During the Big Ticket draw in Abu Dhabi on September 3, 2021. /Photo by Big Ticket
Indian expat in Ras Al Khaimah wins Dh12M in Big Ticket
Dubai :
An Indian expatriate who has been buying Big Ticket with his friends in the past year finally hit the jackpot after winning Dh12 million in the recent draw.
Abu Thahir Mohammed won on Friday (September 3) with ticket number 027700 that he bought on August 30.
He bought the ticket with the help of four colleagues who have been pooling their money for the monthly purchase in the last year and five months. The group will be sharing the prize money.
His friends called him up as soon as they found out their group won the jackpot in the recent draw.
What does Mohammed plan to do with his big win? “He has made no decision at this point in time, he’s still in shock,” his friend said.
List of winners in Big Ticket Series 231 draw
Dh12 million: Abu Thahir Mohammed, Indian, ticket number 027700 Dh1 million: Nina Mohamed Mohamed Raffik, Indian, ticket number 007943 Dh100,000: Sajithkumar PV, Indian, ticket number 218228 Dh80,000: Haren Joshi, Indian, ticket number 024342 Dh60,000: Zhongdong Huang, Chinese, ticket number 022396 Dh40,000: Afsal Paralath, Indian, ticket number 219099 Mercedes Benz: Ahmed Aish, Egyptian, ticket number 015598
source: http://www.expatmedia.net / Expat Media / Home / by Staff Reporter / September 05th, 2021
The young women leaders are talking about the “politics of honourable existence”, which is beyond the comprehension of the present IUML leadership.
Image of IUML supporters used for representational purpose (File Photo | A Sanesh, EPS)
The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a constituent of the opposition UDF in Kerala, is currently engaged in fighting a fire triggered by some of its young women leaders.
Haritha, a girls’ collective part of IUML’s student wing MSF, chose to speak out against the sexist approach and remarks of the MSF’s male-dominated leadership and complained to the women’s commission when the party refused to take any action.
The offended IUML leadership asked the girls to withdraw the complaint and, when found that they were unrelenting, disbanded the entire Haritha committee. It then removed MSF national vice-president Fathima Thahliya and state vice-president P P Shyjal, who supported the Haritha leaders.
The developments underline the churn within and are seen as the outcome of the knowledge revolution among Kerala’s Muslim community that has pushed the girls onto the centre stage. They have gate-crashed into spaces that were the prerogative of the males till now. This leap is clearly visible in academia, social life and even in politics.
The young women leaders are talking about the “politics of honourable existence”, which is beyond the comprehension of the present IUML leadership.
What we see now is the conflict between the emerging politics that is sensitive to the rights of the marginalised, including women, and the conventional politics that sees only power.
The IUML leadership first tried to ignore the issues of self-respect raised by the girls. Then they tried to stifle the voice when it became louder. Now, the issue has become too hot to handle. As a political party that apparently stands for minorities and the marginalised, the IUML cannot turn a blind eye to the issues raised by women leaders. As the Haritha leaders said, the IUML has to regain its democratic structure at every level of the party. It is high time it changed its priorities and policies.
Unlike in the past, where the party enjoyed a monopoly over the Muslim community, there are other players in the field now. And they are more sensible and sensitive to the dreams of the new generation. The party should see the writing on the wall and transform itself to accommodate new perspectives.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Opinion> Editorials / September 17th, 2021
Nagma Mohammed Mallick an IFS officer of the 1991 batch has been appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to the Republic of Poland.
A native of Kasargod Nagma completed her education at St Stephen’s College & Delhi School of Economics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English Literature and a master’s degree in Economics.
She has earlier served as High Commissioner of India to Brunei, India’s Ambassador to Tunisia before this posting.
She was born in New Delhi to Keralite parents from Kasaragod Mohammad Habibullah and Sulu Bhanu.
She joined the Foreign Service in 1991 as a career diplomat. She was the first Muslim woman in the Indian Foreign Service. Her first posting was in Paris where she served in the Indian Mission to UNESCO. Thereafter, in New Delhi, she served in various capacities in the Ministry of External Affairs, including on the Western Europe desk. She served as a staff officer to Prime Minister I.K. Gujral. She then served as the first woman Deputy Chief of Protocol (Ceremonial).
FM @marcin_przydacz met today with Nagma Mohamed Mallick, Ambassador-designate of #India to . Minister pointed out a good condition of political relations between Poland & India. During the meeting, a range of economic issues of mutual interest were discussed.
42-year-old Fathima Benazir, a molecular biologist has come up with a new non-toxic used to test for viruses in labs
The new dye, derived from natural ingredients, can be handled without gloves and could revolutionise the field of DNA testing
Dye prices have skyrocketed after the pandemic and a 500 ul vial is enough for 10,000 RT-PCR tests
A new discovery could revolutionise DNA testing, which has become so important after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even more remarkably, that breakthrough was made in a kitchen by a researcher whose love of science prompted her to tread the unbeaten path.
With the eruption of Covid-19, the number of RT-PCR tests, regarded as the “gold” standard of testing) have skyrocketed. But with the increased demand for such tests there are also increased lab and environment hazards. This is because the fluorescent (or fluorophore) dyes used in the testing of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA, are often heavily toxic to lab staff and pose a serious problem when it comes to disposal.
A new non-toxic fluorescent dye invented by a Bengaluru-based scientist could potentially revolutionise how this testing is done in the near future.
Fathima Benazir, 42, a molecular biologist by training, always knew that she wanted to be a scientist, but that it was ultimately a failure to get into an MBBS programme (by a 2% margin), which pushed her towards biotechnology.
The 35-year old social worker in Lucknow, while fasting during Ramadan, has arranged the cremation of around 7-8 COVID-19 patients who had no one to cremate them.
Lucknow:
Azra Mobin has been through a whirlwind of emotions in the past few weeks. The 35-year old social worker in Lucknow, while fasting during Ramadan, has arranged the cremation of around 7-8 COVID-19 patients who had no one to cremate them.
The first cremation that she arranged and witnessed was of an 80-year-old Moolchandra Srivastava, a man she did not know until his son Gaurav called and pleaded for help.
Moolchandra had been infected with COVID-19 and was admitted in a private hospital in the city. His son was apprehensive of cremating the body because he has diabetes, and his brother and sister-in-law were also infected with the virus.
From Aliganj, where she lives, she went to take the body and in ambulance went to Baikunth Dham to get him cremated. Accompanying her was Deepak, a friend of hers. Not just for help, but she had also asked Deepak to tag along for a better understanding of the last rites.
It was a hot sunny day and Mobin was fasting as well. Wearing the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suit, she started to feel dizzy. Mobin said, “I thought I would faint near the pyre where the body was burning, and I sat on a slab nearby. But I wanted to make sure the body was cremated first.”
Two crematorium workers, one of them named Khurshid, she recalled, also helped her during the cremation.
“Humein mazhab se matlab nahi hai, bas aisa nah ho ke kisi ki laash reh jaye,” said Mobin. (I don’t care about the religion; I just don’t want anyone’s body to be left behind.)
It all started last month when she felt helpless and numb hearing one devastating news after another. On 19 April, she posted her number on Facebook, asking people to contact her if any help needed for cremations.
The incident that still shakes her core
One day, after iftar, she had a conversation with a young 21 year old boy, Aman Srivastava that still breaks her heart.
Aman could not stop crying on the call. He was at Raebareli road and he had reached out for help for his mother but by then she had passed away. Aman has a younger sister. His father was in isolation and in a critical condition.
He was breathing heavily so Mobin asked him if he has COVID-19, to which he said, “No. I don’t. I just haven’t eaten anything. I miss my mother, how can I even eat?”
She tried to comfort him and assured that she is available if any help needed. The following day, she was back to arranging other cremations.
All this while, she could not stop worrying about the boy and wondered why he had not called. A few days later, his sister answered her call.
“The day after you called, my father passed away. The next day, my brother whom you spoke to, Aman also passed away. My grandmother, in this shock of these deaths, also passed away.” his sister said.
Already quite disturbed, Aman was told to take the ashes to Kanpur. He got in an accident and and passed away.
This hit Mobin really hard. She assured all help to the girl and her relatives, yet in that moment she felt nothing but helpless.
Throughout this second wave of the pandemic, one which has wreaked havoc in the urban and rural spaces, citizens keep trying to fill the gap created by the authorities. The onus to help with leads, provide materials and services have fallen on the shoulders of the locals. In an ideal world, citizens should not have had to do this.
Azra Mobin
‘No matter what your faith Is, I’m here to help’
Traditionally in India, Hindu or Muslim women do not participate in last rites, visit the cremation grounds or cremate the bodies.
For some families, generally, she said, they are scared to cremate or go to the cremation grounds. Either the family members are not available or they are self-isolating. A lot of times neighbours have also refused to help.
After the first cremation, Mobin received a lot of messages of encouragement from people. From a Muslim cleric to strangers, they all sent their prayers and that emboldened her to continue working.
“I thought about the people that have been cremated — did they even know me? Did they ever think their family will not be cremating them?” I think, maybe, God made me connected to them for a reason,” she said.
Mobin is a mother of two, an 11-year-old girl and a 9-year-old boy. When she decided to help during the pandemic, she sent them to their grandmother’s house. Mobin’s mother was worried and disapproved of the work initially, but Mobin is not one to back down. “I tell my mother I have gotten this altruistic spirit from her that she cannot do much about,” she said.
When she returns from the cremation ground, she discards the PPE suit and self-isolates.
Uttar Pradesh on Thursday reported 17,745 new coronavirus cases, 277 deaths in 24 hours. Out of the deaths, more than 20 were from Lucknow. The government, however, has been accused of reportedly concealing the numbers.
On being asked if she fears any action from the government, Mobin said, “I am not scared of talking about the reality on the ground. If they think by highlighting the reality, people are spreading ‘rumours,’ then they can come with me on the ground, see and hear the cries of the people. I have seen people losing their lives on the road.”
As she continues to attend to SOS calls, she also thinks of her future. “What if tomorrow when I die, I have no one to cremate my body? I would like to think that someone will be there for me when my time comes,” she remarked. The only positive note here, she says is that the calls for cremation have reduced in the past couple of days.
Aliza Noor is a multimedia journalist based in Lucknow.
source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob / Home> Features India> North India / by Aliza Noor / May 14th, 2021
India’s only woman powerlifter at Tokyo Paralympics, Sakina Khatun finishes in fifth position in the final of the women’s 50kg powerlifting.
Para Powerlifter Sakina Khatun / thebridge.in
Indian para powerlifter Sakina Katun finishes fifth in the women’s 50kg powerlifting event on Friday at the Tokyo Paralympics. Participating in her maiden Paralympic Games, Sakina lifted 90kg in her first attempt, followed by an unsuccessful lift of 93kg in second. In her third attempt, Sakina successfully lifted 93 kg to finish 5th. Egyptian Reha Ahmed a best of 120kg to win the gold medal, followed by China’s Hu Dandan, who lifted 112kg to win the silver medal and Great Britain’s Olivia Broome lifted 107kg to win the bronze medal.
Sakina made the country proud by winning a silver in the Para Powerlifting World Cup in Dubai in the up to 45kg category with a lift of 80kg. Sakina Khatun is the only female para-athlete in Indian history to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games. Hailing from Bengaluru, Sakina’s father worked as a marginal farmer and her family faced many financial problems. Despite all of this, Sakina survived Polio as a child and she had to undergo four surgeries to survive the deadly disease.
source: http://www.thebridge.in / The Bridge / Home> Tokyo 2020 Paralympics / by The Bridge Desk / August 27th, 2021
Rejimol, 46, is known as “Thatha”, or elder sister, by everyone in and around her hometown
Thiruvananthapuram:
A burqa-clad, highly-religious woman in Kerala’s Kannur district has become a role model for women and youngsters for her entrepreneurial spirit and philanthropic activities.
Rejimol, 46, is known as “Thatha”, or elder sister, by everyone in and around her hometown. She is not a teacher, doctor, advocate, or social worker, but exemplifies courage, determination, and a kind heart while being owner – and worker – of a private bus service.
She, and her husband Mohammed, bought a bus for plying in Kannur, and while several people joined as attendants, all used to leave after serving for one or two months. This led to the determined Rejimol taking up the job by herself, while her husband became the driver and her son, Ajuwad who has completed his plus 2, the conductor for collecting money.
In Kerala, private buses have an attendant who rings the bell after people enter and exit at their respective stops. It has been a male bastion, as the job also involves cleaning the bus after the daily trips as well as changing tyres as and when they puncture, as also guiding the driver while overtaking a vehicle or when negotiating a curve.
All these jobs are now taken up solely by Rejimol, who has become a role model for women and youngsters alike by the determination, grit, and love for the job that she had shown.
“This is a job like any other job and when people first found a burqa-clad woman entering a male bastion, they were surprised. Some were laughing and I asked them whether they were insulting me, they said no and that they were just surprised and were full of respect and admiration for me. This made me carry on and I now have the courage and strength to face the society and life during any upside or downside,” Rejimol told IANS.
She said that life has been tough during Covid-19 times but in all, her life has been good and she used to save money for her pilgrimages to Makkah, and has done the Hajj as also the Umrah.
She said that daily she saves a portion of her income to be distributed to orphanages, adding that she was also supporting two orphanages. Rejimol also said that she intervenes in any social issue at her neighbourhood and also helps people as much as she can.
She said that she has allowed her daughter to study as much she can before giving her off in marriage.
“Education is important and marriage can come after that,” she maintains.
Her stand is in contrast to the prevailing situation in certain villages of Kerala where Muslim girls are being married off at an early age. However, signs of changes are slowly being seen in the community with more and more Muslim girls studying hard and coming up in academics and entering prestigious institutions like AIIMS, IITs and even qualifying for Civil services. However, there is still a trend of marrying off the girls at a tender age and Rejimol is strongly opposed to this.
Rejimol’s daughter, Ajinas A.M. is a PhD scholar doing her research in political science at the prestigious Karyavattam Campus of Kerala University. She did her Masters in political science from Central University of Puducherry.
The highly-determined woman entrepreneur maintains:
“Life is woven around love and without love and mutual help, nobody can survive and my policy is to love everyone and support everyone in whatever means we can. Women must be hard-working and not sit idle at home but chip in for the support of the family.”
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India> Life & Style / by IANS / September 05th, 2021
Nisha Warsi, the only Muslim player in the Indian national hockey team that reached the semi-inals in Tokyo and lost a well-fought game against the English team, will get an award of Rs 50 lakh from the State government of Haryana as the Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced the policy of rewards for Olympians.
He said the State will give Rs 50 lakh to each player of the Indian women’s hockey team from the state and the same amount to those who ranked fourth in the Olympics events from the state.
It’s not clear if Nisha is entitled to double award of being the Olympian and winning the fourth place in international Hockey at Tokyo. In that happens she is entitled to Rs one crore.
Khattar tweeted, “We give Rs 6 crore to Gold medal winners, Rs 4 crore to Silver medal winners, and Rs 2.5 crore to Bronze medal winners. For the first time, we have decided to give Rs 50 lakh each to the players who finished fourth.”
Apart from this, he further announced to give Rs 10 lakh each to all the players who participated in Olympics from Haryana.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz / Home> Women / August 07th, 2021
The undeniable girl power of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in sports came to the fore in Hockey as a team of AMU ABK High School-Girls clinched a decisive win in the final of the National Hockey Tournament in Goa to bag the Gold Medal.
Team members Aliya Rashid, Simran Shakeel, Rabia Khatoon, Shafiya Shakeel, Amreen Malik, Zenab Mohsin, Saniya, Shaby and others were felicitated in a special function at the school on their return.
Congratulating the team members, Dr Samina (Principal) said that the School hockey team has not only capped an excellent performance in the tournament, but also inspired other girls to take up sport and bring laurels.
Wishing the team more success in the future, Dr Saba Hasan (Vice Principal) said that the team’s performance shows that dreams can come true as long as you work hard.
School teachers, Mr Nadeem Ahmad, Mrs Shaheen Khan, Mr Mahtab Ahmed, Mr Najmur Rahman Faridi, Mr Shamshad Nisar (Sports teacher) and Md Imran Khan (Coach) delivered motivating speeches to encourage the hockey team for more success.
source: http://www.amu.ac.in / Aligarh Muslim University / AMU Public Relations Office / August 24th, 2021
Punzwa Village (Kupwara District),JAMMU & KASHMIR :
Srinagar:
Twenty-three-year-old Nadia Beigh hailing from Punzwa village in Kupwara district of North Kashmir is the first girl from her village to crack the prestigious Civil Services Examination in her second attempt.
Ranked at 350, Nadia credits her success to her family.
To escape the recurrent internet shutdowns in the valley, Nadia enrolled herself in Residential Coaching Academy, Jamia Millia New Delhi which provides free coaching to selected students who are chosen through a rigorous entrance exam. Thirty students from the academy cleared the civil services exam this year.
“If I had stayed back in Kashmir last year, I don’t think I would have been able to prepare for my exam. The internet is extremely important if you are preparing for civil services. Other than that, I live in a remote area where newspapers reach late and a single newspaper will cost you 20 or more rupees. So, I thought it was better to move to Delhi,” says Nadia.
When asked about what service she would prefer to choose, Nadia, a graduate in Economics (Honors), told TwoCircles.net that she is keen about working in administration or foreign services. But her rank doesn’t allow her to be allotted to those ranks. She now plans to sit for the civil services exam again next year and is hopeful of scoring a better rank.
“I know I have potential to do better. Though I’ll be joining services this year, I’ll sit for the exams next year as well. It is a safe option,” she says.
Fighting all the odds, 16 candidates from Jammu and Kashmir managed to clear the exam. With the abrogation of Article 370, a complete communication and security lockdown was imposed in the erstwhile state of J&K. This was followed by a massive influx of students to different states of India, especially those preparing for various competitive examinations.
“I could spot a Kashmiri on every corner of Delhi. Some students in my locality who could not afford to move out of Kashmir, unfortunately, could not clear the exams,” she says.
Nadia has two sisters who are doctors by profession and a brother, a civil services aspirant himself. Her parents are government school teachers, the reason why she believes she has been able to excel in her education.
Since the news of her cracking the exam has come out, scores of people have flocked to her home to congratulate her. She is particularly overwhelmed by the number of girls who have approached her to procure information about the examination pattern.
“If because of me more girls are inspired to appear for the exam, I believe that would be the biggest achievement. People of Kashmir are very talented. Once they set their minds to it, they can achieve anything,” she says.
Just a day after clearing the exam, somebody created a fake Twitter profile using her name and picture and posted controversial tweets that could cause problems for her, she said.
“Since I am going to be a government official now, the tweets were against the government. I have spoken to the Cyber Police Srinagar and the account has been taken down but the screenshots of those tweets have been circulated widely. I am very anxious about it,” she said.
Despite all this, Nadia wants to work for the upliftment of her people. She believes that with a high position in the administration she can serve the people of Kashmir. Her plans consist of working diligently and aiming for a better rank next year.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Indian Muslim / by Asma Hafiz, TwoCircles.net / August 08th, 2020
