The Indian Patent Office has granted a patent to Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) faculty members and research scholars for an innovation titled “A Novel Bioformulation and a Process for the Preparation Thereof” (Patent No. 605826).
The invention was developed by a team led by Dr. Ziaul Haque, along with Prof. Mujeebur Rahman Khan, Sarwar Nawaz, Lavi Haider and Mohd Shahid Anwar Ansari. Filed through AMU’s IP Cell, the patent marks a significant contribution to sustainable plant protection and bioformulation technology.
The achievement highlights AMU’s continuing research efforts in biocontrol and innovation.
source:http://www.indiaeducationdiary.in / India Education Diary / Home> Educational News> University News / by iednewsdesk / October 16th, 2026
Rich tributes paid to the legacy of renowned Unani medicine at a seminar in New Delhi; speakers recall his multifaceted contributions to Ghalib Academy.
New Delhi :
Rich tributes were paid to Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the visionary institution-builder, educationist, Unani physician and champion of humanity, at a seminar organised at the Ghalib Academy here recently to mark his 118th birth anniversary.
Eminent Unani medicine experts, writers, academics and scholars recalled his multifaceted contributions to medicine, education, Urdu language and literature, public welfare and humanitarian service. Several speakers also presented papers highlighting different aspects of his life and enduring legacy.
Welcoming the participants, Dr Aqeel Ahmad, secretary of the academy, said Hakeem Abdul Hameed laid the foundation of the Ghalib Academy in 1935 after acquiring land near the tomb of Mirza Ghalib. The academy, he said, was among the earliest institutions established by Hakeem Abdul Hameed and has continued the tradition of commemorating its founder’s birth anniversary every year.
Delivering the presidential address, eminent litterateur Dr G R Kanwal said Hakeem Abdul Hameed had rendered an “unforgettable service” to Urdu through the establishment of the Ghalib Academy.
“He spoke little, slept little and ate little,” Dr Kanwal said, describing him as a simple and unassuming person. The Ghalib Academy was inaugurated by Dr Zakir Husain, then President of India and a noted admirer of Mirza Ghalib, he added.
Dr Kanwal said Hakeem Abdul Hameed remained detached from honours and recognition. “Honours and awards were contrary to his nature. In the real sense, he was a Bharat Ratna. He was a leader of humanity. Sufism was reflected in his actions. He was a man of action—Abu-ul-Amal,” he said.
Dr Amanullah of the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) said Hakeem Abdul Hameed, guided by patience, gratitude and contentment, transformed Hamdard, founded by his father, into a major institution.
Prof. Akhtar-ul Wasey, former president of Maulana Azad University, Jodhpur, said Hakeem Abdul Hameed’s mother had raised him “like a living saint”. Recalling his contribution to education, he said Hakeem Abdul Hameed established the Rabia Girls Public School in Old Delhi and later set up an English-medium school in Sangam Vihar. The latter, he said, has attracted families living abroad seeking quality education for their children.
Prof Wasey said the establishment of the Ghalib Academy marked an exceptional contribution to Urdu language and literature. Hakeem Abdul Hameed also launched Hamdard Sehat, helping to pioneer medical journalism, he added.
Dr Syed Farooq, CEO of Himalaya Drugs, described Hakeem Abdul Hameed as a remarkable personality with a deep interest in education. He established a hospital in Burhanpur and extended assistance to people in need, Dr Farooq said.
Presenting a paper titled “Hakeem Abdul Hameed: Hikmat, Services and a Beacon of Humanity,” Hakim Nazish Ihtisham Azmi said Hakeem Abdul Hameed occupied a prominent place in India’s modern intellectual, medical and social history.
His contributions, he said, illuminated and strengthened several fields, including Unani medicine, higher education, public welfare and humanitarian service. He described Hakeem Abdul Hameed’s life as a rare combination of knowledge and action, moral excellence, institution-building, personal discipline and sincerity of purpose.
Dr Rakhshanda Roohi from Jamia Millia Islamia, presenting a paper titled “Champion of Linguistic Harmony: Hakeem Abdul Hameed,” said his contributions went far beyond medicine and education. He played an important role in promoting national integration, India’s composite Ganga-Jamuni culture, and cultural and linguistic harmony between Hindi and Urdu, she said.
Dr Roohi said Hakeem Abdul Hameed had established the Indian Project at the Ghalib Academy under the leadership of Prof Mohammad Hasan, reflecting his commitment to India’s composite cultural heritage.
Dr Samar Jahan, a teacher in a govt school, also presented a paper highlighting the life and multifaceted services of Hakeem Abdul Hameed.
Prof. Shareef Husain Qasmi, formerly associated with the Persian Department in Delhi University, recalled several scholarly and research-related episodes from Hakeem Abdul Hameed’s life. He said many important medical works were written in Persian until the time of Aurangzeb. Hakeem Abdul Hameed arranged for such works to be translated and also established an institution called Islamic Studies, where Arabic works were translated.
Syed Ausaf Ali headed the institution and played an important role in advancing its work, Prof Qasmi said.
The seminar was attended by a large number of scholars, writers, academics and other prominent personalities, including Dr Nigar Azim, Shama Afroz Zaidi, Zaheer Ahmad Barni, Prof Moazzamuddin, Mazhar Mahmood, Dr Tabassum Shadab, Prof Salim Qidwai, Advocate Sharfuddin Ahmad, Sarfaraz Ahmad Faraz, Ehteram Siddiqui, Kamaluddin, Arif Husain, Shamim, Abu Noman, Ravi Patwardhan, Khizr-ul-Islam, Khursheed Bano, A Bari Masoud, Saud Akhtar, Menak Aston Sufi, Sadiq Shirwani, Shri Kant Kohli, Parveen Vyas, Pawan Kumar Tomar, Nitin Chadha and Sabiha, among others.
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick> India / by Abdul Bari Masoud / September 20th, 2026
During extensive field surveys across the Jammu and Kashmir region, researchers identified three previously unknown species of the genus Conocephalus, more commonly known as meadow katydids or long-ho…
During extensive field surveys across the Jammu and Kashmir region, researchers identified three previously unknown species of the genus Conocephalus, more commonly known as meadow katydids or long-horned grasshoppers. The discovery was led by Muzamil Syed Shah and a team of entomologists from Aligarh Muslim University. The new species have been named Conocephalus usmanii, Conocephalus nagariensis, and Conocephalus ganderbali.
Prior to this study, the mountainous region of Kashmir was thought to host only a single species of this genus. The team’s findings suggest that the area’s complex topography, which includes the Western Himalayas and the Pir Panjal Range, has fostered a much richer variety of insect life than previously recorded. To find these elusive insects, the researchers trekked through various habitats, including tall meadow grasses, bushes, and deciduous forests, collecting adult specimens during the day.
The researchers used Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to distinguish the new species from their known relatives. This allowed them to capture high-resolution images of the stridulatory files, a microscopic row of teeth on the male insect’s wings that acts like a musical comb to produce their characteristic chirping sound. By counting these teeth and measuring the shape of the insects’ body parts, the team was able to prove they had found entirely new branches of the tree of life.
Each of the three new species possesses unique physical blueprints that set them apart. Conocephalus nagariensis, found in the Budgam district, is distinguished by its spindle-shaped appendages (cerci) and a stridulatory file containing exactly 34 teeth. It is dedicated to Dr. Rajendra Nagar, a researcher credited with discovering several other species of katydids across the country, and bears his name.
In contrast, Conocephalus ganderbali, discovered in the Ganderbal region, is notably small and slender, with a musical file of only 28 teeth and a unique V-shaped incision on its underbelly. Its name is derived from the Ganderbal district in Kashmir, the specific locality where the researchers first collected the specimens.
The third species, Conocephalus usmanii, features a flat, elongated plate on its abdomen and a musical file with 36 teeth. It was named in honour of Professor Mohd Kamil Usmani, a scholar who has made significant contributions to the study of Orthoptera (the group of insects including grasshoppers and katydids) in India.
Beyond the three new species, the study also provided new records for other katydids in the region, such as Conocephalus longipennis and C. kwasiphaiensis, which were previously known only in other parts of India. This suggests that Kashmir serves as a vital corridor for insect migration and evolution.
The discovery highlights how much of the natural world remains unexplored, even in well-known geographical areas. The researchers noted that because Kashmir is so biologically diverse yet understudied, many more species likely remain hidden in plain sight within its mountain valleys. The physical type specimens used to describe these new insects have been deposited in the Museum of Zoology at Aligarh Muslim University, where they will serve as a permanent reference for future generations of scientists.
This article was written with the help of generative AI and edited by an editor at Research Matters.
Wani, historically known as Wun, is an old town of the Vidarbha region whose history reflects the changing political boundaries of central India. At different times, the Wani area was connected with the Nizam’s dominions, while the neighbouring Chandrapur region was historically associated with the Gond rulers. To the east and south lay territories of the erstwhile Hyderabad State, including the area that subsequently became Adilabad district and is today part of Telangana.
Wani’s political identity changed with successive territorial reorganisations. The area was once associated with the Nizam of Hyderabad. After independence, it came under the larger Central Provinces and Berar/Madhya Pradesh administrative framework before becoming part of Maharashtra when the state was formed in 1960.
This layered history is important in understanding the social background of Dr Abdul Razzaq Ahmed, a prominent Muslim of Wani. His family belonged to an established local community whose standing was associated with both landholding and professional achievement. Dr Abdul Razzaq Ahmed was a dermatologist, while later generations entered administration, medicine, and law.
Today, Dr A. Razzaque Ahmed, MD, DSc, is internationally recognised as a dermatologist, immunologist and academic physician, and as a pioneer in autoimmune blistering diseases. He has served as Professor of Dermatology and Director of the Centre for Blistering Diseases at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. He is associated with the Ibn Sina Professorship. His career has brought together clinical medicine, molecular immunology, laboratory research, therapeutic innovation, teaching and philanthropy.
Yet his significance lies not simply in professional distinction. His life represents the transformation of education into knowledge, knowledge into healing, and achievement into service.
Roots, Education and the Making of a Cosmopolitan Mind
Dr Ahmad spent his early childhood in Wani in a house built by his great-grandfather around 1875. He was the son of Salam Ahmed and Begum Noor Jehan and grew up in a family that regarded education and social advancement as important instruments of human development.
That ethos subsequently found institutional expression through the Begum Noor Jehan Salam Ahmed Trust in Yavatmal district. Under Begum Noor Jehan’s leadership, the Trust established educational institutions including the Sunrise English Medium Convent, Wani; the Noor Jahan Begum Salam Ahmed Arts and Commerce College, Wani; and the Noor Jahan Begum Salam Ahmed Women’s College of Law.
The women’s law college was particularly significant, reflecting a deliberate commitment to giving women access to professional education, legal knowledge and greater independence. The family tradition therefore gave education a meaning larger than individual advancement: it expanded opportunity and enabled others to participate more fully in society. That principle would later find expression in Dr Ahmad’s own teaching and philanthropy.
His early education exposed him to unusually diverse intellectual and cultural environments. Until the age of seven, he studied at a convent run by French nuns and later attended a Jesuit Catholic boarding school in Nagpur.
At fifteen, an American Field Service International Scholarship took him to Le Mars, Iowa, where he lived with the Thompson family, attended the local high school and studied at Westmar College. The experience gave a young student from central India an early encounter with American society and education, broadening his intellectual horizons.
Returning to India, he pursued pre-medical studies at Nagpur University before entering the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi. At AIIMS, he distinguished himself academically, standing first in many classes and receiving the Gold Medal as the outstanding graduate of his cohort. The movement from Wani to Nagpur and from Nagpur to AIIMS marked the first major stage in a life that would repeatedly cross geographical and intellectual boundaries.
After completing his medical education, Dr Ahmad moved to the United States for specialist training. He trained in Internal Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, Dermatology at the University at Buffalo and Clinical Immunology at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he subsequently joined the faculty.
His growing interest in the molecular basis of disease led him to Harvard, where he pursued advanced research in molecular immunology and earned a Doctor of Science degree. His investigations attracted National Institutes of Health support and developed into the Ahmed Laboratory, which remained NIH-funded for more than two decades.
A defining feature of his career was integrating laboratory science with clinical medicine. Disease encountered in the clinic generated scientific questions; laboratory research sought their answers; and those discoveries returned to patients through improved diagnosis and treatment.
From Molecular Discovery to a New Paradigm of Care
Dr Ahmad became an international authority on autoimmune blistering diseases, particularly pemphigus and mucous membrane pemphigoid. These rare disorders can be debilitating, disfiguring and, in severe cases, life-threatening.
His research examined the immunological and genetic mechanisms underlying these diseases. Among his key contributions was identifying associations between specific HLA-DQB1 genes and pemphigus in different populations. He reported the association of HLA-DQB10402 with Jewish pemphigus patients and HLA-DQB10501 with non-Jewish patients. Studies of relatives helped demonstrate that low titres of pemphigus autoantibodies could occur without full clinical disease. He also distinguished pathogenic from non-pathogenic autoantibodies, demonstrating the pathogenic significance of IgG4 and the non-pathogenic character of IgG1 in pemphigus.
His investigations involving patients from Northwestern Iran and comparisons with Ashkenazi Jewish patients in the United States and Israel revealed striking genetic homology. They contributed to wider research concerning the population history of Ashkenazi Jews.
His molecular research extended to mucous membrane pemphigoid. He identified alpha-6 integrin as a putative antigen in oral pemphigoid and beta-4 integrin in disease involving other mucosal sites, identified epitopes on these molecules and investigated their role experimentally in animal models and tissue cultures. These studies helped shift the field from clinical description towards molecular understanding.
But Dr Ahmad’s contribution did not end with discovery. He sought to create a system that could translate scientific knowledge directly into comprehensive patient care. In Boston, he established the Centre for Blistering Diseases, bringing together specialists in oral medicine, ophthalmology, ENT, gastroenterology, urology, gynaecology, proctology, internal medicine, nutrition and clinical psychology.
The multidisciplinary model reflected the nature of the diseases themselves, which can affect several organs and mucosal surfaces. Rather than leaving patients to navigate separate specialities, the Centre organised care around the patient’s complexity.
His commitment to patients extended beyond medical treatment. In 1993, he established the Boston Blistering Diseases Support Group, recognising that people living with rare and potentially life-threatening disorders also require emotional support, information and a community of shared experience. The model was subsequently emulated elsewhere, including by the International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation.
Transforming Treatment and Restoring Lives
One of Dr Ahmad’s most consequential contributions was his pioneering work with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in autoimmune blistering diseases.
Severe disease had traditionally been treated with corticosteroids and other immunosuppressive drugs, which could themselves produce serious complications. Dr Ahmad developed and refined IVIg protocols that enabled some patients to achieve prolonged remission and, in certain cases, discontinue conventional therapy.
He also addressed access. Because IVIg is expensive, he presented clinical and pharmacoeconomic evidence involving 160 patients to Medicare authorities. The resulting policy permitting Medicare coverage for IVIg in blistering diseases helped broaden access, and private insurers later adopted similar policies.
His work with rituximab marked another major therapeutic advance. In collaboration with Harvard oncologists, he developed a protocol combining rituximab and IVIg that targeted the B-cell mechanisms involved in autoimmune disease. The results were reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, with subsequent long-term follow-up demonstrating sustained disease control in treated patients.
Some patients achieved exceptionally prolonged remission without continuing therapy, in some cases for more than 20 years. His continuing research has examined whether successful treatment can restore immune balance rather than merely suppress disease. Long-term follow-up of patients with pemphigus treated with IVIg contributed to this emerging understanding, with findings reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2024.
His work has also addressed ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, a rare autoimmune disease capable of causing progressive scarring and irreversible blindness. Research into its mechanisms helped establish therapeutic approaches involving IVIg and subsequently rituximab combined with IVIg.
The significance of such work extends beyond disease control. Preventing blindness preserves independence, employment, family life and human dignity. It exemplifies a broader principle in Dr Ahmad’s career: the ultimate measure of medical success is not simply suppressing disease but restoring a patient’s capacity to live a meaningful life.
This philosophy also shaped the institutions he built. He developed an outpatient infusion model that enabled patients to receive sophisticated intravenous therapies without prolonged conventional hospitalisation, attracting patients from across the United States and other countries.
As a teacher and mentor, he has influenced generations of medical and dental students, residents and researchers. Many former trainees subsequently became professors and departmental leaders. He has lectured internationally for decades and served as a visiting professor at universities worldwide. His influence has therefore travelled not only through publications and therapies but through the people he taught.
The breadth of his contribution has been recognised through numerous professional honours, including the William Gies Award, the Walter F. Lever Award, lifetime achievement and research contribution awards, and international awards for excellence. The International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation honoured him as Physician of the Year, and he has also received India’s Charaka Award. In 1999, the Governor of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts House of Representatives separately recognised his contribution to the Commonwealth’s citizens.
Science, Faith and the Larger Meaning of Service
Another dimension of Dr Ahmad’s life is his religious commitment. During his extensive international travels, he has repeatedly visited Makkah and performed more than one hundred Umrahs. His scientific and spiritual commitments have existed alongside one another. Scientific inquiry seeks to understand disease; faith provides a framework of gratitude, humility and responsibility.
That sense of responsibility has also shaped his philanthropy. In addition to the educational legacy of the Begum Noor Jehan Salam Ahmed Trust, Dr Ahmad has devoted substantial resources to educating disadvantaged young people, particularly women, supporting higher education, professional training, books, computers, transport and leadership development.
The results have reportedly reached thousands of students, with women beneficiaries entering the judiciary, public prosecution and legal practice. The objective is therefore not simply charitable relief but the creation of durable opportunities through education.
Dr Abdul Razzaque Ahmad’s life is not merely a story of migration from India to America or advancement from a small town to elite academic institutions. It is a story of continuity through transformation.
Wani provided the beginning; Nagpur broadened the horizon; AIIMS supplied an exceptional medical foundation; Pittsburgh, Buffalo and UCLA provided specialist training; Harvard deepened his scientific inquiry; and Boston became the centre from which his clinical and research contributions reached the wider world.
The ancestral house in Wani and the laboratories, clinics and lecture halls of Boston may appear to belong to different worlds. In his life they form a single continuum. The family gave him an inheritance of education and responsibility. He transformed that inheritance into scientific discovery and clinical innovation, and then extended its benefits through teaching, patient care and philanthropy.
His legacy is therefore measured not only by publications, professorships and awards, but by what those achievements enabled: patients who obtained relief, individuals protected from irreversible disability, students who gained educational opportunities, physicians shaped by his mentorship, and a field of medicine advanced by his research.
The distance from Wani to Boston is considerable. The distance his ideas travelled is greater still. A journey that began in the hinterland of India entered the global corridors of academia. Its deepest destination, however, was neither fame nor distinction, but service—to the patient seeking relief, the student seeking opportunity, the scientist seeking truth, and society seeking a more humane future.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror /Home>Personalities> Positive Story / by Moin Qazi / October 10th, 2026
Hyderabad, TELANGANA / Birmingham, UNITED KINGDOM :
The Hyderabad-origin doctor’s three-decade pursuit of better diabetes care and fairer health outcomes earns him an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Hyderabad :
The news arrived with all the ceremony one would expect of a royal honour. For Prof Wasim Hanif, however, it also prompted a journey in the opposite direction — back to Hyderabad.
Back to St. George’s Grammar School. Back to Gandhi Medical College. Back to the city where medicine first became more than a profession and where a young student began imagining a life in healthcare.
This month, Prof Hanif was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours List 2026 for services to diabetes care and tackling health inequalities. In Britain, the award recognises a career spent shaping policy, advancing research and advocating for patients often overlooked by healthcare systems.
In Hyderabad, the news was received somewhat differently. Here, the honour belongs as much to memory as achievement.
Hanif grew up in a Hyderabad that was very different from the technology hub it would later become. His father served as General Manager of the Azam Jahi Mills at Gunfoundry, one of the institutions that formed part of the city’s industrial landscape. Education was valued, ambition was encouraged and, like many Hyderabadi families of the period, the expectation was simple: work hard, study harder.
Medicine became his path, first in Hyderabad’s classrooms and later in hospitals thousands of miles away. At Gandhi Medical College, Hanif belonged to a generation of students who viewed medicine not merely as a profession but as a public service. The crowded wards, demanding schedules, and constant interaction with patients offered lessons that would remain with him long after he left the city.
When he moved to the United Kingdom in 1995, he joined a long line of Indian doctors seeking advanced training and professional opportunities abroad. Over time, one question increasingly shaped his career: why do some communities experience significantly poorer health outcomes than others?
For Prof Hanif, diabetes was never simply a disease measured through blood sugar levels or laboratory reports. It was also a lens through which broader questions about society could be examined. Why were certain ethnic groups more vulnerable? Why did some communities have less access to healthcare? Why did outcomes differ so sharply between populations living in the same country?
These questions would come to define much of his professional life.
Today, he serves as a professor of diabetes and endocrinology at University Hospitals Birmingham and Clinical Advisor to Diabetes UK. His expertise has taken him far beyond hospital clinics and lecture halls. He has advised the World Health Organisation (WHO), the European Union and the UK Parliament on issues relating to diabetes, obesity, ethnicity and public health.
Yet colleagues often describe him as someone who has remained grounded in the realities of patient care. Behind the research papers, policy recommendations and leadership positions lies the daily work of listening to patients and understanding the circumstances that shape their health.
His work has been particularly influential in drawing attention to the disproportionate burden of diabetes among South Asian and minority ethnic communities. Long before health inequality became a widely discussed public issue, Hanif was highlighting the social, cultural and economic factors that influence health outcomes.
Reflecting on the honour, Prof Hanif responded with characteristic humility.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this award. Throughout my career, I have been driven by a desire to improve the lives of people living with diabetes and to address the inequalities that continue to affect health outcomes across our society.”
The award, he emphasised, belongs to many others as well.
“This recognition reflects the dedication and support of the many colleagues, students, researchers and healthcare professionals I have had the privilege to work with. While this is a tremendous personal honour to my family and me, it is also recognition of the importance of continuing our efforts to deliver fairer, more inclusive healthcare.”
Today, Prof Hanif’s influence extends across some of Britain’s most respected medical institutions. He is President-elect of the British Medical Association, Trustee of Diabetes UK, Non-Executive Director of the BMJ, Chair of the Association for the Study of Obesity UK and Trustee of the South Asian Health Foundation.
Taken together, the appointments speak to the esteem in which he is held within British medicine. Yet honours and titles tell only part of the story. The larger story is about persistence — about a doctor who spent three decades asking difficult questions about fairness in healthcare and working to find practical answers.
For Hyderabad, the recognition carries a special resonance. The city has produced generations of doctors who have built distinguished careers across the world. Prof Wasim Hanif now joins a long list of Hyderabadis whose contributions have transcended national boundaries while remaining rooted in the values and education that shaped their early lives.
The OBE marks a significant milestone. But perhaps its deeper significance lies elsewhere.
It recognises the idea that medicine is not only about treating disease. At its best, it is also about reducing barriers, widening access and ensuring that those most vulnerable are not left behind.
That conviction has guided Wasim Hanif from the classrooms of Hyderabad to the highest levels of British healthcare. The honour may have been announced in London, but its roots lie elsewhere – in the classrooms of St George’s Grammar School, the wards of Gandhi Medical College and a Hyderabad upbringing that first shaped a young doctor’s understanding of service.
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Syed Khaled Shahbaaz is a Hyderabad-based journalist and author of the best-selling coffee-table book ‘The Kohinoors: Distinguished Personalities of Hyderabad.’ He may be reached at syedkhaledshahbaaz@gmail.com.
source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Editor’s Pick>India> Indian Muslim / by Syed Khalid Shahbaaz / June 18th, 2026
Aarian Zeeshan Ahmed of Rangia in Assam’s Kamrup district has brought pride to the state after receiving special recognition from NASA for discovering two new asteroids.
But Aarian’s interest in space research does not end with asteroid discovery. He is currently working with his friend and colleague, Tanfa Yakin Nur, on applying machine learning and artificial intelligence models to study the solar cycle (Helio-Cycle) and solar storms (Helio-Solar Storms).
The research is being conducted independently, without affiliation to any institution.
Aarian Zeeshan Ahmed helps a child with his telescope
According to Aarian, “This project uses advanced technologies to understand the Sun and its impact on Earth. Our objective is to develop an advanced ‘Make in India’ system capable of forecasting space weather by using data from Indian solar observatories.”
Earlier, Aarian had participated in a special project of the International Astronomical Search Collaboration, through which he conducted the research that led to the discovery of the two asteroids. NASA has since formally recognised his efforts.
The International Astronomical Search Collaboration has provisionally designated the asteroids as 2024 VE8 and 2024 VC23. On December 17, NASA contacted Aarian and formally recognised his discoveries.
Aarian Zeeshan Ahmed with friends
NASA is now conducting an extensive study of the characteristics of the two asteroids, a process expected to take at least a year. Once the research is completed, Aarian will have the rare opportunity to give the two asteroids their final names.
A resident of Ward No. 3 in Rangia town, Aarian is the son of Mirajul Islam, principal of Jayantipur Yogeshwar Vidyapith Higher Secondary School, and Ruma Nazrin. He completed his primary and higher secondary education with distinction at Fatima Convent School in Rangia.
He is currently pursuing the first semester of a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM).
In an exclusive interview with Awaz – The Voice, Aarian spoke about his fascination with astronomy.
“I have been fascinated by astronomy and the movements of celestial bodies since childhood. I experience immense joy whenever I look at the sky, and I read many books on astronomy,” he said.
Aarian began developing a deeper interest in space science in Class VIII. While studying in Class XI, he bought his first telescope. He now owns two powerful telescopes and regularly observes the night sky from the rooftop of his home.
In 2024, he submitted his research as part of the special opportunity offered by NASA to young researchers. Following a year-long observation period, his work received the recognition.
Aarian dreams of joining the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and serving the country. He has already begun preparing for his goal.
His father, Mirajul Islam, said: “It is truly a matter of pride that a boy from an ordinary family like ours, from a small place like Rangia, has achieved such a major success. I hope people will bless him so that he can establish himself as a successful astronomer in the future.”
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Mizan / by Ariful Islam / September 21st, 2026
The global recognition of the Indian pharmaceutical industry is not limited to its biggest companies. Numerous manufacturers across the country have built successful businesses while contributing to India’s reputation as the “pharmacy of the world.” Unicure India Ltd. is one such company, with Dr. Kashish Aziz playing a key role in operations and quality assurance.
Unicure India has manufacturing facilities in Noida, Greater Noida and Roorkee across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. According to CRISIL, the company is a WHO-GMP-approved and ISO-certified pharmaceutical manufacturer.
Dr Kashish Aziz at an event
A significant portion of its business comes from government entities and contract manufacturing for major pharmaceutical brands. Based on CRISIL’s assessment from March 2025, around 60 per cent of the company’s revenue came from government entities, 30–35 per cent from contract manufacturing, and the remainder from exports. GST-based business data for 2025-26 places the company in the annual turnover bracket of ₹100 crore to ₹500 crore.
Born in Delhi in 1987, Dr. Kashish Aziz currently serves as Vice President of Quality at Unicure India Ltd. Her professional journey has been shaped by both academic excellence and personal challenges.
Passionate about science from childhood, Aziz aspired to become a doctor. She completed her schooling at Delhi Public School in 2004 before joining Jamia Hamdard in Delhi, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in pharmacy. She received a gold medal from then President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam for her academic performance.
Dr Kashish Aziz at an event
She received her early education at Delhi Public School, completing her schooling in 2004. She then pursued a Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm) from Jamia Hamdard University. Later, she completed a Master’s in Pharmaceutics with specialisation in Quality Assurance.
For her outstanding performance, she was awarded a gold medal by the then President of India, the late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
She subsequently completed her PhD in Pharmaceutics and received the “INSPIRE Fellowship” from the Department of Science and Technology. She is regarded as a specialist in Quality Assurance and is also recognised as a technologist.
She is currently pursuing an MBA from IIM Lucknow. She is also a member and secretary of the FOPIE Youth Wing and a member of the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA).
Dr Kashish Aziz with her father Abdul Mateen
She later completed a PhD in Pharmaceutics after receiving the Inspire Fellowship from the Department of Science and Technology. She also specialises in quality assurance.
Her journey was not without difficulties. Married at the age of 20 in 2007, Aziz gave birth to her first child at 21, around the same time she began her master’s course in Pharmaceutics with a specialisation in quality assurance.
“I was married in 2007 at the age of 20. I gave birth to my first child but at the age of 21, the same time I joined my course of Masters (Master in Pharmaceutics with specialisation in QA),” she said.
Dr Kashish Aziz being honoured
On her husband’s advice, she initially kept her studies hidden from her in-laws. When they eventually learned about it, she faced strong opposition. Determined to build a career, she later joined her father, Abdul Mateen, at Unicure India’s Noida unit.
For Aziz, quality in pharmaceutical manufacturing is not merely a regulatory requirement but the foundation of business credibility. Her responsibilities include quality assurance, monitoring production processes, validation and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
“Quality is never accidental; it is always the result of high intention, conscientious effort, intelligent direction, and skillful execution,” she says.
Dr Kashish Aziz speaking at a public function
She has a simple message for her team: “Only a healthy horse can pull a strong cart. So my consistent message to the UniQure team is either stick to quality or quit.”
The emphasis on quality is particularly important in pharmaceutical manufacturing, where the quality of every batch is directly linked to patient safety. Raw materials and finished products therefore undergo testing and monitoring at multiple stages. Unicure also highlights a safe manufacturing environment, contamination-prevention infrastructure and dedicated storage facilities for sensitive and toxic substances.
According to the company’s website, Unicure employs more than 600 professionals, including around 100 people in highly skilled technical roles. Its business spans manufacturing, supply and exports of pharmaceutical products.
Dr Kashish Aziz at an event
The company operates in a highly competitive market where manufacturers must control costs without compromising quality. Raw material prices, supply-chain management, regulatory compliance and production capacity all influence performance.
Aziz believes that cost control should never come at the expense of quality. Lean manufacturing, automation and improved systems, she argues, can help increase efficiency and production capacity while maintaining standards.
Unicure also has a presence in international markets. Available global trade data records 703 export shipments to 39 buyers and 24 import shipments from nine suppliers. Pharmaceutical products under HSN codes 3004 and 3003 have been the primary drivers of its export activity.
Dr Kashish Aziz
The company’s imports also highlight the importance of raw materials and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) to pharmaceutical manufacturing. Fluctuations in global supply chains, raw material prices and logistics costs can significantly affect production expenses, making efficient inventory management, automation and quality control increasingly important.
As India strengthens its position in the global pharmaceutical supply chain, companies such as Unicure will need to balance government business, contract manufacturing and exports while maintaining stringent quality standards.
For Aziz, that balance is central to the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing—and to the credibility of the industry itself.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories> Muslim Women in Corporate / by Onika Maheshwari, New Delhi / August 24th, 2026
Dr Inamul Hasan Madar of Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), has been conferred the Kalam Medal of Excellence in Translational Innovation at the NEXT GENE Bioscience Summit 2026 held in New Delhi on September 19.
The award was presented by noted cardiac surgeon and healthcare innovator Dr Shriram Nene in recognition of Dr Madar’s contributions to precision medicine, multi-omics, cancer research and translational healthcare.
His research integrates genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and artificial intelligence for biomarker discovery and personalised medicine, with a focus on translating advances in biomedical science into practical healthcare applications.
Dr Madar has a strong record of scientific publications and patents and continues to work in biomedical research aimed at developing innovative approaches to diagnosis and personalised treatment.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / Daijiworld / Home> Karnataka / by Daijiworld Media Network / September 21st, 2026
Dr Afla Rafeeq of KS Hegde Medical Academy has secured the 21st All India Rank in the NEET-PG 2026 examination, scoring 614 marks out of 720.
According to data released by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), 2,73,096 candidates registered for the examination, while 2,65,980 candidates appeared for the test.
Dr Afla is currently pursuing her MBBS internship at KS Hegde Hospital. During her MBBS course, she secured 13 gold medals. She now aims to pursue postgraduate studies in Radiology.
Originally from Bajpe, Afla completed her schooling up to Class 8 at Ansar School in Bajpe. She later completed her SSLC at St. Mary’s High School, Mangaluru, securing 97% marks.
She subsequently studied at Sri Chaitanya PU College, Mangaluru, where she secured 96% marks and achieved a top rank.
Dr Afla Rafeeq is the daughter of Mohammed Rafeeq and Fathima Rafeeq.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / September 25th, 2026
The software can also locate hospitals and police stations near the last-seen location and provides guidance on what to do if a police complaint hasn’t been filed yet.
Arfath Mohammad / Photo | Express
Bengaluru :
Hyderabad-based Arfath Mohammad was led on the path to develop a software tracking platform when his close friend’s father struggling with dementia went missing from home. Now ReuniteIndia, the software tracking platform developed by Mohammad, has come into news by listing 665 individuals went missing during the Nepal floods and landslide.
It helped in listing those missing, rescued, and safe from official sources like Nepal Police, Nepal’s disaster management authority (NDRRMA), India’s Ministry of External Affairs, and verified family reports.
The platform brings police PDFs, MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) updates, disaster authority bulletins, and scattered social posts, often with different names, dates, and formats together while linking each case back to its original source to help families in trying to find their loved ones.
Mohammad has a Master’s from Wichita State University (USA) and was honoured with a wall dedication at the University’s Rhatigan Student Center for his work in programming and innovation.
The platform not only helps in locating missing persons, but each case page can generate a shareable poster with a real QR code linking back to its live status, so a printed flyer still shows the current status weeks later if someone scans it.
The software can also locate hospitals and police stations near the last-seen location and provides guidance on what to do if a police complaint hasn’t been filed yet.
ReuniteIndia has an AI-assisted layer that helps structure raw information from sources like government bulletins and social posts into clean case records for Arfath to review. Arfath is working on adding an AI chatbot on the resources page to help answer people’s questions directly.
Mohammad says that the ambition is not to be a Nepal flood tracker but to simply be a place any family in India turns to first, for any kind of missing-person case, at any time of year.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / September 13th, 2026
