif Malik, Anees Kutty and Asim Gaffar Malik detailed the objectives of the event and also shared their valuable experiences in their long careers.
At the end of the ceremony, MQ Syed was conferred ‘IMEN Businessman of the Year Award’, Mohammad Yunus, who saved more than 2000 lives during Chennai flood, was conferred ‘Shaheed Abdul Hamid Award’ and Maryam Asif Siddiquee, the winner of ‘Gita Champions League’, was conferred ‘Educational Excellence Award’.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Business & Economy / by Zohair Mohammad Safwan / February 13th, 2016
“I am really excited. A scam of this magnitude has to be taken to masses,” the author said
Furquan Moharkan’s financial thriller ‘The Banker Who Crushed His Diamonds: The YES Bank Story‘, is all set to be adapted for screen. Published by Penguin Random House India earlier this year, the story uncovers the deep rot set in YES Bank’s glittering success story.
The crisp page-turner will now be adapted for screen, and according to a press release, the publishing house has already closed a deal with Almighty Motion Picture for the rights.
The book charts the trajectory of the bank, from its inception to its dramatic rise and meteoric downfall. It also entails the story of the people behind one of the biggest banking failures in Indian history.
About the recent developments, Moharkan said in a statement: “I am really excited. A scam of this magnitude has to be taken to masses, and what better than a book getting made into an AV form. We have also seen growing interest in financial thrillers in the country, which I hope would lead to success of The Banker... This will also help a lot in making the masses financially more literate.”
Almighty Motion Picture launched in 2020 with a web series on MX Player. Headquartered in Mumbai, it is headed by actor turned entrepreneur Prabhleen Kaur Sandhu.
“We have always craved for good content and when I came to know about The Banker Who Crushed his Diamonds by Furquan Moharkan, it did not take me another thought to go for the rights to be adapted on screen,” she said.
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Books and Literature / by Lifestyle Desk , New Delhi / April 12th, 2021
Prominent Islamic scholar and former Vice President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Professor KA Sidheeq Hassan passed away today at the age of 75. He was the chief architect of Vision 2026, a flagship project of the Human Welfare Foundation, a public charitable trust working for the development of Muslims.
Prof Sidheeq Hassan worked as an educator in various educational institutions including University College, Thiruvananthapuram and Maharaja College, Ernakulum.
He served as the President of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Kerala from 1990 to 2005. Earlier he had held the positions of Chairman of Alternative Investment and Credit Limited (AICL), founding chairman of Baithuzzakath and sub-editor of Probodhanam Weekly.
Sidheeq Hassan was born in Koottil in Eriyad in the Thrissur district of Kerala and was one of the contributing founding members of Madhyamam Daily, a prominent newspaper in Kerala.
He was conferred with many prestigious awards including the Imam Haddad Excellence award, Islamic Online Star of 2010 by Islam Online and Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait Foundation Award.
He is survived by wife VK Zubaida, sons Faslurrahman, Sharafuddeen and daughter Sabira.
source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> News / by Ghazala Ahmad / April 06th, 2021
Twenty-year-old Azharuddin from Meerut in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is good with his hands. He created an electric cart from junk and he is now receiving online orders from abroad. Apart from this, the 21-year-old has also made an electric bicycle that can cover a distance of 100 km on a single charge.
Uttar Pradesh:
His father laboured all his life and his mother never went to school, yet the twenty-year-old Azharuddin from Muradnagar near Meerut in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh battled all odds and went on to become a mechanical engineer. His is a story of fighting poverty with talent and hard work and emerging victorious.
Azharuddin studied at a government school and today he is a second-year B.Tech. student at Subharti University, Meerut. The university management does not take fees from him. Instead, they provide all the facilities.
Azharuddin is good with his hands. He has created an electric cart from junk and is now receiving online orders from abroad. The twenty-year-old has also made an electric bicycle that can cover a distance of 100 kilometer on a single charge.
In addition to the electric cart, Azharuddin has also made a solar cart, which does not need to be charged. His feat is remarkable as he has accomplished it all by himself.
Presently, the boy from Muradnagar is working to get his e-cart verified by the government.
Electric cart made by Azharuddin
“The e-cart is basically solar powered, but it can also be charged. It will benefit the environment immensely. It is cheaper and more robust. It can be used as an auto. Currently, its demand is coming from societies of large size, where these non-polluting carts are of great importance. Apart from this, they have great importance in places like Zoos, Taj Mahal etc. Till now such carts were running on battery. We have a cheaper alternative to solar and electricity,” Azharuddin told TwoCircles.net.
Azharuddin’s accomplishments have not been in vain. He has received an offer of 6 solar carts from a society in Hyderabad.
For his first electric cart, it cost him INR 1.5 lakh. He has improved its cost of making and his e-cart now has space for more people to sit. An e-cart made by him has been sent to Dubai.
Azhar says that if the government cooperates with him, they can build something that can contribute to pollution reduction in the country and improve the environment.
Azharuddin says that he has made his electric bicycle in the same manner. It can charge up to 100 kilometres at a time, while the company’s cycle runs 30-40 kilometre. It can run-up to the speed of 25-30 kilometre per hour and is pollution-free. He has started getting orders for his e-cycle.
He says his e-cart was used at the Taj Mahal in Agra for six months. “I had built a one-seater helicopter in 11th grade, which was greatly appreciated at the exhibition in Ghaziabad,” he said.
His e-cart is now being used in Haryana’s Hisar Cantt. and Engineering College. His e-carts are also today used at his college Subharti Meerut.
Azharuddin’s father Amirudin Kassar told TwoCircles.net that “Azhar has brought him only joy and pride.”
“People in the village know me because of my son. I respect him more,” he says.
Talking enthusiastically about his e-cart, Azharuddin explains that in the event of solar energy being interrupted, its work will be done by charging and this cart will keep running. “Two batteries of 12 volts and five batteries of 140-ampere lead-acid have been used in the solar panel. This is the biggest feature of this e-cart that it operates from both solar and electricity as well and is cheap,” he says.
At Subharti University, Azharuddin’s work is discussed with excitement.
A staffer at the University Sanjay Kumar points out that Azhar’s talent is natural. “The natural talent inside him is going to take him to places. He has earned a name for himself through his work. His difficult time has passed. We wish him a bright future,” he said.
The story of Azharuddin exemplifies that passion and hard work pays, no matter how humble your beginnings.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Lead Story> TCN Positive / by Aas Mohammad Kaif, TwoCirlcles.net / March 30th, 2021
Representational Image/PTI
Mumbai Mirror
Screengrab/YouTube
