Category Archives: Women/Girls(since May26-2021)

How Iqra International School’s Noor Ayesha Is Nurturing Children To Excel In Education And Live Islam

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

Noor Ayesha, Founder-CEO, Iqra International School

“Women should give themselves a chance, there’s so much that they are capable of, we need to leave behind a legacy and contribute to our ummah and the world at large.”

Noor Ayesha is an award-winning educator, an empowering leader, a mother of three, and the founder of a school that nurtures more than 650 children. Iqra International School – awarded the ‘Most Promising school for Quality Education in Bangalore’ was founded by Noor Ayesha with the aim of delivering value-based education in order to cultivate in each child, the aspiration to ‘learn and live values’.

“To be a great leader, you have to be a great reader,” says Noor Ayesha. She believes that Muslims moved from the golden age to the “dust age” due to the gradual fading of value-based education guided by Islamic principles.

Noor Ayesha was conferred with the Rashtriya Shiksha Ratan Award by The Indian Society for Industry and Intellectual Development and the ‘Fakhr-e-Watan’ Award for her academic and social services. She has been a speaker at the Eldrok Summit 2019, Early Childhood Association Summit 2019, Asia Education Summit 2016, Asia Leadership & Services Awards 2016, and at various MFERD conferences. She has also been chosen as the Global Goodwill Ambassador of India for Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA).

She believes that one must always have goals – professional, personal, and spiritual. “When you have determination and passion, Allah makes ways. Always,” she says.

Ayesha, along with her team at IIS has disproven the prejudiced notion that the niqab and hijab are obstacles to development and that veiled women are incapable. “We are proof that Muslim women are no less than anyone,” she asserts. She also strongly believes that there is “no shortage of capacity in the Muslim society but there is a need to unearth it and move forward.”

She efficiently managed the school single-handedly for many years, with the support of her team, comprising only of women. “Many of them who thought nothing of themselves are now leading the institution and representing Iqra at various conferences.” Ayesha gladly affirms. “Women should give themselves a chance, there’s so much that they are capable of, we need to leave behind a legacy and contribute to our ummah and the world at large.”

She points out that the inherent flaws in the existing education system have resulted in educated individuals leading privileged lives but vehemently failing in giving back to society, which she believes is the primary purpose of education. At Iqra, students are instilled with a sense of responsibility towards society, along with the quality education they acquire.

Iqra International School is a dream come true for Ayesha’s father, who has always envisioned being able to educate the children of the community. “We felt that a mosque’s imam would be better at his role of a leader if he was additionally equipped with worldly knowledge,” she explains. The school was set up as a result of Ayesha’s commitment to fulfilling her father’s dream and the dire need for a school that would nurture students with Islamic values along with quality education, with the added advantage of facilitating students with a campus that is within the city. 

The school was conferred with the ‘Best Innovative International Preschool in Bangalore’ award at the Asia Education Summit & Awards 2016, the ‘Most Promising School for Quality Education in Bangalore’ award at the Asia Leadership and Services Awards 2016, ranked No.1 in India for “Individual Attention to Students” at the India School’s Merit Awards 2016, ranked No.1 in India for ‘Holistic Development’ at India’s School Merit Award 2017, awarded Excellence in Flexible Education Programme at The India K12 Awards 2019, declared “Brand of the Year” in National Brand Awards 2019, and was conferred with the International School Award 2019-2022 by the British Council.

“As a school, we are in no competition with any other Islamic schools, as we are all working towards the same beautiful cause – ‘nurturing children to learn and live Islam’,” Noor Ayesha asserts. “We just do our very best and leave the rest in His (God’s) hands.”

Iqra International School provides quality education with the IGCSE curriculum, seamlessly integrated with the QIAS (Quran, Islam, and Arabic Studies) curriculum. They also have an intensive hifdh program for students who perform exceptionally well in the Quran classes. The school also has 25- 30 students from other faiths, who have no problem with learning the Quran, the Arabic language, or using the Islamic salutation of peace.

“Alhumdulillah, two years ago, 3 of our brilliant students became huffadh. All 3 students were excellent in the IGCSE academics as well. I must also mention how good they were at football. Most of our football championships were won with two of them scoring the highest goals. Pursuing religious knowledge only makes it easier to become brilliant at gaining worldly knowledge. A balance between the two could be gained and this was proven by these children who made it possible,” she narrates.

The majority of Iqra’s staff have their own children studying at Iqra. “Even before a problem gets addressed by parents we would’ve already found a solution to it or in many cases solved it because we are all mothers ourselves with our own children studying at our school”, Ayesha says.

They also make sure students get ample exposure to other global cultures and beliefs by conducting inter-faith programs, inter-school competitions, Mock United Nations (MUN), and other such activities.

Before establishing Iqra, Ayesha conducted extensive research in the field of international education, particularly Islamic education, including the works of Dr. Dawud Tauhidi’s Tarbiyyah project that elaborates the purpose of Islamic education – its ideal impact and practicality.

“It’s not just the name ‘international’, our school has been international in all aspects from day one, from the research to the books and the curriculum,” she says.

The project has been completely funded by her father, from its inception until recently. Ayesha explains that the biggest challenge they faced was the difficulty in finding experienced teachers. In order to solve this, they set up ISTARI (Iqra Staff Training and Research Institute), as a result of which, they’ve been able to train and hire passionate and well-trained teachers.

“The trust and support from our school parents and the entire Iqra community, in general, has been immense right from the beginning, and that has helped Iqra reach wherever it has today, Alhumdulillah,” she contends.

Currently, Noor Ayesha is the Founder-Managing Director at Iqra International School, Director at Fantasy Group, Founder & CEO at OURAH, Director at Iqra Games Village, Director at the Centre of Integrative Medicine and Clinically Applied Hijamah Therapy(ICAHT), and Vice-Chairman in the Universal Educational Trust. 

She is also the Member of the Advisory Board at Aspire Residential Public School, Kochi, Patron Principal at Early Childhood Association (ECA), Member of the Advisory Board at Eastern Public School, Bhopal, Member of the Islamic Educators Communication Network operated by Islamic Schools League of America (ISLA) and Council of Islamic Schools in North America(CISNA).

She completed her schooling in Baldwin Girls’ High School, Bachelor in Computer Science Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University, and MBA in HRD and Project Management from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Wales UK. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy from July 2021 at the University of Toronto, Canada.

source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> People> Rushda Fathima Khan / July 12th, 2021

‘I am a practising Muslim, yet I am a very liberal person’: ‘Pratigya’ actress Aalika Shaikh

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , ,

Mumbai, MAHARASHTRA :

Television actress Aalika Shaikh, who rose to fame from Star Plus show ‘Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya’, is seen as Kesar in the second installment of the popular drama series.

She has been a part of the industry for almost a decade now and has starred in shows like ‘Tumhari Pakhi’, ‘Tum Hi Ho Banhu Sakha Tumhi’, ‘Pardes Me Hai Mera Dil’ and more.

While Aalika has finally gained fame and appreciation for her work, her journey has proven to be an uphill battle.

Aalika Shaikh had to choose between her acting career and her conservative Muslim family.

The actress, who decided to go against her family’s wishes and pursue a career in showbiz, shares, “I changed my name because of my family, I never had any mental or financial support from them.”

“I changed my name because I come from a Muslim family and in my family girls get married at a very early age. I neither wanted to choose that path nor did I want them to be answerable to people who they thought they would be accountable to, so I changed my name,” she adds.

The actress made her debut with a play on Doordarshan.

She reveals that she first started her career as a real estate investor. However, Aalika, at a friend’s behest, decided to try her luck in acting and gave an audition for ‘Air Hostess’. She was selected for the role of Pia and received a lot of praise for her enthralling performance.

Talking about how difficult it was to follow her dreams, Shaikh says, “It was challenging for me at first because I didn’t have a godfather in the sector and didn’t know anyone who worked in it. It was challenging to carve out that space, get my name out there and have people recognise my work, but once you get into the swing of things, people come out in droves to support you as friends and it becomes a bit easier emotionally and mentally to fight harder and live your dreams.”

Even amidst the personal turmoil, Aalika says that she never felt like giving up on her career.

“When I had detached from my family I tried to focus on work as much as possible, tried to discover new projects and my desire to be successful and recognized kept me going,” she says.

Shaikh reveals that her family eventually reached out to her and they decided to sink their difference.

“My family had contacted And I have accepted them and so have they. All this while, I have been supporting (financially) them,” reveals Aalika.

Asked if all of this has affected her faith in Islam, Aalika states, “I was born into a Muslim household and am a practising Muslim who offers namaz on a regular basis, yet I am a very liberal person who respects other religions. That isn’t to say I don’t respect or believe in other religions… I do, and more than that I believe in and follow the religion of humanity.”

Aalika, who is in a live-in relationship with Rohin Robert and often shares loved up pictures with her beau, seems unperturbed by trolls.

The actress says, “I wouldn’t say much about the trolls or assaults because everyone has their own life choices and rules. So, I choose to stay grounded and I am pretty much proud of the choices I’ve made in life relating to work and profession.”

When asked if she has an advice for aspiring actresses who are afraid of pursuing a career in acting, Aalika says, “I won’t be able to send a message to young girls who are afraid to pursue their dreams because of their family or religion as everyone has different circumstances in life that forces them to make decisions and take steps.”

“I just have one piece of advice: If you truly want to achieve something from the heart, don’t give up,” she concludes.

source: http://www.freepressjournal.in / Free Press Journal / Home> Television / by FPJ Web Desk / July 10th, 2021

Ujjain: Girl students lead villagers to C-vax centre

Community Involvement / Social Issues, COVID 19 - Community of Soldiers, Useful / HEALTHCARE, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , ,

Ujjain, MADHYA PRADESH :

NSS programme officer Dr Rehana Sheikh said that due to the initiative of the students many people came forward for vaccination.

NSS volunteers of Bhartiya College present at the Corona Vaccination Centre along with villagers 
FP PHOTO

Ujjain: 

During the Tika Utsav, the girl students of the NSS unit of the Bhartiya College spread awareness on Covid-19 vaccine among people in the rural and urban areas of the district.

They toured Kharsodkhurd, Lekoda, Javasia, to make people aware about the importance of vaccination and provided information about their nearest vaccine centre.

B Sc student Seema Sediwal said that we helped many people get rid of misconceptions about vaccination.

BA student Pooja Patel lead the residents of village Lekoda to the nearest vaccine centre.

B Com student Anjali Porwal told that people in the Mahakal Vanijya area said that they are waiting for the people around them to get vaccinated.

Porwal asked them to lead from the front, get vaccinated and then encourage people around them for getting jabs and contribute in the fight against corona.

NSS programme officer Dr Rehana Sheikh said that due to the initiative of the students many people came forward for vaccination.

source: http://www.freepressjournal.in / Free Press Journal / Home> Indore / by FP News Service / April 17th, 2021

A family repertory: The contribution of the Alkazi and Padamsee clans to Indian theatre

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pune, MAHARASHTRA / NEW DELHI :

The Padamsee extended family with Ebrahim Alkazi and Alyque Padamsee standing second and fourth from left, respectively   | Photo Credit: From ‘Enter Stage Right – The Alkazi/Padamsee Family Memoir’ . courtesy the Alkazi Theatre Archives

The Alkazi and Padamsee clans have played, and continue to play, an extraordinary role in the history of modern Indian theatre

“Oh god, it’s a page turner!” That was the cry from various family members on reading the first draft of Feisal Alkazi’s family memoirs published earlier this year. Titled Enter Stage Right — The Alkazi/Padamsee Family Memoir (Speaking Tiger, 2021), it is an irresistible, exciting read. The narrative details are gripping, the pace exciting, and viewing the times described in the book of the two families in pre- and post-Independence India through the lens of Feisal allows us to enter a world that we can relate to from stories that our parents and grandparents told us of the times they lived through.

Legendary names

Both names are legendary; the Alkazi and Padamsee clans contributed hugely to the formation and recognition of modernism in both Indian theatre and art. It all started when Bobby, or Sultan, Padamsee, the eldest Padamsee brother — the two families had 17 siblings between them, several of whom would distinguish themselves in theatre and the arts — had to return to Bombay after just six months as a student at Oxford due to the outbreak of World War II. What followed was a period of creative efflorescence as

E. Alkazi weds Roshen, October 1946   | Photo Credit: Photo Credit: From ‘Enter Stage Right – The Alkazi/Padamsee Family Memoir’ . courtesy the Alkazi Theatre Archives  

Bobby penned more than 100 poems, drew, painted watercolours and, one day in 1943, gathered a group of keen college students around his mother, the Padamsee matriarch Kulsumbai’s, horseshoe-shaped dinner table weighed down with mouth-watering Khoja cuisine. Bobby announced a plan to launch their own theatre group, the aptly named Theatre Group, as an alternative to commercial theatre, inspired by the group theatre movement of 1930s’ New York. One of those in attendance at that dinner was the young Ebrahim Alkazi.

Human angle

The group would flourish over the next few years, and court controversy with productions like an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Salomé, in which Bobby’s 19-year-old sister, Roshen, performed the risqué dance of the seven veils. Bobby would die by suicide aged just 24 in 1946, but the group went on, reaching its zenith in the coming decades, and three of his disciples married his sisters to found a cosmopolitan clan — including Ebrahim, who married Roshen. These were heady times of enormous intermingling, set in the dying days of the Raj and the dawn of Nehruvian India. The search for a new way of living creatively through a rich cultural life that was looking for a unique national identity drew in a very intense and close-knit community and family theatre with a galaxy of close friendships between authors, poets, painters, musicians and actors. As Feisal comments in the memoir, “Going to London together in 1947, there was a Roman Catholic like [F.N.] Souza, a Muslim like my dad, a Jew like Nissim Ezekiel, great friends like Krishna Paigankar and Akbar Padamsee, the idea that they were from different communities was not in anybody’s mind at all… we were always in and out of each other’s houses as well, in my family it was all the artists as well as the theatre people. We grew up with that — it gives a human angle to all these great giants that art historians write about.”

The cover of ‘Enter Stage Right — The Alkazi/Padamsee Family Memoir’  

After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London in 1947, Ebrahim returned home and rejoined Theatre Group. However, following a rift with others in the group, he left and founded his own Theatre Unit company at the Bhulabhai Desai Memorial Institute in the 1950s. The Institute played an important role in nurturing modern Indian art and drama, and Ebrahim

found a space for uninhibited creativity there, before he moved to Delhi in 1962 to head the National School of Drama for 15 years. Over the years, his contribution to widening the scope, subject matter and audience for Indian theatre would be extraordinary, as would those of his brother-in-law Alyque Padamsee, Mahesh Elkunchwar, and Safdar Hashmi. Alyque, known for directing productions ranging from the English version of Girish Karnad’s Tughlaq to Jesus Christ Superstar, has also been called the father of Indian advertising, and played Jinnah in Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi. His first wife was Pearl Padamsee, a stage and film actor, director — her oeuvre included Godspell, the first big musical produced in Mumbai — and producer. Their daughter, Raell Padamsee, runs her own production house, ACE, in Mumbai.

Home to stage

The rich family legacy also continues through Ebrahim’s son Feisal, who started devising plays with friends in Barry John’s Music Theatre Workshop in the early 80s. Although theatre is his first love, Feisal wears many hats — theatre and television director, author, educationist, counsellor, filmmaker and founder of Ruchika Theatre. His works include Noor, a sympathetic, gendered lens on Noor Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal; A Quiet Desire, the story of Rabindranath Tagore and of his brother and sister-in-law Kadambari; the adaptation of Kipling’s The Jungle Book into a coming-of-age story, retitled Yeh Bhi Jungle, Woh Bhi Jungle, in which the character Mowgli epitomises every important transition of adolescence in his search for identity.

E. Alkazi as Macbeth in a production directed by him   | Photo Credit: From ‘Enter Stage Right – The Alkazi/Padamsee Family Memoir’ . courtesy the Alkazi Theatre Archives

Along with his sister, Amal Allana, and her husband, Nissar Allana, Feisal has strongly believed in the mixing of generations in creative work. “I make it a point that the infusion of the next generation in all the years of Ruchika is so crucial. All our kids are there and the people who started it… to keep the generations going and learning from each other.” Radhika, Feisal’s wife, an accomplished actress and arts educator, says, “It was so new to me, this world — in the family, in the home, in the drawing room — your furniture would be on stage, your clothes would be on the stage.” When Zohra Sehgal worked with Feisal in the Ruskin Bond serial Rusty, she found herself wearing a costume that was from Radhika’s trousseau. Feisal recalls her saying, “Hamare gharon mein aise hi chalta hai” (This is how it is in our homes).

The story of these two families, who played such a vital role in the history of theatre and art, is an imperative chapter in the country’s socio-cultural history.

The writer is a Delhi-based artist, arts educator, curator and researcher.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Society> Spotlight / by Kristine Michael / July 10th, 2021

From Kerala to Kashmir: A young woman’s solo adventure

Amazing Feats, Business & Economy, NRI's / PIO's, Travel & Tourism, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , ,

SAUDI ARABIA / Kozhikode, KERALA :

She was not allowed to go on school trips. There was a reason behind it though. She had a habit of wetting her bed at night. Since then she wanted to travel, savour in the free-spiritedness of exploring the world alone. And Amish Mushabir has come back after embarking on a solo trip to Kashmir.

This entrepreneur and mother of two kids took to Kashmir without any prior planning on a stringent budget. She savoured the snow-capped mountains, luminous lakes, and the gorgeous gardens before heading back.

Love for travelling is hereditary

Amis is Tirur Kainakkara Mohammed Ibrahim’s second daughter. Till the age of 40, Ibrahim travelled travelled the world. He came back and married at the age of 40. Her mother hails from Kozhikode. Five years ago he passed away. Amis has inherited his love for travelling.

Amis after finishing her MBA got married at the age of 21 and settled in Saudi Arabia. She worked in an American Company in Saudi for 10 years. Her husband Mubashir, who works as an HR Manager in a Saudi company is aware of her wanderlust.

From Saudi to home

There was a restriction for women to drive alone in Saudi. But Amis would take time off to travel despite the restrictions at GCC.

Two years ago, she came back to India. She had two things planned- a place to pursue her psychology and another to take up her love for travelling. Through a vlog called Travel Badaais, she hoped to chronicle her solo travels. But lockdown put a lid on her plans. Earlier she would book the best of resorts, chart route maps to ensure safety before getting ready to travel. But this time she decided to dodge such safety measures and travel like a common man.

Heaven on earth

So Amis decides to travel to Kashmir without any prior plans. From Kerala, she reached Delhi by train. The plan was to reach Srinagar from Delhi by road. But they weren’t allowing tourists to take the road to Srinagar. That’s why she decided to take a flight to Srinagar. From Srinagar, she hired a scooter and scouted the length and breadth of Kashmir. While travelling to Gulmarg and Pahalgam, she would meet villagers on the way and uploaded them in her vlog. In 8 days she covered 800 km. She would make do with the offered food and lodging and explore Kashmir. No wonder it turned out to be one of the most memorable days of her life.

A few unusual places to see in Kashmir

Kokernag: Which translates as “Hen shaped springs” is 80 km from Srinagar and 25 km from Anantnag and is situated 7,000 feet above the sea level. You can see a collection of freshwater springs, which is also the largest freshwater spring of Kashmir. Trout fishing is hugely popular in this part of the world, and they are even sold to tourists. It’s also famous for Namdah, handicrafts, Gabbah carpet and shawl weaving. You can also catch several places of worship like Hazrat Baba Reshi, Shilagram Temple, Goswami Gund Ashram, Hanuman Temple, Sita Temple, Nila Nag, Ganesh Temple, and Shiva Temple.

Daksum valley: This valley is located in Bhringi River which is ahead of the Mughal Gardens of Achabal. It offers something for everyone—stunning scenery, mountains, picnic spots, plenty of romantic getaways, cone-bearing forests; hidden grassy meadows and snowy mountains. You can see the beauty of natural springs and embrace the lifestyle of traditional villages. It is also a perfect place for camping and trekking. The path that leads to the Simthan Pass is exquisite so are the wooden slopes on either side of Daksum which are covered with grass coating. It’s also a great place for trout fishing.

Gurez: This high-altitude Himalayan village is perched at a height of around 2400m and is 86km from Bandipore and 123km from Srinagar. The valley is encircled by snow-coated mountains and presents a spectacular view of the Kishanganga River flowing through the valley. It’s considered as one of the most amazing places to visit in Kashmir as this valley gives shelter to a small number of exotic wildlife including snow leopard and brown bear. Due to heavy snowfall, Gurez is cut away from the world from November to May. By this time Razdan Pass will be completely snowed out. The tourism department of Kashmir provides Gurez Helicopter services for tourists to promote tourism. Trekking can be dangerous due to its close proximity to the border. However, the scenic landscapes, the beautiful green turf on the woodlands, fishing in Kishen Ganga River, Potato and maize fields posses distinctive charms of their own. Endless forests cling from the bottom of the valley to the peaks; mesmerizing beauty of the Habba Khatoon Peak offers a blissful experience to the tourists. It is difficult to describe the colours of Gurez valley without visiting it once in life.

Tulail Valley: Adding Tulail Valley to your Kashmir Tour list is a great idea. In fact, it can be covered on the same day trip from Gurez as it is a Himalayan sub–valley of Gurez. The road to Tulail from Gurez passes through the scenic landscapes of the Kishanganga River. En route, you will cross the villages of Barnai, Chakwali, Kashpat, Zargai and finally, you can get to see the Purani Tulail Village. The scenic landscapes are a visual treat to your senses. The virgin valley which keeps flourishing in summer is ideal for Instagramming. Again, you can find a lot of freshwater trout here. The green mountains and the flower meadows add a special beauty to this valley. You need a permit to enter the Tulail region from Dawar Police Station. As the village is on the LOC, it is compulsory to seek a series of permissions from Army Camps and SP of this area.

Bangus Valley: This hidden gem is located in the north of Kashmir in the Kupwara district and lies within the Handwara sub-district. The valley is positioned close to the line of control between India and Pakistan and has some really interesting ecological areas surrounded by green grasslands,, meadows, and springs. It is even proposed to be a biological reserve as it produces a fine quality of grass for cattle which also has a medicinal value. Try the spring and summer seasons (April to June) as the weather is pleasant and even monsoon months (July to September) are favourable.

Poonch: Undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in Kashmir, you can see lush green meadows, snow-capped mountains and the eighteenth century Poonch Fort which is spectacular to say the least. The seven lakes of Girgan Dhok have to be in your itinerary, alongside many religious shrines like Baksh Sahib and Gurudwara Nangali Sahib.

Jama Masjid: This mosque, situated in Nowhatta is considered a pivotal one in Srinagar. This was constructed by Sultan Sikandar during the 1400 AD and was expanded by Sikandar’s son, Zain-ul-Abidin. You’ll find 370 wooden pillars in this mosque and a mesmerizing courtyard – both of them are considered to be the major highlights of this mosque.

Aru Valley: Aru Valley, put together against the snow-clad peaks of the Himalayas is only 12 km from Pahalgam. The valley serves as a base camp for several treks and lakes including Tarsar Lake and Kolhoi glacier. It is also home to the Aru River which is a tributary of the Lidder River. Apart its scenery, you can also try horse riding and hiking. During the winter months, the view of the whole valley covered with snow is a comfort to the eyes.

Amis will be the guide

That’s her dream! A travel institution along with her training academy. She wants to organize travel vacations for single and group tourists. Thankfully, both her children (Faila and Faas) enjoy travelling. Her next plan is a trip with her daughter.  

source: http://www.onmanorama.com / OnManorama / Home> Travel / by V Mithran / July 08th, 2021

‘Women were a Power in Jamia Millia Islamia ever since its inception’

Amazing Feats, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Leaders, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NEW DELHI :

(However) The strength these women brought to the cause has sadly never been recorded or acknowledged, Dr Syeda Hameed said.

Dr Zakir Hussain’s wife Shah Jahan Begum
[Shah Jahan Begum, wife of Dr Zakir Hussain – former President of India and one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia in a file photo shared by Dr Syeda Hameed.]

Mumbai: 

Highlighting their contribution in the movement the result of which we see today as “Jamia Millia Islamia”, Dr Syeda Hameed said women were a presence and a power in the Jamia from its very inception though it was never acknowledged.

“From its very inception in 1920, women were a presence and a power in Jamia Millia Islamia. But they never emerged as individuals, always overshadowed by men, who were undoubtedly committed, dedicated, and passionate, but so were the women”, Dr Hameed, scholar, author, writer and former member of the Planning Commission of India said while delivering 17th Dr Asghar Ali Engineer Memorial Lecture.

“(However) The strength these women brought to the cause has sadly never been recorded or acknowledged. It’s time to speak of these women, the architects of Jamia”, she said.

During her lecture, Dr Syeda Hameed especially praised and acknowledged the contributions of Nawab Sultan Jahan Begum – the Ruler of the Princely State of Bhopal, Shah Jahan Begum – wife of Dr Zakir Hussain , Asifa Mujeeb – wife of Mohammad Mujeeb, and Saliha Abid Hussain – wife of Syed Abid Hussain.

Calling them “The Khwateen-E-Awwal of Jamia” – the first women of Jamia, Dr. Syeda Hameed also detailed the last Begum’s contributions in the fields of education, sanitation, public health and her efforts in establishing Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), of which she was the founding Chancellor, and the first and only woman to have served in the position.

“(But) their roles have been diminished and their work remains unacknowledged in the mainstream”, she said in her key-note address titled “Contribution of Muslim Women to Educational Institutions: The Case of Khwateen-e-Awwal of Jamia Millia Islamia.”

Dr Hameed quoted from Saliha Abid Hussain’s speech on Jamia’s Foundation Day in the mid-eighties to prove her point.

“I want to speak of (the) women of Jamia who were like Mughal era Raj majdoors behind Emperor Shah Jahan and the Royal Architects who built the Taj Mahal and never, ever thought of etching their names anywhere on the marble”.

Dr. Hameed also detailed the accounts of Saliha Abid Hussain and Gerda Philipsborn – a German national who later became known as “German Appa-Jaan” of the Jamia.

Dr. Syeda Hameed talked of the jalsas they organised, and their journey from attending events behind the pardah to firmly holding their ground and being in “high demand” at traditionally-male dominated intellectual and literary gatherings and their outspokenness about the rights of women in Islam.

Dr. Hameed talked of the unfinished works of Saliha and the final resting place of Gerda and of Professor Sughra Mehdi, who wrote extensively on the two women and on Jamia, and on the need for their works to be made accessible to more people and in more languages.

Dr. Hameed also recalled Turkish Poet and Activist, Halide Edib Adivar’s series of lectures at Jamia Millia in 1935, and of the early days of the Jamia in Okhla, the basic environment, the lack of electricity, of running water, of roads, and of sidewalks.

“By the banks of river Jamuna, houses were built, modest houses. Very limited income, but plenty of enthusiasm and lots of spirit, and a desire to live together as a human family in which women were the binding force.”

[Begum Saliha Abid Hussain (R) and Asifa Mujeeb.]

While introducing, Begum Asifa, Dr Syeda Hameed detailed how despite coming from a well-to-do family, she chose to live within the means afforded by the newly moved Jamia.

Dr. Hameed’s also remembered the contributions of Begum Syeda Khursheed, who according to her, “was brought up by parents who literally birthed the Jamia” and Shafiqa Kidwai, wife of Shafiqur Rahman Kidwai, former Minister of Education Govt of India. Sahfiqa Kidwai established Balak Mathia Mahal in Delhi for education of girls, and was the member of various apex committees of the Jamia.

“The spirit of the Jamia comes from all these strong and resilient women who collectively built the Jamia and the Muslim women’s movement over decades”, she said.

“That it transcends the test of time and will continue to surface whenever there is a threat to the core values, imbibed in the idea of India, the idea of the university and the idea of Jamia Millia Islamia”, she said.

Professor Zoya Hasan, while throwing more light on the contribution of women in the founding movement of Jamia Millia Islamia talked about Turkish activist, Halide Edib Adivar, who came to Jamia to deliver a series of eight lectures titled ‘Inside India’.

Professor Zoya Hasan said in her lecture series Adivar admired the Jamia movement for its harmonizing intermingling of anti-imperialism and tradition.

“What she found very interesting and impressive was the combination of Indian nationhood with Islamic identity”, Professor Zoya said.

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India / by ummid.com News Network / June 19th, 2021

Reviving Forgotten Memories

Amazing Feats, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, Sports, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , ,

Kolar / Mysuru, KARNATAKA:

A grand-daughter connects with her nonagenarian grandfather Mohammed Nizamuddin, a trend-setter of football in Mysore State

Indians have seen many names coming forth. It could be in the field of science, technology, freedom struggle, sports etc. — few known, few unknown and a few remained in oblivion.

One such sportsman was a young boy from Kolar, my grandfather Mohammed Nizamuddin, who was a terrific football player and was the trend-setter of football in Karnataka, then called the Mysore State. He played and won many matches. Now as a nonagenarian, he is leading a simple life as a retired Tahsildar, enjoying his success in life with utmost gratitude faraway from fandom.

Journey of football dream

It was a normal day. Out of boredom (lockdown effect) I just thought of talking to my grandfather about his football days. But looking at the sparkle in his eyes and hearing his excited voice, my time-pass conversation became one of the most enlightened high voltage story-telling session. He began with his life as a kid who played football as a mere game, but it was in his teens that football became his passion. He started playing for his University first and then for his State.

Mohammed Nizamuddin (standing second from left) and his team seen with the Secretary of All India Football Federation.

Born on June 20, 1929, his football career as such started with Mysore University, where he was the captain of his football team and he, along with his team, won many trophies. His University Professors and those who used to see his matches started encouraging him. He was also much appreciated among his team members and slowly his popularity began to grow. 

Looking at his skills, a well-known team of Karnataka at that time “The Bangalore Blues” approached him and he became a part of that team. As the saying goes “It takes a right moment to strike”, that moment in my grandfather’s life came as an opportunity to play the Santosh Trophy for his State (then Mysore State).

Mohammedan Sporting Club members with the Austrian team at All India Football Federation in 1953. The encircled person is Mohammed Nizamuddin.

1952 – SANTOSH TROPHY

Santosh Trophy is a State-level Football Tournament where many States participate. My grandfather played for the Mysore State. Mysore State in 1956 had won this trophy after a wait of 6 long years. The State was playing well and had entered the semi-finals. It was an interesting nail-biting match. The match was against Orissa (now, Odisha) and Mysore State (now, Karnataka) won by two goals — both scored by my grandfather (Lo, a new star was born in Mohammed Nizamuddin).

Then came the finals. As usual there was a lot of expectancy from the star goal scorer. The match was against Bengal (a very strong team of that time). Mysore won by a goal (again a right goal at right time) and guess what? That one winning goal was scored by none other than Mohammed Nizamuddin.

After six years, Mysore had finally won the Santosh Trophy and so the celebration went on for days. He became a sensation among the youths, who copied his walking style and waited for hours just to shake their hands with him. Such was his euphoria. He also played for the Netaji Club in Mysore.

Later he was invited by Mohammedan Sporting Club (Kolkata) to play for their Club. For nearly 8 years he was with the Mohammedan Sporting Club playing several tournaments like Rover’s Cup, National Championships and scoring many winning goals. 

Bangalore Blues team (Pic. courtesy: Times of India).

In 1956, Mohammedan Sporting Club made a major come back in the Rover’s Cup. They won the trophy after a gap of 12 years and Mohammed Nizamuddin was responsible for the major goals scored, which led to the lifting of the Rover’s Cup in 1956 and 1959 matches.

Throughout his career span of 15-20 years in the national football, he had come across many people from different backgrounds like general public, celebrities etc. and not to forget the numerous countries he has visited. All of these have had a great influence on him (he keeps telling me and my sister about the different places he visited, their culture etc.). For great achievements it requires great support too. One such strong pillar of support to my grandfather was his father Abdul Razaq. Along with his father, there were many people like his University College Principal, his Professors, his coaches etc., who encouraged and supported him to the fullest. They played a key role in his success too and he is forever grateful to them.

In the 1960s, he gracefully retired from his football career. A very simple man with simple but strong principles, he never took his celebrity status to his head. He did not crave for limelight instead he opted for a simple life as a Government servant (Tahsildar) and discharged his duties with utmost sincerity.

Even today, when he looks back at his life, he says with pride in his eyes that he was neither dependent nor a burden to anybody in the family and that God blessed him with the best.

Mohammed Nizamuddin with his family members on his birthday celebration this year.

A BA graduate from University of Mysore, Mohammed Nizamuddin served as Tahsildar in many places including Gundlupet, Yadgir, Sullia and Malavalli. After his retirement, he served as Estate Officer of WAKF Board in Srirangapatna.

His wife passed away 9 years ago. He has 4 children (1 son and 3 daughters). He stays in Bannimantap A Layout in Mysuru with his son, daughter-in-law and two grand-daughters.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / by Areebah Tasdeeq / July 07th, 2021

Meet Manjuwara Mullah from Assam’s riverine sandbank who is leading Muslim women to social, financial empowerment

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , ,

Rupakuchi Village (Barpeta District), ASSAM:

Manjuwara Mullah from the north-eastern state of Assam is a social activist whose initiative Amrapari has changed the lives of many women in the poorest region of Assam. This is her story.

Manjuwara Mullah | Picture by Amrapari

Guwahati :

As a woman social activist Manjuwara Mullah from Barpeta district’s Rupakuchi village in the north-eastern state of Assam would get anxious when distress phone calls from numerous women from the Char areas would pour in seeking her help to get their male family members back home during the Covid-19 lockdown. She faced twin problems — getting the sole breadwinners of the families back home and ensure income for these people so that the impoverished families can sustain the pandemic as well as the economic hardship.

The people of the riverine sandbanks, known as Char areas in Assam, are one of the poorest in the state, have the highest illiteracy rates, a fewer number of landholders and very limited source of income. This crisis, along with the devastating yearly floods force massive labour migration from Char areas of the state to southern Indian states where they work as daily wagers.

For 36-year-old Mullah facilitating the process of getting the migrant labourers back home was an immensely difficult job, and as the migrant labourers took the uphill task of travelling thousands of kilometres to their homes, she started to focus on the women members of the migrants’ families and how they could be engaged in something that earns them money to fend for their families.

Being an activist and with academic exposure to the workings of non-profit organizations, Mullah incorporated her learnings from the sector to form a collective called Amrapari, which eventually turned into a non-profit organization, intending to employ the organic and traditional knowledge of the women from Char areas to provide them financial independence.

Amrapari, a Bangali as well as Miya (dialect) phrase for “we can”, initiative weaponized the traditional knowledge of the women of stitching Kanthas, an embroidery craft on clothes with multiple usage (used as bed covers or also as summer blankets) and also considered as a traditional and cultural artefact of the Bengali origin Muslims of Assam.

“I have been working with urban as well as rural communities for more than a decade. That’s how I am connected with the people at large. My work involved microfinance for the upliftment of women, citizenship issues, child marriage and women rights in the chars. When I got to know about the ensuing financial hardships of these families with whom I have been connected, I was in a lot of distress,” Mullah said when she narrated the circumstances that led to the foundation of Amrapari initiative.

The Char areas are also grappling with issues of girl-child rights violation, women rights violation apart from women in the family facing the economic burdens as men generally migrate for work to other states.

“Amid the trying times of coronavirus induced hardships, I was thinking about change in the Char areas. Merely supporting the women would not help them in the long term. Until they are financially independent their social condition will not change much,” she said.

The women from Char areas and the community, in general, are traditionally skilled in stitching kanthas. “I facilitated the use of the craft and ancestral knowledge to weave for their independence and empowerment,” she said.

The initiative is currently operating from Rupakuchi village, around 130-kilometers away northwest from state capital Guwahati, and sandwiched between Beki and Chaulkhua river which cause ravaging floods and erosions during the monsoon months.

At least 35 women are working as stakeholders, following a model of cooperative benefit sharing at Amrapari.

Women supported by Amrapari doing stitching work | Photo by Amrapari

Mullah said that during the initial days of the organization, Anjuman Ara Begum, a human rights activist, helped her a lot. “We discussed at lengths with women from villages and they said that they know stitching and were interested in engaging with the traditional craft,” she said.

More than monetary gain
For 24-year-old Nur Nehar from Rupakuchi village, her engagement with Amrapari means she can bear the educational expenses of her two children.

Married in 2009 as a child bride, Nehar used to stitch small fishing nets at her village which would earn her a meagre amount and living on the constant fear of being uprooted from her house by the annual flooding waters from Chaulkhua river, she is now confident that she will be able to earn the months ends by weaving the quilts.

“Though I knew stitching, but I didn’t know the designer works. It was Manjuwara madam who introduced the designs to us,” Nehar told TwoCircles.net, being happy with the fact that she has earned Rs 15,000 by working with Amrapari.

Moreover, the small initiative has been a ray of hope for many women from remote Muslim villages. Many find respite from the mental trauma that they endured when their husbands had done injustice to them.

A note on the social media page of Amrapari narrates the mental trauma that a woman had to go through. The post reads, “The most painful incident that had happened in my life was when my husband married twice. My mental health was badly affected. But upon working here, I can distract myself and pay the fees of my kids for their education which matters the most,” said one of the members from the group no. 2.”

It has also boosted confidence among many of the participants associated with the organization.

30-year-old Inuara Begum was said, “I would get shy and angry when I first saw my photograph in the posters. But now my photos have become some kind of viral on (social media). The people here and my family encouraged me so much so that I am not shy anymore. This has given me a lot of courage.”

For Umme Sabira Khatun, who is in her mid-twenties and coordinates among the women groups at Amrapari, her imaginations becoming arts on the kanthas is more than satisfactory. “Amrapari has given that platform where I can see my designs turn into appealing arts which I could never have imagined before,” Sabira said.

Mullah said that more than financial aid to the women, Amrapari envisages empowering the women from very remote places. “The experiences shared by the women reflect their own sense of self-identification as well as their independence,” she said.

Promoting their products via social media and e-commerce platforms, the women from Amrapari have been able to tap the market for their traditional kanthas and the women are extending their range of products as well.

source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Lead Story / by Mahibul Hoque, TwoCircles.net / May 28th, 2021

A different take on the Assamese Muslims

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dibrugarh, ASSAM / NEW DELHI :

A book titled ‘The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims’, authored by Zafri Mudasser Nofil, attempts to define the Assamese Muslims as distinct from the Muslims in other parts of India and different from the immigrant Muslims in Assam.

New Delhi-based author Zafri Mudasser Nofil, who hails from Dibrugarh, says the Assamese Muslims are different from the rest of the community in the country.

Over the years, they have assimilated to the greater Assamese society to such an extent that barring religion, there is not much to differentiate them.

But of late, this community has been suffering from the ignominy of being bracketed with illegal immigrants as ‘Miya’, Nofil, who himself is an Assamese Muslim, laments.

Muslims residing in the state for centuries consider themselves to be an integral part of Assamese society, he writes.

In the book, he cites an example of this aspect: The ancestors of the Daullahs, a respected Muslim family in Sivasagar town played the negera – a kind of drum – at the Dols in Sivasagar during the reign of the Ahom kings.

During those days, animals were sacrificed on Ashtami day of Durga Puja as offering to the goddess.

As a gesture of respect to people of other beliefs, the Sivasagar Dol Development committee offers a sacrificial goat to the Daullah family even now. (From an edited excerpt)

Another excerpt which reveals the assimilation reads: “Magh Bihu for Deshi Muslims is Pushna while Bohag Bihu is Beshoma. On Goru Bihu, the first day of the Bohag Bihu, people in the state give a traditional bath to their cows and bulls they rub a paste of pulses and turmeric and then birch them very gently with leaves of some shrubs… After the cattle are given a bath the Deshis eat Misheli, a preparation of fried rice, lentils, onions and chillies.”

Nofil says that the contribution of Assamese Muslims over the years had been multi-faceted, diverse and immense.

“Be it politics, civil services, literature, art, education, medical science, law, sports, music, films and entertainment, they have excelled in every field. Of the most valuable contributions to the cultural richness of Assam are the Zikir and Zari songs,” he elaborates.

“Litterateur Imran Shah says the contribution of Assamese Muslims to the greater Assamese society is unparalleled. But it’s a case of ‘little done and vast undone’ as far as documentation is concerned,” he further says.

As he was toying with the idea of this book, he remembered what Toni Morrison once said: “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

Despite the vastness of the subject and the challenges it posed, the fact that there was very little published materials regarding the Assamese Muslims prompted Nofil to go ahead and write the book on this topic.

The book unravels the journey of this community and looks at how they have contributed significantly to the composite heritage of the state.

It profiles icons like Bagh Hazarika and Bahadur Gaon Burha to achievers like Imdad Ali, Yamin Hazarika, Adil Hussain and Begum Parveen Sultana, and also looks at some of the interesting customs of Deshis, Moriyas and Julhas.

“Assam is a land representing cohesive social and cultural tapestry and Muslims have a history of over seven-and-a-half centuries in the state.”

“The indigenous Assamese Muslims trace their lineage to the medieval period when Muslim rulers and generals invaded the region. They came to Assam in various phases.

“Ali Mech is believed to be the first person to convert into Islam sometime in the early 13th century and ever since, Muslims have merged into the sociocultural milieu of Assam,” Nofil says.

“I have attempted to write this book as narrative non-fiction though I have profusely quoted from historical texts that are relevant to the discussion,” he adds.

There are several nuggets highlighting age-old camaraderie and also chapters on Azan Pir and his Zikirs, cuisine, Muslim marriages, the NRC and the CAA.

(‘The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims’ is available on Amazon and with Har-Anand Publications. The author can be reached at zafri.nofil@gmail.com and @zafrimn on Twitter)

source: http://www.nenow.in / North East Now / Home> Article / by Smita Bhattacharya / December 26th, 2020