Mysuru, KARNATAKA :
Mysuru:
Mir Mutthaqi Ali, retired Manager of State Bank of India (SBI) and Mukhtar Mahmood, retired Senior Manager of Corporation Bank, were co-opted as Professional Directors of the Muslim Co-operative Bank Ltd., New Sayyaji Rao Road, at the recently held Board of Directors meeting in the Meeting Hall of the Co-op. Bank.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / March 24th, 2019
Kolkata, WEST BENGAL :
If you believe in first impressions, you are likely to be disappointed by Gazelle S Khan and Yasmin Mehtab. The two lifelong friends were full-time homemakers, busy taking care of their family, kids and other responsibilities to make their homes run smoothly. There was something they both aspired for but were unclear about the exact nature of what they wanted till they attended a workshop on self-management.
Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Yasmin said, “It started in December 2017 when Gazelle and I participated in a workshop and witnessed a transformation in ourselves.” Adding to the Gazelle says, “Often, we homemakers forget our happiness and keep making sacrifices for our families. But we need to strike a balance. The workshop that we attended touched our lives and we decided to take the skills we learned to others in need to be transformed. And that is how You Touch Lives (YTL) began.”
It was Yasmin who came up with the idea of having YTL (platform to help many who are even clueless about the crisis they are in), to which Gazelle readily agreed. While Yasmin uses her operational acumen to organise the workshop, network etc, Gazelle chose to become the face.
“I also realised that one workshop was not enough to conduct a life-changing workshop for women. I thus became a certified life coach and since then, as they say, there has been no looking back,” she added.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> India News> India Politics> Indian Muslims> Lead Story> TCN Positive / by Shabina Akhtar – TwoCirlces.net / December 13th, 2019
BENGAL / Sasaram, BIHAR :
New Delhi:
For travellers in India, moving from North to South or East to West, would have been almost impossible if the magnificent Grand Trunk Road did not exist. We must thank Sher Shah Suri, the founder of the Suri Empire for creating this amazing road connecting the major cities of India. Whenever there are discussions about this splendid road, Sher Shah Suri’s name is always mentioned with awe. But the Grand Trunk Road is just one of his major creations. Few know what an extraordinary personality he was and how much we owe him. In his seven-year rule he added a vast number of improvements that we continue to see today.
Born Farid Khan Lodhi in 1486 at Sasaram in modern day Bihar, he was the grandson of an ethnic Afghan, a noble of the Pashtun Sur tribe named Ibrahim Khan Suri. Farid Khan became known as ‘Sher’ when as a young man he saved the King of Bihar, from a tiger that had suddenly leapt upon him. He was later re-named Sher Shah and rose to become the founder of the Suri Empire in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent.
A landowner (Jagirdar) and a representative of the Delhi rulers of that time, he was an adventurer with royal connections and was recruited by Sultan Bahlul Lodi of Delhi during his long confrontation with the Jaunpur Sultanate. He was one of the eight sons of Mian Hassan Khan Suri – a prominent figure in the government in the Narnaul district. His grandfather Ibrahim Khan’s ‘Mazar’, still stands as a monument in Narnaul.
Sher Shah rose from being a private to the status of a commander in the Mughal army under Babur to the level of being the governor of Bihar. In 1538, when Babur’s son Humayun was away at war, Sher Shah took over the state of Bengal and established the Suri dynasty – naming it after the ‘Sur’ tribe to which he belonged. A gifted administrator and strategist during his rule from 1538 to 1545, he introduced a number of important changes, which continue to benefit us till today.
As a brilliant general Sher Shah laid foundations for later Mughal emperors – among them Akbar son of Humayun, was probably the one who benefited the most from this. Among Sher Shah’s more important strategies in his administration, was the setting up of new civic and military rules. Under him, the first ‘Rupiya’ was issued in place of ‘Taka’ – and still continues to remain. Another important improvement was the reorganisation of the postal system of the Indian Subcontinent. To ensure that he would be remembered, Sher Shah renamed the name of Humayun’s city, changing it from ‘Dina-panah’ to ‘Shergarh’ and simultaneously he also revived the historical city ‘Pataliputra’, which had been steadily declining since the 7th century. The feather on his cap is however the Grand Trunk Road, for which he is justly famous.
It is said that Sher Shah and his father were constantly fighting with each other. His father, Hassan Khan Suri, then a jagirdar of Sasaram, had several wives with whom Sher Shah did not get along and so, he decided to run away from home. When his father discovered that Sher Shah had requested Jamal Khan, the governor of Jaunpur to give him shelter, he wrote a letter that stated, “my son being annoyed with me, has gone to you without sufficient cause. I trust in your kindness to appease him, and send him back; but if refusing to listen to you, he will not return, I trust you will keep him with you, for I wish him to be instructed in religious and polite learning.”
But Sher Shah refused and replied in a letter, “If my father wants me back to instruct me in learning, there are in this city many learned men: I will study here.”
Sher Shah started his service under Bahar Khan Lohani, the Mughal Governor of Bihar. Because of his valour, Bahar Khan rewarded him with the title ‘Sher Khan’ After the death of Bahar Khan, he became the regent ruler of the minor Sultan, Jalal Khan. Jalal soon realised that Sher Khan’s power in Bihar would make things difficult and sought the assistance of Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah – the independent Sultan of Bengal. Ghiyasuddin sent an army under General Ibrahim Khan but Sher Khan defeated the force at the battle of Surajgarh in 1534 after forming an alliance with local chiefs – and achieved complete control of Bihar.
In 1538, Sher Khan attacked Bengal and defeated Ghiyasuddin Mahmud Shah. But could not capture the kingdom, because of the sudden appearance of Emperor Humayun and his army. On 26 June 1539, Sher Khan faced Humayun in the Battle of Chausa and defeated him. Assuming the title ‘Farid al-din Sher Shah’, he defeated Humayun once again at Kannauj in May 1540 and forced him out of India.
Thereafter Sher Shah turned his attention towards the Rajput Forts. He attacked Malwa and Jodhpur, but was killed during the siege of the Rajput Fort of Kalinjar. Sher Shah had ordered the walls of the fort to be blown up with gunpowder, but he was himself seriously wounded, by the explosion. He died on May 22, 1545 and was buried in Sasaram. His son Jalal Khan succeeded him, taking the title of ‘Islam Shah Suri.’
The founder of the Suri Dynasty lies under the splendid Sher Shah Tomb that is 122 ft high and stands majestically in the middle of an artificial lake in Sasaram – located on the road that he is famous for – India’s magnificent Grand Trunk Road.
(Shona Adhikari is a lifestyle and travel columnist.)
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> Life & Style / by Shona Adhikari – IANS / December 11th, 2019
KERALA / U.A.E. :
A night stay at the hotel will cost you over Rs 40,000 and lunch over Rs 10,000 | Photo from Twenty14 Holdings website
Once upon a time in London, United Kingdom the address people would have wanted to avoid might be now the place they might aspire to be in – The Great Scotland Yard Hotel.
Better known as the Old Scotland Yard that served as police headquarters, now is a plush 5-start hotel.
At the helm of this 300 million pounds (over Rs 28,06,09,18,200 roughly) investment is the Kerela born NRI businessman, MA Yusuff Ali of Lulu Group’s hospitality arm, Twenty14 Holdings.
Calling it a “dream come true” to transform world’s most historic addresses, Adeeb Ahamed, the managing director of Twenty14 Holdings said, “This building holds more tales than ever told and our approach has been multi-layered, with emphasis on stories that are unheard, the hotel is a tribute to the intrinsic spirit of London.”
Opened to public from the December 5, it was inaugurated by Nicky Morgan, UK secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport.
Speaking about the “exceptional transformation” that the building has undergone Sir Edward Lister, special advisor to the Prime Minister, said, “It is a place which is right at the heart of the city and the government and the West End of London. It’s just a perfect location for a tourist.”
Event was also attended by the High Commission of India, her excellency Ruchi Ghanshyam amongst other Lords and dignitaries.
It might cost upward of 430 pounds (Rs 40,000 roughly) to stay for a night and 100 pounds (Rs 10,000 roughly) to lunch at the The Great Scotland Yard Hotel that has Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and the West End just round the corner.
Current building at 3-5 Great Scotland Yard has grand five storey Imperial Red brick and stone facade with arched main entrance | Photo from Twenty14 Holdings website
From staff wearing brass hand cuff in their belts to retaining some of the writings on the walls, this dog-friendly hotel endeavours to give its guests an eclectic experience of past and the present.
Shafeena Yousuff Ali, the daughter of Yusuf Ali, the woman behind the art and decor of the hotel said that they have tried to give their guests “a transformational experience that will inspire their souls”.
The operations of the hotel have been handed over to The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.
source: http://www.indiatoday.in / India Today / Home> News> World / by Loveena Tandon / December 06th, 2019
New Delhi:
Twitter users on Wednesday paid rich tributes to Tipu Sultan on his birth anniversary, with many posting the quotes of the King of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysore as also pictures of his prized possessions with hashtags #Tipusultan, #SherEHindTipuSultan, #TipuJayanti and #TigerOfMysore.
As many as 3,143 tweets were posted by Twitterati on Tipu Sultan.
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar wrote: “Tipu Sultan, the king of Mysore, will always be known for his valour and his continuous resistance against the British rule”.
“A tribute to the first freedom fighter of India on his birth anniversary”, the grandson of Dr BR Ambedkar wrote.
Another Twitter user wrote: “Tipu Sultan was the only Indian ruler who understood the dangers the British posed to India, and fought four wars to oust them from India – in that sense he could be called the first freedom fighter in the subcontinent”.
One user posted a quote attributed to Tipu Sultan: “One day’s life of a lion is preferable to hundred years of a jackal”.
Many Twitter users also hailed his liking for advanced technology.
“Tipu Sultan was fascinated by science & technology, got gun-makers, engineers, clockmakers & other experts from France to Mysore, then set up a manufacturing of bronze cannons, ammunition & muskets to ‘Make in Mysore’. Basically the first who worked for MakeinIndia”, (sic) wrote one user.
Make in India is a type of Swadeshi movement covering 25 sectors of the Indian economy. It was launched by the Government of India on 25 September 2014 to encourage companies to manufacture their products in India and enthuse with dedicated investments into manufacturing.
Tipu Sultan was born on November 20, 1750 and died on May 4, 1799 fighting with the Colonial forces.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India / by Ummid.com with inputs from IANS / November 20th, 2019
KERALA :
An ardent apiculturist, Jodha was presented with a horse named Aman Chand by her mother Amiya Taj who is also a horse rider.
Thiruvananthapuram :
Breaking gender barrier is not uncommon these days. But Oli Aman Jodha has set a new milestone by becoming arguably the first woman farrier in the country. She is just 14. Jodha, who hails from an orthodox Muslim family from North Kerala, has been leading a nomadic life for the past few years because of her love of horses and bees.
An ardent apiculturist, Jodha was presented with a horse named Aman Chand by her mother Amiya Taj who is also a horse rider. Though riding has been her passion, an incident of fixing a horse shoe on Aman by an amateur farrier drew Oli to the profession.
Right after the farrier from Tamil Nadu fixed the shoe on her horse’s hoof, there was profuse bleeding.
Following this, the next time Aman needed a horseshoe, Oli tried fixing the shoe with the help of family friend Sukumaran, a forest guard at Kallar in Ootty. She was just nine at the time. Later, her mother sent her to Nepal where she trained in fixing horseshoe under the tutelage of farrier Thaj at Kohalpur.
In the meantime, a national award came Oli’s way for her expertise in apiculture and even got an invitation to be the resource person in apiculture at Swaminathan Research Foundation, Wayanad, and National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Hyderabad. Her stay in Hyderabad opened a new vista for her in fixing horse shoes as the place has a plenty of horses.
“In the peak time, I used to fix shoes on around 20 horses a month. I have done this in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. A farrier’s focus would always be on ensuring that the shoe perfectly matches the horse’s hoof,” she said.
It’s not an easy task to prepare a custom-made shoe. The farrier must have a sound knowledge of forging and basics of metallurgy.
Oli used to shape the metal with the help of an anvil, hammer, nipper, cutter and tongs like a blacksmith. She also has to bear some of the horse’s weight while fixing the shoe. In the case of oxen, the shoeing can be done by holding the animal to the ground, but it is done on horses in standing position. And if the farrier makes a wrong move or is in the wrong place, he/she can get trodden on easily. All the factors make the profession challenging, especially for women.
Oli has had her share of rough life at this young age. She is a class 1 dropout and had to continue her studies till class 8 through open education. Now, she is planning to write her class 10 exams. She is looked after by her mother after her father left the family. She doesn’t even have a permanent house to reside.
Future plans
Oli wants to be an equine veterinarian and is ready to tread an extra mile to achieve the dream. Not many Indian universities offer equine veterinarian course. But she is hopeful of God bringing luck in her life.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Kerala / by Dhinesh Kulkarni / Express News Service / November 12th, 2019
The Taj Mahal and 4 other monuments earned Rs 146.05 crore, more than half the total revenue generated by centrally-protected monuments, in 2017-18.
New Delhi:
Fringe Hindu groups and even some BJP leaders may have sought to belittle their significance but official data shows that India’s top five revenue generating monuments were all built by Muslim rulers – the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Qutub Minar, Fatehpur Sikri and Red Fort.
While Qutub Minar was built by rulers of the Delhi Sultanate, the rest were constructed by the Mughals.
These five monuments together earned the government Rs 146.05 crore in 2017-18, according Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) data. This is more than half the total revenue of Rs 271.8 crore generated by all centrally-protected monuments.
The Taj Mahal, which has been in the news for all the wrong reasons in recent years, with the Supreme Court last month pulling up the ASI for its poor maintenance, continued to be the highest earner at Rs 56.83 crore.
While some politicians sparked a controversy last year by arguing that the Mughal-era monument did not represent Indian culture, the number of visitors to it, both Indian and foreign, only increased since 2016-17.
A total of 64.58 lakh people visited the Taj Mahal in 2017-18 compared to 50.66 lakh in 2016-17.
Last year, the UP tourism department had even omitted the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO world heritage site, from a brochure listing the state’s principal attractions.
With total earnings of Rs 30.55 crore, Agra Fort built by Mughal emperor Akbar, another UNESCO world heritage site, was the second highest revenue generator in the last financial year.
While the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha came second after the Taj Mahal in terms of number of visitors (32.3 lakh), it generated only Rs 10.06 crore as revenue. This, officials said, is because the temple is mostly popular only with Indian tourists, with 32.21 lakh domestic visitors making the trip last year.
While Indian tourists are charged Rs 30 per head as entry fee to world heritage monuments across the country, foreign tourists have to pay Rs 500 each.
“It is impossible to communalise the entire Indian population through the meaningless political venom spewed by politicians,” said historian S. Irfan Habib, explaining the increase in visitors to the Taj.
“No matter what they say about the Taj Mahal and Red Fort, Indians will continue going there,” he added.
source: http://www.theprint.in / The Print / Home> India> Governanace / by Sanya Dhingra / June 07th, 2018
Kadambur (Kannur District) KERALA :
Personal hygiene concerns are behind the recent bids to promote the production and use of affordable sanitary napkins especially among underprivileged women. A 2018 Hindi film named ‘Pad Man’ is even based on a Tamil social activist who introduced low-cost sanitary pads.
At this year’s Kerala School Science Fest, two Class-10 students — PV Nayana and Fathimathul Nafra — impressed spectators with organic sanitary napkin made from soybean.
With soybean as base for the disposable absorbent pad the duo not only introduced a unique method of making organic sanitary napkins but also pledged their commitment to nature.
Nayana and Nafra are students of the Higher Secondary School at Kadambur in Kerala’s Kannur district.
They claim that the organic napkins are safe for use as chemicals are not used in it. Besides, these biodegradable napkins pose absolutely no harm to the nature.
Napkins made using organic and biodegradable materials like coconut fibre, water hyacinth, banana stem and jute are already in the market.
Nayana and Nafra said extensive research done in this field had inspired them.
Soybean’ incredible ability to absorb water made us try out its possibilities, they added.
After making the napkins, they conducted further experiments and tests at SN College, Kannur, and also at a Bengaluru facility. The experiments there proved successful which further motivated the students to present it at this year’s School Science Fest.
Besides soybean, organic materials like beeswax and cotton too are used in this sanitary napkin. Making a single piece of this organic soybean napkin would cost Rs 3. However, the students say that it would only cost Rs 1.5 per piece if the napkins are industrially produced.
Nayana and Nafra were guided by Roshita who is a teacher at their school.
source: http://www.english.manoramaonline.com / OnManorama / Home> News> Campus Reporter / by OnManorama Staff / November 06th, 2019
Vijayapura, KARNATAKA :
Vijayapura district is known for cultivating tasty grapes and producing sweet raisins that are exported to many parts of India and West Asian countries; but now this fruit will be tasted even by the Chinese as one of the grapes and raisins traders of the city is participating in an international export trade exhibition to be held in China between November 5 and 10.
The event, which is being organised by the Ministry of Commerce, Government of India, is being held at Shanghai city of China in association with Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority.
The young trader, who has an opportunity to participate and represent Vijayapura, is Aquib Almelkar. He would go to Shanghai to tell the Chinese about the quality and taste of grapes and raisins from the district.
“I am elated to be participating in the exhibition and represent India, and more importantly Vijayapura district, which is known for growing sweet and tasty varieties of grapes and raisins with a great demand in the domestic and international markets. As a representative, my job would be spread awareness among the Chinese about quality of our grape and Chinese to make sure that they show interest in the trade of this fruit”, he said.
He said that a stall has been allotted to him at the exhibition where he would be displaying produce that are packed in a special way that their quality is not affected.
Already, grapes and raisins from Vijayapura are already being exported to England and the West Asian countries. It may be noted that varieties such as Thomson and Super Sonaka are exported.
Grapes are cultivated in around 11,000 hectares of land in the district. Soil and the climatic conditions are considered to be suitable for cultivating grapes.
Meanwhile, the event is being organised to promote and popularise Indian produce with an objective of increasing exports to China.
The exhibition, which is expected to boost trade between the two countries, would be held for six days where 30 delegates of the authority would be participating from India, according to sources.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Vijayapura – November 05th, 2019
Kolkata, WEST BENGAL / London , UNITED KINGDOM:
Drawing from her vast knowledge of Indian cuisine, celebrated British chef Asma Khan dives into how a shared love for food can blur the boundaries of race and gender.
How would you define the soft power of Indian cuisine in the world?
The beauty of food is that you can enjoy and appreciate it without having to understand the language or the intricacies of a culture. It is the first contact many non-Indians have with Indian heritage. Indian food is a doorway to Indian culture and its people. It sparks conversations between people of different ethnicities.
The prevalence of Indian restaurants and food in supermarkets in countries like the UK means that almost every person has a chance to try and taste the country’s food.
What are some transformative business models (and hiring practices) that you feel could harness the potential of Indian food globally
It is important that food from a culture reflects the roots, flavours, and aromas of that cuisine. Given the popularity of street food in big cities around the world, it is one way in which Indian street food can be presented. Street food is complex, but people of all nationalities can be trained to assemble and serve these dishes.
As far as restaurants are concerned, the traditional model of family-owned businesses is deeply under threat as the next generation seldom wants to go into this business. In the UK, this has resulted in the closing down of many restaurants. A radical rethink is required in the way staff are recruited and trained. The first change should be an attempt to increase the number of women working.
Are the nuances of Indian food filtering through alongside its general popularity?
The generic Indian food, which was popular a decade ago, is still favoured by many. There is a greater awareness of regionality of Indian cuisine because of cheap travel to India, and information available on both the internet and television.
Does cuisine have a role to play in wider political debates, such as Brexit?
There isn’t a united cuisine of Europe. The European Union’s biggest role when it came to food was establishing vigorous health and safety regulations for the food industry and for the way we farmed and fished.
In Europe, there is a very strong regional tradition when it comes to food, which was not impacted by the birth and extension of the European Union. There is no doubt that breaking bread between neighbours is helpful, and sharing a meal helps bring down barriers between people.
How would you categorise your vision for gender balance in the workplace?
My vision is one of equality, equality for opportunity and progression in kitchens for men and women. There is an urgent need to establish codes of conduct, which protect the dignity and honour of everyone working in the kitchen. For too long, the dominant position of the head chef, invariably a man, has meant that the culture of a kitchen is very masculine and sometimes toxic and aggressive. This can intimidate and exclude some women working alongside these men. There has to be respect for women in all kitchens.
How can food technology be harnessed to tackle health-related issues such as diabetes?
There is a growth in food items that are low in fat, low in cholesterol, that are targeted to people trying to practice a healthier diet. Additional information in the labelling for diabetics is the way forward as healthy eating is the standard advice given to them. Diabetics do not necessarily need food produced specifically for them as there is already a growth of low sugar, low starch options.
How does being a Global Indian impact your wider worldview?
I have the advantage of being from the east and the west. I feel rooted in two nations. My cultural and culinary heritage is Indian. This is a great advantage in the work I do as I can present the cuisine of my country of origin with a depth and understanding that comes from having lived there for the first 22 years of my life.
Even though I have now lived longer in the UK than in India, I still feel a deep-rooted connection to my motherland. I can, therefore, explain to someone from another heritage who I am, where I come from, and what my country stands for.
source: http://www.indiaincgroup.com / Home> Interviews / October 24 & October 25th, 2019