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

For the first time, AMU student union poll sees three women win

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :

For the first time in the history of Aligarh Muslim University Student politics, three women have won the student union elections. Ghazala Ahmad, Sadaf Rasool and Labiba Sherwani all contested the polls for the first time and all three won posts of cabinet members in the AMUSU.

The results of AMUSU elections sent a positive message about gender equality in an university that had gotten bad press for restricting library access for undergraduate women students.

Ms. Ahmad is final year student of Bachelors of Social Work, Ms. Rasool is in the final year of B.U.M.S. and Ms. Sherwani is in her first year of Bachelors of Social Work.

In 2015, one female student had won the union elections. But this is the first time in the history of AMU that three women have won the polls in their maiden attempt.

Kehkashan Khanam, a student of Ph. D. in Theology had won the post of cabinet in the last AMU student union elections. Ms. Khanam had contested this time for the post of vice-president in the AMUSU.

While talking to The Hindu on phone from Aligarh, Ghazala Ahmad said she held the victory of three girls in their first attempt to be a “sign that students of AMU want to see more girls presence and participation in overall student politics”.

When asked how she convinced a male-dominated electorate to vote for her, Ms. Ahmad said, “I told everybody on the campus that time has come to change outsiders’ perception of AMU. I told them, lets show the outside world that AMU campus is friendly and open to girls.”

The twenty-one-year old Ms. Ahmad said her inspiration was her working mother Nahid Fatima, Principal of a Government Primary School in Aligarh.

The job of a cabinet member is to ensure that the problems faced by the students at the departmental and faculty level, should be conveyed and taken up with the president, vice-president and secretary of the AMUSU. “It is a male-dominated campus but the results show that students on the campus want to more participation from girls. After all girls are also there on campus. Who will represent them. It was a tough competition so I had to work really very hard,” said Ms. Ahmad.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Other States / by The Hindu / November 01st, 2016

AMU PhD Scholar Adiba Receives Prestigious American Physical Society (APS) Distinguished Student Award

Aligarh, UTTAR PRADESH :

Adiba receiving the Prestigious APS Distinguished Student Award

Aligarh:

Adiba, a PhD student in Physics at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has been honoured with the Distinguished Student Award by the American Physical Society (APS) at the APS March Meeting 2025 in Anaheim, California.

Instituted in 2015, the award recognises exceptional early-career researchers from outside the U.S. and supports their participation in APS’s flagship meetings.

Adiba, working under the supervision of Prof Tufail Ahmad, is conducting cutting-edge research on Resistive Random Access Memory (ReRAM) devices for neuromorphic computing – an emerging frontier in physics and artificial intelligence. Her work earned her the prestigious award for outstanding contributions to the field.

Beyond research, she leads as President of the International Centre for Muslim Women in Sciences (ICMWS), championing science education among young women.

Expressing her gratitude to AMU for its role in her success, Adiba said, “Receiving this recognition from APS makes me feel incredibly proud and motivates me to strive even harder.”

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Research> Science & Technology / by Radiance News Bureau / April 08th, 2025

Yerragondapalem Teachers Receive State-Level Urdu Best Teacher Awards

Yerragondapalem (Prakasam District), ANDHRA PRADESH :

In celebration of National Education Day, the State Urdu Academy organised a special felicitation programme where teachers from ZPHS Urdu School, Yerragondapalem, a village in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh, were honoured with the State-Level Urdu Best Teacher Awards.

The awards were presented by the Minister for Minority Welfare, S.M.D. Farooq, to Syed Abdul Ghaffar (SGT Urdu), Shaik Khursheed Begum (SA SS), and Syed Shafi (SA Urdu) in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Urdu education.

Local residents, students, and parents extended their heartfelt congratulations to the award-winning teachers and expressed their hopes that they continue to bring more laurels in the future while nurturing many more bright students under their guidance.

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Awards> Pride of the Nation> Latest News> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / November 13th, 2025

Muslim Students Emerge Victorious in JNU Polls, Visually Impaired Scholar Among Winners

MADHYA PRADESH /JAMMU & KASHMIR / BIHAR // DELHI :

New Delhi:

Muslim students have made a strong mark in this year’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student union elections, with Danish Ali, Hafsa Bukhari, and Mohammad Aslam among the winners. The elections saw the Left alliance secure all four top posts, defeating the ABVP. Aditi Mishra was elected President, K Gopika Babu as Vice President, Sunil Yadav as General Secretary, and Danish Ali as Joint Secretary.

Danish Ali, a research scholar at the Centre for Historical Studies, defeated ABVP’s Anuj to win the Joint Secretary seat. Coming from Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh, Danish belongs to a family of educators. She was active in student mobilisations during the 2019 CAA protests and said her victory belongs to all students who value justice and democratic rights.

Hafsa Bukhari from Poonch, known for her hijab-wearing identity, also won a councilor seat. Her election is seen as a step forward for women’s representation and Muslim inclusion on campus. Alongside her, Mohammad Aslam, a visually impaired PhD scholar from Bihar, earned a councilor position. Despite his challenges, Aslam has consistently spoken up for equality, disability rights, and social justice.

Faculty members at JNU described their wins as a reflection of courage, resilience, and commitment to equality. Students across the university have welcomed the outcome, seeing it as a mandate for inclusivity and democratic engagement.

source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / November 08th, 2025

Fruit vendor’s daughter wins gold medal at CUK

Aland Town (Kalaburagi District), KARNATAKA :

Saniya Samreen receiving a Gold Medal from Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Chairperson of the Law Commission of India and former Judge of the Supreme Court, at the 9th Convocation of the Central University of Karnataka (CUK) held on Saturday. | Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Defying all odds, Saniya Samreen, daughter of a fruit vendor from Aland town in Kalaburagi district, bagged the Gold Medal in Master of Commerce (MCom) at the 9th convocation ceremony of the Central University of Karnataka (CUK) held on Saturday.

She received the medal from Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Chairperson of the Law Commission of India and former Judge of the Supreme Court, in the presence of Vice-Chancellor Battu Satyanarayana, Registrar R.R. Biradar and Controller of Examinations Kota Sai Krishna, on Saturday.

Ms. Samreen, who completed her schooling and college education in Aland before joining CUK for her postgraduate studies, said that her achievement was a result of perseverance and family support. 

“All of my achievements are the result of hard work, dedication, and the unwavering support and guidance from my family and mentors,” she with gratitude during her interaction with media representatives on the sidelines of the convocation.

Her father, Mr. Shamu Bagwan, earns his livelihood as a fruit vendor, while her mother, Mrs. Raziya Begum, is a homemaker. “My parents’ constant belief in me has been the driving force behind my success,” Saniya added.

Saniya, who has also qualified both the Karnataka State Eligibility Test (KSET) and the National Eligibility Test (NET) for assistant professor, said she wishes to build her career in academia. 

“I aspire to contribute to the field of commerce through teaching and by shaping future professionals,” she said.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by The Hindu Bureau / November 08th, 2025

10 extraordinary persons who enrich life in Delhi

DELHI :

Changemakers of Delhi

New Delhi :

Delhi is the city of enterprising people, many of whom are migrants from smaller towns and cities.  Many achieved successes in careers, businesses and professions — but some of them transcended the boundaries of success. They are trailblazers who give it back and inspire others. Here, we feature ten personalities of Delhi whose work makes them extraordinary and the Changemakers:

Sirajuddin Qureshi

Sirajuddin Qureshi a well-known industrialist who laid the foundation of India’s meat industry and food processing. Besides, he is one of the founders of the India Islamic Cultural Centre in Delhi. He is a trailblazer in modernising and scaling up the meat and food processing industry under the aegis of his Hind Group. He set up the first modern slaughterhouse and expanded his food business to 50 countries.

However, his lasting contribution to society is his relentless campaign for promoting education among the Qureshi clan, who were small-time meat sellers and traders. He persuaded his community members to pledge to promote the education of girls and women, opt for simpler weddings and encourage youth to join professions. His social campaign was so successful that today, only 20 per cent of the Qureshi men are meat sellers, and women have higher educational standards.

Azra Naqvi

Azra Naqvi wears many hats, but her core remains attached to Urdu, the language, she claims, she breathes, thinks in, and is in her DNA. Despite having lived a fulfilling life with her husband in many countries, dabbled in different professions and roles, her heart always pined for her favourite language. So, when she got a chance to work as a consulting editor with Rekhta Foundation, she made the most of the opportunity.

Besides fulfilling her passion for Urdu at Rekhta, Azra Naqvi found an innovative use of the WhatsApp application on her mobile. First, she connected 200 Urdu women writers to establish a first-of-its-kind literary organisation, Bainalakwami Nissai Adabi Tanzeem (BANAT). The BANAT has created a sisterhood of Urdu writers.  So far, BANAT has published two anthologies based on WhatsApp communication, while a third one is in process. Using the WhatsApp group, Azra Naqvi collected theme-based writings of 40 women writers. 

Siraj Khan

‘Yes, We Can’ stands as a reminder that unity and opportunity can transform lives. This non-profit organisation is dedicated to empowering communities, nurturing youth potential, and creating safe spaces for growth. At the heart of this movement is Shiraz Khan, a changemaker from Old Delhi, whose journey of self-discovery and resilience has shaped the ethos of “Yes, We Can”. The seeds of Yes We Can were planted in 2015. For Shiraz Khan and his co-founder, Nandish, the pandemic wasn’t just a crisis; it was also a wake-up call. They realised that people needed support not only in material terms but also in inspiration, guidance, and community.

From grassroots awareness drives to collaborations with youth-led groups, Yes We Can has quickly grown into a space where possibility meets action. Shiraz often says, reflecting the organisation’s focus on building resilience rather than dependency.

Sahar Hashmi

Mental health in India remains a taboo; words like depression, anxiety, or personality disorder are either laughed off or bring shame. Breaking this deafening silence is Sahar Hashmi, the 29-year-old woman from Delhi. She not only overcame her mental illness but also became a beacon of hope for others suffering in silence.

In April 2025, Sahar launched a campaign, “Breaking Stigma: One Mile at a Time”. She took a 2,779 km bike ride from Delhi to Kashmir. This journey was not just about crossing the geographical boundaries, but an emotional journey against the stigma and silence of society on mental health.

Asghar Ali

Delhi-based artist Asghar Ali is spreading the message of Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb (Inclusive Indian culture) in society through his art. Asgar Ali, a Muslim by faith, has more than 50 paintings based on Lord Krishna and his life story to his credit.

Asghar Ali said that since his childhood, he was fascinated and influenced by Shri Krishna, colours of his peacock feathers and the flute. Asgar Ali’s major work is on the childhood form of Shri Krishna (Bal Krishna), his youth, his objectives in the Mahabharata war, as well as his leela (stories).

Asgar Ali had also organised an exhibition of his Krishna-themed paintings at the recently concluded International Geeta Mahotsav at Kurukshetra, Haryana, where people appreciated his work.

Amna Mirza

Amna Mirza is a trailblazing teacher who prefers holding her lectures outside her classroom amidst the pieces of history strewn around in Delhi. She not only makes teaching interesting, but also helps heritage and modernity coalesce. In the rat race of the modern world, Dr Amna Mirza stands tall as a teacher bringing about profound changes in people’s mindsets.

A political science professor at the University of Delhi. Dr Mirza’s journey defies the rigidity often associated with academia. She wears many hats with ease: educator, social worker, cultural custodian, and above all, a proud Delhiite who believes in nurturing the soul of a nation through its people and plurality.

Mohd. Meraj Rayeen

Md. Meraj Rayeen’s inclusive campaign to improve the conditions of indigenous Pasmanda Muslims, who comprise approximately 80 per cent of the Muslim population, is shaping social change.

Rayeen says, “Politics alone cannot be the solution to every problem.” Based on this thought, he founded the ‘Pasmanda Vikas Foundation’ over a year ago. The organisation has undertaken substantial work to change the lives of people and instil new hope and confidence within the community.

This foundation is not into rhetoric in favour of Pasmanda Muslims’ rights on political platforms; It addresses issues such as education, health, economic empowerment, and social justice.

Meraj Rayeeen believes that the development of Pasmandas is possible only with the awakening and cooperation of the community members. but the entire Muslim society, especially the Ashraf class.

Uvais Ali Khan

Uvais Ali Khan is a successful Chartered Accountant and a changemaker whose journey stands as a beacon of determination and service to society.

He quit his job and started his own business in a small apartment in Laxmi Nagar, East Delhi. Borrowing from friends and banks, he began building not just a company, but a platform for change. Uvais believes in a simple but powerful idea: “Providing basic skills to an individual can open avenues for them to get a job. That single opportunity can change the life of a family for generations.

Adeeba Ali

Adeeba Ali’s life is a testimony to the power of the human spirit and willpower. The 17-year-old is not only a rising star in the world of para-shooting but also an inspiration to many others struggling with self-pity and helplessness.

Five years ago, Adeeba fell from the balcony of her house in Nizamuddin. Four years later, she stunned everyone with her stellar performance at the 26th National Shooting Championship held at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy, Bhopal, in December 2023.

Adeeba’s success is not just a story of winning two medals; it is a story of perseverance that transformed disability into a new identity, not a hindrance.

Syed Sahil Agha

Storytelling is associated with Sufis and Khanqahs; it’s a medium of the message of peace and love, which instils patriotism, unity, and religious harmony, and nurtures the Ganga-Jamuni (inclusive) civilisation. Keeping the tradition in mind, Syed Saahil Agha revived this art and gave it a modern context. Today, he is one of the most well-known names in the world of storytelling.

Syed Saahil Agha conducts storytelling programs in India and abroad. He says, “I realised that people prefer listening over reading, so I thought stories should be narrated so that the public can become familiar with the past and also learn lessons from it.”

He says his aim is not just to narrate stories but also to promote Indian civilisation.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> The Changemakers / by Aasha Khosa / November 09th, 2025

Shabana Faizal is the youngest among Indian philanthropists

Mangaluru, KARNATAKA / Kozhikode, KERALA / Dubai, U.A.E :

Shabana Faizal with her husband Faizal Kottikollon

New Delhi :

Mangalore-based Shabana Faizal has emerged as the youngest woman among India’s top 10 philanthropists, according to the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025.

She has donated ₹40 crore (approximately $1.5 billion) through the Faisal & Shabana Foundation to education, health, and social development.

Shabana Faisal’s journey from being raised in a small town in Mangalore to co-leading a global enterprise is about he hard work and ambition.

Her entrepreneurial journey began in 1995 as a retailer of unique, speciality and luxury products. After leading the company for eight successful years, she decided to team up with her husband, entrepreneur Faizal Kottikollon, and support him in running the world-class foundry, Emirates Techno Casting (ETC).

Shabana took charge of all human resources and administrative processes at ETC, where she created a significant impact in shaping the company’s business success.

In her role as Vice Chairperson of KEF Holdings, she is actively involved in guiding the business’s growth strategy across global markets. Deeply committed to social improvement, Shabana and her husband founded the Faizal & Shabana Foundation in 2007, with the vision of ‘Giving to Create Impact’.

At 53, Shabana’s work has placed her among some of the most influential women in India’s philanthropy world, including Rohini Nilekani, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Bina Shah.

EdelGive Foundation, in collaboration with Hurun Research Institute, recently released the 12th edition of the EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025.

The list honors India’s most generous individuals and families. Over the past three years, 191 philanthropists have donated a total of ₹10,380 crore, representing an 85% increase in contributions.

The education sector continues to lead as the top donor, receiving ₹4,166 crore from 107 donors.

Shabana is the mother of four children – Sophia, Sara, Zakaria, and Zarina – but continues to play an active role in business and philanthropy. Her work makes her one of India’s most influential female philanthropists, exemplifying how professional leadership and a commitment to giving can combine to create widespread social impact.

The EdelGive Hurun India Philanthropy List 2025 states that the top 25 donors contributed ₹50,000 crore in just five years, or an average of ₹46 crore per day. Mumbai leads in philanthropy, contributing 28% of total donations, followed by New Delhi and Bengaluru.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home / posted by Aasha Khosa / November 10th, 2025

The actual Taj story: how a monument’s history has been warped

Agra, UTTAR PRADESH :

Tushar Goel’s film, ‘The Taj Story’, has reignited controversy over the Taj Mahal’s origins, claiming it is a Hindu temple rather than a mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The film’s debut highlights debates about the interplay of history and ideology in contemporary India.

Scaffoldings are pictured as restoration work goes on at the dome of the Taj Mahal in Agra on October 17. | Photo Credit: AFP

A little over 60 years ago, Purushottam Nagesh Oak slept and dreamt. He woke up and claimed that the Taj Mahal in Agra was actually a Hindu palace going back all the way to 4th century. Friends of Mr. Oak, an English teacher-turned-lawyer-turned-journalist but never a historian, told him that the Taj Mahal couldn’t have been a fourth century structure as the technology employed in building the Taj in the 17th century didn’t exist back then. The fantasist turned a pragmatist, and Oak brought his argument forward by a few centuries. The Taj was now claimed to be a Hindu temple. This was in 1989. He wrote articles and a book too, but found no support from historians. Even the Supreme Court dismissed his claims as “a bee in his bonnet” in 2000.

But post-2014, history is like a revolving door, you enter and exit at your ease and pleasure. You pick and choose, you circumvent and invent. Dress it up as a movie and claim you are looking at history anew. That is how we get a movie like Tushar Amrish Goel’s The Taj Story, starring former BJP MP Paresh Rawal; just like we had The Kashmir Files and The Bengal Files, starring Anupam Kher and Mithun Chakraborty, all ideological partners of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

With The Taj Story, Goel goes where no historian has gone. Proof, evidence and knowledge amount for nothing as the director makes a case for the Mughal monument being actually a Hindu temple, much like the BJP leader Sangeet Som who called it alternately a Shiva temple and a monument built by a man who incarcerated his father. Mr. Som obviously couldn’t make out a Shah Jahan from an Aurangzeb and hence got mixed up. Much like Oak, oops, Goel, who sees no difference between history and mythology, facts and fantasy.

Recorded history

Talking of facts, the Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after his favourite wife Arjumand Bano Begum breathed her last after bearing the last of their 14 children. Its chief architect was Ustad Ahmed Lahori. The land for her last resting place was procured from Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber who had inherited it from Raja Man Singh, a celebrated general of Akbar, who was Shah Jahan’s grandfather. Shah Jahan compensated Jai Singh with four havelis from the royal property for the massive haveli in which rests Mumtaz Mahal. His firman to Jai Singh, the latter’s agreement and the Mughal emperor’s subsequent letter of granting him four havelis in lieu of one, are all part of history; unlike the claim of The Taj Story which talks in terms of a massacre and genocide of the locals for fulfilling the wishes of an emperor and his consort!

The work on the tomb started in 1632 with the finest craftsmen from across the country and West Asia. The chief mason was Mohammed Hanif from Baghdad who earned ₹1000 a month for his efforts. The pinnacle was built by Qayam Khan of Lahore and its Quranic inscriptions were done by Amanat Khan Shirazi. The mosaic work was done by local Hindu workers. Above all, some 20,000 workmen toiled for 22 years to build the monument to love. Its white marble came from Jaipur, lapis lazuli from Sri Lanka, crystal from China and coral from Arabia. The monument uses the double dome technique, previously seen only in the Humayun’s tomb in Delhi, and never seen in the country before the arrivals of the Turks.

Not the first time

Over the years, many have tried to appropriate credit for its beauty and majesty. In the 17th century, it was claimed by many in the West that the architect of the Taj was Venetian Geronimo Veroneo, a jeweller by profession. Then came the claim by Mughal Beg in Tarikh-e-Taj Mahal that it was designed by Muhammad Effendi, an architect supposedly sent by the Sultan of Turkey. Effendi though was as much an architect as Oak was a historian. In the mid 19th century it was claimed that the monument was the result of the genius of Frenchman Austin de Bordeaux, a jeweller. However, Austin died in 1632, the year the work on the Taj began. With his death all claims of Austin being the Taj’s architect were buried. And facts began to be raised.

As for fantasy, well there is Goel’s film, never mind its claim of presenting the “untold history of the Taj Mahal”. The film, replete with stereotypes of kohl-lined, skullcap-donning Muslims aims at building a nation’s memory on unreasoned mythology, far removed from the well argued debates of history. Much like Oak’s view that Christianity was nothing but Krishan-Niti. Not game for any ridiculous claims in an insipid film which opened with a mere 14% attendance in the first show? Watch M. Sadiq’s 1963-saga Taj Mahal. Sure, you would remember its song, ‘Jo wada kiya woh nibhana padega’, penned by Sahir Ludhianvi and sung with much love by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. Sadiq’s film with Pradip Kumar and Bina Rai in the lead cast, made no effort at replacing history with mythology.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies> In the limelight / by Zia Us Salam / November 07th, 2025

Former Bihar Minister Parveen Amanullah passes away

BIHAR :

Social activist and Former Bihar Minister Parveen Amanullah passed away today in New Delhi. She was suffering from cancer for some time.

The family had moved from Patna to Delhi for treatment. She also went to America for treatment and recovered from there. Her health had deteriorated for two-three days. she passed away today at seven PM.

Amanullah was the daughter of former Kishanganj MP Syed Shahabuddin and the wife of senior Bihar cadre IAS officer Afzal Amanullah.

Before entering politics she was known for her activism, especially in regard to her use of the Right to Information Act, 2005 to bring out the apathy prevalent in government institutions.

Amanullah was elected as a member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly in 2010 from the Sahebpur Kamal constituency in Begusarai district as a candidate of the Janata Dal (United) after defeating Rashtriya Janata Dal’s Shreenarayan Yadav.

She became the Social Welfare minister of Bihar in Nitish Kumar’s government and held the portfolio until February 2014 when she resigned from JD(U) citing “governance issues” and “lack of work satisfaction”. She joined Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party two days later.

source: http://www.theindianawaaz.com / The Indian Awaaz / Home> Quami Awaaz / by Indian Awaaz / October 01st, 2023

Meet Ghazala Hashmi: Daughter of AMU Alumnus is New Virginia Lt Governor

Hyderabad, TELANGANA / New Virginia, U.SA :

Indian-American Ghazala Hashmi, who is closely linked with the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has won the Virginia Lieutenant Governor 2025 Election result of which was declared on Monday.

Virginia: 

Indian-American Ghazala Hashmi, who is closely linked with the prestigious Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has won the Virginia Lieutenant Governor 2025 Election result of which was declared on Monday.

A Democrat Party candidate, Ghazala Hashmi, defeated Republican candidate and the state’s first gay statewide nominee, John Reid, to become first Muslim and first South Asian American elected as Lieutenant Governor of Virginia, a Republican stronghold.

Ghazala Hashmi polled over 55% votes as against her nearest rival John Reid who got the support of around 44.7% voters. Hashmi had earlier defeated five primary challengers in June, narrowly winning the nomination with 28% of the vote, as per the final result of the Virginia Lieutenant Governor Election 2025.

Ghazala Hashmi was the first Muslim woman to be elected to the Virginia State Senate following her stunning victory over sitting Republican Senator Republican Glen Sturtevant in the 2019 U.S. elections.

Ghazala Hashmi was born in India and emigrated to the US as a child with her family. She is also a former director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching & Learning at Reynolds Community College.

Ghazala Hashmi’s AMU Link

Ghazala Hashmi was born to Zia Hashmi and Tanveer Hashmi in Hyderabad in 1964. She spent her childhood days at her maternal grandparents’ house in Malakpet, Telangana.

She migrated to the United States with her mother and older brother as a 4-year-old child to join her father in Georgia.

Ghazala Hashmi’s mother, Tanveer Hashmi, is an alumna of Osmania University’s Women’s College in Kothi from where she did BA and B.Ed before migrating to the United States.

Ghazala’s father Professor Zia Hashmi is the alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) from where he did MA and LLB. He completed his PhD in International Relations from University of South Carolina and soon after began his university teaching career. He retired as the Director of Centre for International Studies which he founded.

Ghazala Hashmi is married to Azhar Rafiq. The couple have two adult daughters – Yasmin and Noor – who both graduated from Chesterfield County Public Schools and the University of Virginia.

According to information available on her official website, Ghazala Hashmi is an experienced educator and an advocate of inclusive values and social justice. Her legislative priorities focus on public education, voting rights and the preservation of democracy, reproductive freedom, gun violence prevention, environmental protection, housing, and affordable healthcare access.

Hashmi spent nearly 30 years as a professor, first teaching at the University of Richmond and then at Reynolds Community College. At Reynolds Community College, Hashmi also served as the Founding Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).

Former Minister, MLA and BRS leader KT Ramarao has congratulated Ghazala Hashmi on her victory.

“This is massive! From Malakpet to Virginia… Congratulations to Ghazala Hashmi on becoming the first Indian-American Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. There is nothing more beautiful when democracies celebrate diversity of the world”. KTR wrote on X.

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> United States / by ummid.com news network / November 05th, 2025