Students of Women’s College, Aligarh Muslim University, brought laurels to the institution as Nabeela Khan (B.Sc. Biochemistry) and Ashfia Khan (B.A. Psychology) secured a silver medal at the Indiaskate National Championship 2026 held from April 23 to 28.
Leading the Uttar Pradesh team, captain Nabeela Khan displayed strong leadership and determination throughout the tournament. In the final against Tamil Nadu, the team delivered a spirited performance, finishing 16–8 to clinch the silver medal.
Both players played a key role in guiding the team to the finals, showcasing excellent coordination, resilience and competitive spirit at the national level.
source: http://www.indiaeducationdiary.in / India Education Diary / Home> National News> University News / by India Education Bureau / May 02nd, 2026
The newly elected 126-member Assam Assembly will have a total of 22 Muslim MLAs, according to the Election Commission data released after counting of votes Monday May 04, 2026.
Assam Assembly Election Results 2026:
The newly elected 126-member Assam Assembly will have a total of 22 Muslim MLAs, according to the Election Commission data released after counting of votes Monday May 04, 2026.
The number of Muslim MLAs in the Assam assembly formed after the 2026 state polls is 09 less than the last time when 31 Muslims had won.
As many as 18 Muslim MLAs elected to the Assam assembly are from the Indian National Congress (INC). Interestingly, the Congress has won only 19 seats, and 18 of them are Muslims. The Congress had 30 MLAs in the last assembly.
Other Muslim MLAs elected to the Assam assembly in the 2026 polls are 02 from AIUDF (13 less than 2021), and 01 each from Raijar Dal (RJRD) and Trinamool Congresss.
List of Muslim MLAs in Assam
Following is the complete list of Muslims MLAs in Assam along with the constituencies they represent.
Congress
MD ASHRAFUL ISLAM SHEIKH (PARBATJHORA)
ABDUS SOBAHAN ALI SARKAR (GAURIPUR)
BABY BEGUM (DHUBRI)
WAZED ALI CHOUDHURY (BIRSING JARUA)
Mohibur Rohman Bappy (MANKACHAR)
AFTAB UDDIN MOLLAH (JALESHWAR)
ABUL KALAM RASHEED ALAM (GOALPARA EAST)
MD. NURUL ISLAM (SRIJANGRAM)
ABDUR RAHIM AHMED (CHENGA)
JAKIR HUSSAIN SIKDAR (PAKABETBARI)
REKIBUDDIN AHMED (CHAMARIA)
DR ASIF MOHAMMAD NAZAR (LAHARIGHAT)
NURUL HUDA (RUPAHIHAT)
TANZIL HUSSAIN (SAMAGURI)
AMINUL HAQUE LASKAR (SONAI)
ZUBAIR ANAM MAZUMDE (ALGAPUR-KATLICHERRA)
JAKARIA AHMED (KARIMGANJ NORTH)
AMINUR RASHID CHOUDHURY (KARIMGANJ SOUTH)
All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF)
MAZIBUR RAHMAN (DALGAON)
MOHAMMED BADRUDDIN AJMAL (BINNAKANDI)
Raijar Dal (RJRD)
MEHBOOB MUKTAR (DHING)
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC)
SHERMAN ALI AHMED (MANDIA)
Assam Assembly Elections 2026: Final Result
In Assam, the ruling BJP has retained power winning 82 of the total 126 seats in the Assam Assembly – 23 seats more than the party’s tally 59 in the 2021 Assam State Polls, as per the final result of the 2026 Assam Assembly Polls.
The Congress has won a total of 19 seats – 11 less than its tally in 2021. On the other hand, the AIUDF, which has won 16 seats in the 2021, has won just 02 seats in the 2026 state elections.
The Congress and AIUDF had contested the 2021 Assam Elections forming an alliance, which had together won a total of 49 seats. The two parties fought the 2026 election separately, and could together won just 21 seats.
Interestingly, most of the assembly constituencies the Congress party has won in 2026 were earlier represented by the AIUDF, indicating that the Muslim voters preferred Congress over Badruddin Ajmal Qasmi’s AIUDF.
In 2021, the BJP had 01 Muslim MLA. However, the party had not fielded any Muslim candidate in the 2026 Assam Polls.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home / by Ummid.com news network / May 05th, 2026
Muslim students, especially girls, delivered an impressive performance in the Jharkhand Academic Council Intermediate examinations, earning praise from teachers, parents and educationists across the state.
The Class 12 results, declared on Wednesday, saw minority students secure top positions in the science stream. Many observers described the achievement as an encouraging sign for educational progress within the community.
Rashida Naz from Dhanbad emerged as the topper in the science stream with 489 marks. A student of Plus Two DAV High School, Rashida brought recognition to her school and district through her performance. Teachers described her as disciplined and focused, crediting her success to dedication and strong family support.
Faizan Alam from Patan secured the second position with 483 marks. Sana Afrin from Satbarwa and Akanksha Kumari from Simaria jointly secured third place with 481 marks each.
Educationists noted that girls once again outperformed boys in several categories, continuing a trend seen in recent years. Many teachers and parents said the results reflected growing awareness about the importance of education, especially among Muslim families and girls from smaller towns.
The achievements in Jharkhand followed similar success by Muslim students in the Bihar Board examinations earlier this year. In Bihar, Shabrin Parveen from Vaishali district scored 492 out of 500 marks and became a joint state topper in the matriculation examination. Several other Muslim students also secured places in the merit list with marks above 97 percent.
Parents and community leaders welcomed the latest results and said such achievements inspire students from modest backgrounds to pursue higher education and competitive careers. Teachers stressed the need for scholarships, career guidance and better educational opportunities to support talented students further.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News / by Radiance News Bureau / May 08th, 2026
The newly elected 140-member Kerala Assembly will have a total of 35 Muslim MLAs, according to the Election Commission data released after counting of votes Monday May 04, 2026.
Among the IUML MLAs, who have won the 2026 Keralam state elections, is also Fathima Thahiliya. Fathima is IUML’s first woman MLA.
Kerala Assembly Election Results 2026:
The newly elected 140-member Kerala Assembly will have a total of 35 Muslim MLAs, according to the Election Commission data released after counting of votes Monday May 04, 2026.
The number of Muslim MLAs in the Kerala assembly formed after the 2026 state polls is 03 more than the last time when 32 Muslims had won.
As many as 22 Muslim MLAs elected to the Kerala assembly are from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The IUML had fielded 27 candidates in the 2026 elections – 22 of them have got elected. Among the IUML MLAs, who have won the 2026 Keralam state elections, is also Fathima Thahiliya. Fathima is IUML’s first woman MLA.
The IUML had won 15 seats in the 2021 Kerala Elections . The IUML had in 2016 elections won 18 seats, and the assembly had a total of 29 Muslim MLAs.
Other Muslim MLAs elected to the Kerala assembly are 08 from Congress (5 more than 2021), 04 from the CPI-M (05 less than 2021), and 01 from CPI (Kerala).
List of Muslim MLAs in Kerala
Following is the complete list of Muslims MLAs in Kerala along with the constituencies they represent.
Congress
ADV. T SIDDIQUE (KALPETTA)
ARYADAN SHOUKATH (NILAMBUR)
K.P NOUSHAD ALI (PONNANI)
ANWAR SADATH (ALUVA)
MOHAMMED SHIYAS (KOCHI)
ADV. SHANIMOL OSMAN (AROOR)
M. M. NASEER (CHADAYAMANGALAM)
MUHAMMED SUDHEERSHA S (VAMANAPURAM)
CPI (M)
P.A MOHAMED RIYAS (BEYPORE)
P.MAMMIKUTTY Muhammed (SHORNUR)
A C MOIDEEN (KUNNAMKULAM)
N. K. AKBAR (GURUVAYOOR)
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)
A K M ASHRAF (MANJESHWAR)
KALLATRA MAHIN Abdul Khader Haji (KASARAGOD)
PARAKKAL ABDULLA (KUTTIADI)
ADV. FATHIMA THAHILIYA (PERAMBRA)
ADV. FYZAL BABU (KOZHIKODE SOUTH)
M.A. RAZAK MASTER (KUNNAMANGALAM)
P K FIROS (KODUVALLY)
C K KASIM (THIRUVAMBADI)
T.P. ASHRAFALI (KONDOTTY)
P.K.BASHEER (ERNAD)
ADV. M. RAHMATHULLA (MANJERI)
NAJEEB KANTHAPURAM (PERINTHALMANNA)
MANJALAMKUZHI ALI (MANKADA)
P.K. KUNHALIKUTTY MUHAMMAED HAJI (MALAPPURAM)
K.M. SHAJI (VENGARA)
T V IBRAHIM (VALLIKUNNU)
P M A SAMEER (TIRURANGADI)
P K NAVAS (TANUR)
KURUKKOLI MOIDEEN (TIRUR)
PROF. ABID HUSSAIN THANGAL (KOTTAKKAL)
ADV. N. SAMSUDHEEN (MANNARKKAD)
ADV. V E ABDUL GAFOOR (KALAMASSERY)
CPI (Kerala)
MUHAMMED MUHASSIN (PATTAMBI)
Kerala Assembly Elections 2026: Final Result
In Kerala, the opposition UDF led by the Indian National Congress has removed from the power the Left-led LDF. The LDF was in power in Kerala since 2016.
As per the final result of the 2026 Kerala Assembly Polls announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) the UDF has won 89 of the total 140 seats.
The LDF won a total of 35 seats – 57 less than its tally in 2021. On the other hand, the BJP has won just 03 seats – all for the first time.
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> 2026 Kerala Assembly Election Result / by ummid.com news network / May 04th, 2026
Urooj, a Kolkata-based NGO has taken up the task of coaching underprivileged and average students to excel in NEET exam.
Kolkata’s renowned doctors with Urooj students who secured a seat through NEET
Kolkata:
Gosiya Azad stays in a small house on College Street. During the lockdowns, she found it difficult to study at her home, so she used to walk almost two kilometres to study in a library. Azad, daughter of a bus driver, has managed to secure a medical seat (BDS) at the Dr. R Ahmed Dental College.
Gosiya missed MBBS by one mark. If she would have OBC certificate then she would have got MBBS seat. She is an OBC candidate, but couldn’t get all the documentation done because her family is not literate.
“I had secured 62 per cent in senior secondary. And I was not very good at studies,” she recalls.
Like Gosiya, Shayaan Fahim, also says that he was an average student. And once believed he will never be able to crack the national level exam — National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). But, he too secured an MBBS seat at the Barasat Medical College.
Danyal Rizwan Ansari passed his secondary from a government school in Bihar. He is all set to become the first doctor from his village. Danyal has also secured an MBBS seat in Barasat Medical College.
Along with them, there are other students whose father runs a pan stall or whose mother is a teacher in a trust school earning a meagre salary and have beaten all odds to crack the NEET and secure a medical seat.
The Urooj students who secured a medical seat
These students have one thing in common, Urooj, a Kolkata-based Non-Government Organization (NGO) which helps underprivileged and average students to crack NEET at a nominal or almost no fees.
Some 151 students (classroom+test) enrolled last year but due to open enrollment system only 79 gave tests, out of which 22 got seats in different government medical colleges and hospitals through NEET 2022. Among them, 14 are girls who realized their dreams of becoming doctors.
On Sunday evening, all of them, along with 15 more students of Urooj’s 2021 batch were felicitated in Topsia.
And to felicitate them, 30 doctors, from renowned medical colleges and hospitals attended the event.
Aulad Hussain High School, center of Urooj’s classroom coaching had a jam-packed session, despite the unexpected delay caused by a phenomenal turnout of guests to attend the event.
Dr Salim Parvez, Dr Nahid Parvez and Dr Aadil Bashir felicitate an Urooj student Md. Shoaib Akhtar
It was an emotional moment not only for the students who realized their dreams but also for the parents who wanted to see their sons and daughters don the ‘white coat’.
Anwar Hussain, who secured an MBBS seat in Deben Mahata Medical College, when get felicitated, later called upon his father Md Mobarak Hussain and the son donned the father with white coat.
“We do not do the felicitations for donations or publicity. But by such functions, we want to encourage the students for higher studies. We believe that MBBS is just a beginning and they have to do MD and MS or other higher studies in future,” informed Umar Daraz Danish, a teacher, by profession and the center-in-charge of Urooj.
Urooj is the brainchild of Dr. Minhajuddin Khurram, Cardio-Thoracic and vascular Surgeon at NRS Medical College and his cousin Dr. Jaweria Mehreen (MBBS intern). Urooj also gets support from Helping Hand Trust.
Dr. Ahsan Kamal, Dr. Minhajuddin Khurram and Dr. Jaweria Mehreen felicitating another student of Urooj Sumaiya AK Sayeed
Umar added, “Last year, a student whose grandfather was a gatekeeper in Aulad Hussain School cleared NEET and secured a seat in a government college. But we did not publicize it. Urooj also has students who are from economically well-off backgrounds, like a parent who is a teacher in Pratt Memorial.”
Urooj conducts a one-year course for students who are in plus two or have passed senior secondary. Unlike other medical coaching centers, Urooj does not teach or guide 11th-standard students in order to prepare for NEET. It charges only Rs 20000 for a year, that too in installments. If some parents can’t afford that also then they can pay as little as Rs 8000. The Urooj students, who crack NEET, next year help guide ongoing aspirants.
“We do not compromise on the quality of teachers. All are paid as per industry-standard. But we also ensure that students do not start considering teachers as cult figures and rather believe in Urooj and the idea behind it,” said Dr. Khurram, the Academic Supervisor of Urooj.
All the budding doctors praise Dr. Khurram for his selfless mentoring and guidance, which helped them crack NEET.
Some of the doctors also addressed future doctors like gynaecologist Nahid Parvez and Plastic Surgeon Faria Shahab.
“The students should believe that they are not in the profession to earn money but to serve humanity. I also request support from those who are unable to clear this year,” said Dr. Nahid.
While Dr. Faria highlighted, “There is a need for female doctors in every area of specialization and there is nothing like male specialist area, so girls can opt for any specialization they want.”
The list of thirty doctors with their specializations and where they are practicing.
1- Dr. Sayeed Uddin(MBBS, Veteran General Practitioner)
2- Dr. Marya Tazeen (BDS, Dentist, Central Kolkata)
3– Dr. Arshad Ahmed (MS, Orthopedics, Asst. Prof CNMC)
4- Dr. Sufiyan Ahmed (MD, Anesthesia and intensive care specialist, in-charge of GDDI ICU)
5– Dr. Ayesha Farheen (BHMS, Homeopathic Practitioner)
6– Dr. Arsalan Raza (MBBS, DCH, Pediatrician)
7– Dr. Salim Parvez (MD, Radiologist, Director of Radiology, Fortis)
8– Dr. Nahid Parvez (MS, Renowned Gynaecologist)
9– Dr. Aadil Bashir (DM, Cardiologist, NRS MCH)
10– Dr. Asif Ansari (MD, Internal Medicine, Asst. Prof CNMC)
11– Dr. Fatima Zinna (MD, Dermatologist)
12– Dr. Wasif Akhtar (Homeopathy practitioner)
13– Dr. Md. Sarim Ashfaque. (MS, Orthopaedics, Apollo)
14– Dr. Ishrat Parveen (BHMS, Homeopathic Practitioner)
15– Dr. Zoya Ayesha (MBBS, Social Activist)
16– Dr. Ismail Shahidullah (DNB, Neuro Anesthesia- INK)
17– Dr. Jaweria Mehreen (MBBS intern- founder member of Urooj)
18– Dr. Mubashshir Shamim (MRCP, Pediatrician)
19– Dr. Arif Faizan (MD, Senior Interventional Radiologist, NH, Medica and Kothari)
20- Dr. Haseeb Hassan (DM- Neurologist, Amri, Kolkata)
21– Dr. Abdul Majid (DMS, Veteran Homeopathic Practitioner)
22– Dr. Amber Obaid (MD, Senior Radiologist, Medica)
23– Dr. Ahsan Kamal (MS, General Surgery)
24– Dr. Talha Shahid (BDS, Dentist)
25– Dr. Subhan Reyaz (DNB Radiation Oncology, Chitranjan Cancer Hospital)
26– Dr. Saima Shahid (BHMS, Homeopathic Practitioner)
27– Dr. Minhajuddin Khurram (MCh, CTVS, resident at NRS)
Amima Jauhar, daughter of Mohammad Afaque Jauhar, has emerged as the top scorer of Prestigious Al Barkat Public School, Aligarh, securing an outstanding 96.6% in her CBSE 10th board examinations. Interestingly another student Aleena Akhter also made the school proud by getting the same excellent result.
Amima’s result stood out with a perfect 100 marks in both Urdu and Information Technology, reflecting her exceptional command over languages as well as technical subjects. Her consistent hard work, disciplined study routine, and academic focus have been widely appreciated by teachers and school authorities.
A student of Al Barkat Public School, Amima also received guidance from Image Classes, Aligarh, which played a supportive role in her preparation. Her achievement has brought pride to her family, school, and the Aligarh academic community.
source: http://www.theindianawaaz.com / The Indian Awaaz / Home> Campus / by Indian Awaaz / April 18th, 2026
Banner image: Images courtesy of Parveen Shaikh/Whitley Award.
Scientist Parveen Shaikh has been awarded a 2026 Whitley Award by the UK charity Whitley Fund for Nature, recognising her efforts to protect the endangered Indian skimmer along India’s rivers. The award comes with funding to expand her community-led conservation model from Chambal river to Prayagraj, where the Ganga and Yamuna rivers converge.
The Indian skimmer is identified by its vivid orange bill and its habit of flying low over water, skimming the surface to catch fish. India holds over 90% of the world’s population of the bird, with roughly 3,000 individuals, making the country critical to the species’ survival. The birds breed on seasonal sandbars and mid-river islands, making their nests vulnerable to changes in river flow, predators, and human disturbance.
When Shaikh, who works with the Bombay Natural History Society, began her “Guardians of the Skimmer” initiative on the Chambal river, the local Indian skimmer population stood at around 400 individuals in 2017. As of 2025, the population has grown to approximately 1,000. Nest survival has nearly doubled, rising from 14 percent to 27 percent, a direct result of community involvement and scientific monitoring.
“Local guardians help identify new sandbars, monitor nests, and prevent disturbance during the breeding season. Some now proudly refer to the skimmers as “our birds,” which reflects a growing sense of ownership,” says Shaikh.
With the Whitley Award funding, her team will now expand to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradash, a place of cultural significance and also home to breeding populations of Indian skimmers, river lapwings, and little terns. The challenges here include heavy boat traffic, fishing activity, religious practices along the riverbank, and urban pollution all increase pressure on nesting colonies. The team plans to appoint new local guardians, install predator-proof fencing, and use GPS mapping for real-time nest monitoring.
The Whitley Award, also known as the Green Oscars, is given annually to those achieving exceptional success in grassroots community-led protection for threatened species and habitats.
This year, the award includes two Indians among the six winners. In addition to Shaikh, the other winner from India is Barkha Subba who is leading the first grassroots movement to protect the Himalayan salamander and its fragile wetland habitat in the Darjeeling Himalaya, West Bengal.
Read about Parveen Shaikh’s work in Chambal river and the community champions that she works with in this 2021 story on Jagdish, one of the nest guardians.
source: http://www.india.mongabay.com / Mongabay / Home> Global> Beyond Protected Areas / April 30th, 2026
Dr Zareena Parveen, director, State Archives, and coordinator of the Cluster Centre, GBM, explained that the survey has identified 1,95,935 manuscripts, including those of the Telangana Archives, and a total of 29,871 images of 130 manuscripts had been uploaded till May 2.
“The handmade paper used for the farman is a rare example showcasing the royal practices of the time,” M.A. Raqeeb, assistant director, Telangana Archives, told Deccan Chronicle. (Image: X)
Hyderabad:
A royal farman, said to be the second oldest in India — issued by Sultan Feroz Shah Bahmani (1397–1422) in 1406 — will be among close to two lakh manuscripts identified as part of the survey by the Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM) in Telangana. The GBM is a national initiative by the Union culture ministry to unearth, preserve and digitise India’s massive manuscript heritage.
This decree on Persian‑style handmade paper is 33 x 10 inches in size, with ink and royal‑seal authentication. The document was issued from Gulbarga, which was the seat of power for the Bahmanis before it was shifted to Bidar. The decree grants land as inam to Muhammed Ahmed, Qazi of Kalyani, and bears the distinctive tughra (monogram) and the Bahmani royal seal.
“The handmade paper used for the farman is a rare example showcasing the royal practices of the time,” M.A. Raqeeb, assistant director, Telangana Archives, told Deccan Chronicle.
Another well‑preserved royal farman is of Emperor Shah Alam II, issued in 1773 AD, appointing Maharaja Narayan Rao Bahadur as official caretaker of the riverbank near Allahabad. Believed to be part of preparations for the Kumbh Mela, the emperor issued clear instructions to officials not to levy fees.
“All expenses for maintaining the site and facilitating the pilgrims’ rituals are to be borne entirely by the Mughal government,” the decree says.
According to the decree, Hindu pilgrims (yatris) arriving from across the subcontinent — especially from Gujarat and Maharashtra — must be allowed to take the sacred bath and holy dip for spiritual purification without any fee or levy. The directive is to be strictly implemented and communicated to the commissioner of police and all present and future officers for perpetual observance.
“This farman illustrates the Later Mughal policy of imperial patronage toward diverse religious practices and underscores the state’s responsibility for safeguarding pilgrimage routes and sacred bathing ghats,” Raqeeb explained.
The cluster centre at the State Archives has identified and completed surveys of 17 institutions and individuals, while surveys for another 42 are underway. It has so far scanned 57,842 documents and exported 29,871 images.
Dr Zareena Parveen, director, State Archives, and coordinator of the Cluster Centre, GBM, explained that the survey has identified 1,95,935 manuscripts, including those of the Telangana Archives, and a total of 29,871 images of 130 manuscripts had been uploaded till May 2.
“At the State Archives alone we have over 1.8 lakh manuscripts, including 668 in book form, 155,000 paper items and 25,000 private collections (paper). Most of these are in Old Persian (Shikista) and cover varied subjects, including graphic pictures of Mansabdari, revenue and military systems of the Mughals in the Deccan region (South India),” Dr Parveen director explained.
source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Southern States> Telangana / by Md Nizamuddin / May 03rd, 2026
Fathima Thahiliya has faced cyberattacks and online abuse since her candidature in Perambra Assembly constituency was announced, including sexually derogatory, and communal remarks.
Fathima Thahiliya, a 34-year-old advocate and postgraduate in law from the University of Calicut, won the high-profile Perambra Assembly constituency, defeating the senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), T. P. Ramakrishnan.
Thahiliya got 81429 votes, winning the strongly contested seat with 5087 margin.
Born in Peruvayal in Kozhikode, Thahiliya rose through student politics before entering electoral politics, serving as a leader in the Muslim Students Federation and later as a councillor in the Kozhikode Corporation.
She completed her B.A. LL.B from Government Law College, Kozhikode, and an LL.M from Government Law College, Thrissur, and currently practises as an advocate at the Calicut District Court.
She also serves as a State Secretary of the Muslim Youth League, marking her steady rise within the Indian Union Muslim League.
Representing the Indian Union Muslim League, Thahiliya is among the 2 women candidates fielded by the party, making her contest particularly significant in a constituency long considered a Left stronghold.
Her candidature drew widespread attention across Kerala, not only because of the high-stakes electoral battle but also due to the controversies that unfolded during the campaign.
Fathima Thahiliya faced significant cyberattacks and online abuse soon after her candidature in Perambra Assembly constituency was announced, with her social media pages flooded with sexually coloured and derogatory comments, including vulgar remarks and personal attacks.
Much of the abuse targeted her identity as a young Muslim woman wearing a hijab, and questioned her capability to contest elections.
Thahiliya stated that such attacks were not new to her, noting that she had faced similar cyber harassment during earlier local body elections in Kozhikode.
Another controversy, the “Kauminte Kutti” row, erupted after allegations that campaign vehicles linked to the Left Democratic Front made announcements referring to Fathima Thahiliya as a “community candidate.”
The United Democratic Front alleged that attempts were made to communalise the election by portraying her through her religious identity, with campaign messages that sparked political backlash and complaints to the Election Commission.
Despite these challenges, Fathima Thahiliya emerged as a strong contender and went on to win the Perambra Assembly constituency, marking a significant shift in a traditionally LDF-dominated seat.
source: http://www.maktoobmedia.com / Maktoob Media / Home> India>South India / by Maktoob / May 04th, 2026
At a time when the stage was closed to women from conservative Muslim households, Ayesha walked into the spotlight at 16, confronting hostility that ranged from social ostracism to outright violence.
Nilambur Ayesha, Kerala’s first Muslim woman theatre artist.(Photo | Special Arrangement)
Malappuram :
Nilambur Ayesha, the indomitable force who shattered barriers to become the state’s first Muslim woman theatre artist, steps into her ninth decade with a legacy forged in courage, resistance and uncompromising artistry. Her life is not merely a story of performance, but a defiant march against religious orthodoxy that sought to silence her.
At a time when the stage was closed to women from conservative Muslim households, Ayesha walked into the spotlight at just 16, confronting hostility that ranged from social ostracism to outright violence. For generations of Malayalis, the very mention of drama evokes her name, a testament to a contribution that redefined Malayalam theatre.
Born into a once-prosperous family in Nilambur, Ayesha’s early life was marked by upheaval. Her father’s sudden death pushed the family into crisis. At 13, she was forced into marriage with a man decades older. The relationship lasted only days, leaving her to raise an infant daughter alone. She survived by selling rice and grinding grain, battling poverty with relentless determination.
It was in these harsh circumstances that playwright E K Ayamu invited her to act in a play staged by the Nilambur Yuvajana Kala Samithi. Backed by her brother Manu Muhammed but opposed by her mother, Ayesha chose the stage over submission. “No one who cannot save us has the right to punish us,” she declared, stepping into a world that would test her endurance at every turn.
The backlash was swift and brutal. When she first performed at Farooq Lakshmi Talkies under the banner of the Communist movement, it sent shockwaves through society. A Muslim woman on stage was seen as an act of rebellion. Stones were hurled at her during a performance in Nadapuram, leaving her bleeding, yet she refused to abandon the stage. In Manjeri, gunfire erupted during a play, narrowly missing her. In another incident, she was assaulted inside a make-up room. Each attack was meant to break her spirit. None succeeded.
Ayesha recalls those years with unflinching clarity. “I can never forget that. My first play was ‘Ijjh Nalla Mansan Aakan Nokku’. There was fierce opposition. The shooting incident when I was 16 was part of that. But I was not ready to give up and go back,” she said. “The Communist movement was always with me.”
Her journey extended beyond theatre into cinema, where she carved a notable presence. She acted in films such as Kandam Becha Kottu, Kavyamela, Kuttikkuppayam, Olavum Theeravum and Paleri Manikyam. She also performed with leading drama troupes, including K T Mohammed’s Kalinga Theatre, and took on demanding roles, including four characters in Kurangu Rasayanam.
Hardship followed even at the peak of her artistic journey. Driven by financial distress, she worked as a domestic worker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for 19 years. Yet, she returned to the stage with renewed resolve, eventually performing in more than 29,000 shows.
Ayesha’s life has since entered academic discourse, studied by undergraduate students as part of their curriculum. Her journey, documented in Basheer Chungathara’s work, stands as a powerful narrative of resistance and artistic integrity.
Her achievements have been widely recognised. She received the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi Award for Best Actress in 2002, the SL Puram Sadanandan Award for overall contribution, and the Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actress in 2011. The film Ayesha, starring Manju Warrier, draws inspiration from her life in the Gulf.
Reflecting on her journey, Ayesha says, “Whatever cinema has captured of my life has given me joy. It feels like my life has been accepted.”
Her legacy is now being celebrated in a three-day tribute organised by the Moyinkutty Vaidyar Mappila Kala Academy in Kondotty. The ‘Navathi Adharam’ celebrations opened with a film festival featuring works connected to her life and career. The final day included the screening of a documentary and a gathering of theatre workers, culminating in a felicitation where CPM state secretariat member M Swaraj honoured the veteran artist.
Ayesha did not merely perform on stage. She fought for her place on it, and in doing so, redrew the boundaries of art, courage and freedom.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Kerala / by Lakshmi Athira / May 04th,2026
